Small oil leaks can often be cured by buffing the shaft where the seal lip rides with a Scotchbrite pad. This will clean up the surface and smooth it out. Believe it or not, a rubber seal lip can make a slight groove in a metal shaft over time.
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What have you done to your XS today?
- Thread starter I am Carbon
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If my brake parts arrive at a good time tomorrow and I heat up the garage again, I can try doing that. Before I call it a night I’ll also check my parts stash. Who knows, there might be a seal in there. I know on the LHS, the only way I was able to stop the leak was to use an OEM seal (iirc thinner than aftermarket).
Edit - Go figure - I did have an OEM seal in stock. The seal numbers don’t seem to be decipherable for a cross. Perhaps I’ll measure and look around for future reference.
For “stock” I just ordered 2 of these. They are double lip seals. I think I’ll keep the OEM seal and try one of the new ones. Iirc correctly, the last OEM seals I bought were about $25 for the pair. These ones will be the same price delivered. We don’t have a local Yamaha dealer anymore so buying parts means driving there to order and pay, thrm going there again to pick up the parts. That would amount to about 45-50 miles. Hopefully this was a more cost effective option.
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Yes sir.
Bob Wegman
XS650 Addict
I drained and removed the gas tanks from both of my 77 Standard and 80 Special II. I keep them in the warm basement so I don't drop snow shovels on them over the winter. Also, keeps them from forming rust inside from condensation.
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I wanted to install a rear rack and try it out to see if I like it. It bolts up to the shock studs and the turn signal/fender attachment bolts. The flange at the shock was flat enough there was no issue but the rear mount was quite a bit thicker and the stock bolt was too short. I did a search and on this very thread(post#8160) was a nice post about this very subject. I used some steel I had on hand and turned a set of bushings and picked up two 10-1.25x50mm bolts and it worked great. 
New brake lines and fittings installed. I removed the springs to see if there would be interference at full compression. At full lock, things get close but: A) the forks shouldn’t be under full compression with the forks turned unless I’m just about ready to crash. B) I don’t think the forks travel this far as springs will bind before that. I may relocate the horn, just in case.
I looked into the oil leak on the RHS and found the culprit. No one to blame but me on this one. The seal lip was folded over from a bad install. I’m quite surprised it didn’t leak more. Polished the sealing surface as suggested by 5T.
I looked into the oil leak on the RHS and found the culprit. No one to blame but me on this one. The seal lip was folded over from a bad install. I’m quite surprised it didn’t leak more. Polished the sealing surface as suggested by 5T.
Well good for you on finding the oil leak reason. I think you could actually push that seal in a little deeper. You want it as deep as possible, at least flush with the back of the housing. I even let it hang out the back a little, by about a MM maybe. I set it so that the rolled edge of the seal sticks out past the back of the housing.
Yes I was glad to find it. I’ll wait for my new seals to come and and save the OEM as a spare.
Just finished bleeding the brakes. Wow what an ordeal. The filling and bleeding part was quite straight forward but all the leaks! 7 banjo fittings and 6 AN connections. When I first filled the system it was leaking like a stuck pig. I assumed it was the banjo fittings so I replaced them all only to find it was still leaking. It turned out to be the AN fittings. I have pretty good experience with hydraulic fittings and I thought they were snuggled up enough. Turns out I had to really crank on them hard to stop the leaks. Anyway as I call it a night for working on the bike it appears to be leak free. I have the brake lever tied up for the night for the final purging of air.
Even though those seals you're getting look very nice, I don't think they have two sealing lips. The outer lip is just a "dust" lip. Here's a write-up I did on oil seals a few years back that explains it .....
https://www.xs650.com/threads/engine-oil-seals.52383/
And per the "tip" in that write-up, I do pack all my (dual lip) seals with grease now.
https://www.xs650.com/threads/engine-oil-seals.52383/
And per the "tip" in that write-up, I do pack all my (dual lip) seals with grease now.
Just did a speed read of the link you provided. Lots of great info. I’ll install the seal deeper.
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Checked the fittings and have a very slight amount of wetness at two fittings. They were already tight but I moved them a bit more. I shouldn’t have to torque them that tight. I read somewhere that I should lube the threads of the fitting (on inverted swivel fittings) with anti seize. I wish I had done that before I started to assemble and bleed the system. If I do it now it’s going to be messy
I just routinely apply anti-seize to every external nut, bolt, and fitting on my bikes. I'm sure you've heard the old joke about taking a dump, how the job's not finished until the paper work is done. Well, when working on bikes, I consider anti-seize to be the "paper work", lol.
While out riding my Voltmeter started to show silly numbers from 12 to 16 - turns out the regulator died. Replaced with a new regulator and when revved the voltage would drop to zero between 2000 and 3000 rpm but engine kept running. Turned out a crimp connection from 6 years back had gone loose. Guess I'm lucky the Voltmeter showed me two faults - Keep sticking them meters on your old bikes...
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bergoff
XS650 Addict
My XS has been apart for years. I’m finally getting it put back together. I picked up a set of JE700 pistons with a Shell #1 cam. I also have a PMA and Pamco to install along with new cam chain guide and timing chain. I picked up a 78 XS with spoked wheels to swap them out on my Special. I’m going to build my bike into a gravel bike and explore the gravel roads in NW IL and Iowa.
Pictures, @bergoff - look forward to seeing your bike, cheers, Raymond
I knew one day it would happen. The key was always loose on the XS2 but would not pull out. However on the last ride of the year I was accelerating at a little higher RPM than I normally do and as I looked down at the dancing key in the ignition I saw it jump out and disappear into space never to be seen again. I purchased the spare reproduction ignition probably 10 years ago just in case of this happening. So today I replaced the ignition switch with that repo. I may buy a 2619 key off ebay just in case someone would want the original ignition. Should have tie wrapped the key to the handlebar I guess.
PaulWhite1
XS650 New Member
I have always hated my repop side cover knobs. I have made a few as talked about in other threads and liked them so I decided to make a set for my ‘76. When the thumbscrews came in the heads were way too small so I made a couple of caps and epoxied them on. I might make another set and refine a few things.
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Continued disassembly - making nice progress
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That paint is beautiful!
