need help with my '77 xs650 Not idling and blinkers stay solid

[legendary yamaha]

That could be those crap MikesXS advance springs you installed. They could be too weak and won't pull the advance weights back in to retard the timing. If the timing won't retard, the revs will hang.

I changed to my old springs, after someone said they might not be better than the one I had.

 

[5twins]

Did you service the advance rod? It needs to be lubed where it passes through the head or it can stick. Most need servicing now. Many haven't been touched or re-greased since the factory put them together 30+ years ago.

 

[legendary yamaha]

Did you service the advance rod? It needs to be lubed where it passes through the head or it can stick. Most need servicing now. Many haven't been touched or re-greased since the factory put them together 30+ years ago.

I bought the moly grease, didn’t get the chance to take it of,hopefully will do it this weekend.

 

[5twins]

You can test and see if the advance rod is sticking with the motor off. It doesn't move or turn much, only about 1/8 to 1/4 of a turn between it's retarded and advanced position. Take the little chrome cover off the advance unit side. Grab the little nut on the end of the advance rod and try to rotate it by hand. If you rotate it "open" then let go, the springs should snap it back "closed" quickly. If it doesn't do that, if it's slow to return or sticks "open", it probably needs to be removed, cleaned, and greased. The bushing at each end of the cam has grooves cut in it to hold grease and keep the rod lubed for quite a few years .....

Clean out the grooves, pack them full of grease, lightly grease the entire length of the rod, and you should be good for many years to come. The pic above was after about 5 years of running. Still some grease left but I went ahead and refilled it .....