Got the '81 Spl. on the road and let the grandson get some real world experience. He found out how different things were 40 years ago, no gear indicator, drum rear brakes etc., not like the nice newish BMW 310's at the school. All in all we had a blast and he's coming back for more on Thursday. Thanks for the help guys.
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What have you done to your XS today?
- Thread starter I am Carbon
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1st time using vacuum gauges I bought a few months ago. One failed immediately. Chinesium. Sometimes this stuff is a curse.
For carb synching on other twins (90's Ducatis and 70's BMWs, I have had the best results with clear hoses and ATF fluid. Extremely precise, and cheap as well. Just use long (high) enough hoses, or you risk sucking the ATF into your engine.1st time using vacuum gauges I bought a few months ago. One failed immediately. Chinesium. Sometimes this stuff is a curse.
View attachment 349380
Yes to that I used it on XS 650 motor oil in the hose
about one meter U fixed on a plank
And had a clamp reducing the hose opening at the start giving time to shut off when the oil was moving fast in one direction
Eventually taking off the clamp
And got Extremely smooth running bike Never knew it could run so even before
Just took the left side gauge apart. It's a POS bourdon tube type gauge. It's gone to maximum negative and doesn't return
Clearly, it's a true to form piece of Chinesium junk. I'll have to go back to the old way with an old school manometer tube.
Clearly, it's a true to form piece of Chinesium junk. I'll have to go back to the old way with an old school manometer tube.
I’m futzing with the rear brake on my ‘81 before I load it up for Arkansas. Back the nut off and it’s very weak. Too close and it locks up when it gets hot. If I hit the sweet spot I can skid the back tire and it won’t drag when hot.
I’ve been riding an XS650 for over 40 years and I still mess up this adjustment from time to time.
I’ve been riding an XS650 for over 40 years and I still mess up this adjustment from time to time.
Happy to hear that it isn't just me
I've been using these for over 50 years and they still work fine.1st time using vacuum gauges I bought a few months ago. One failed immediately. Chinesium. Sometimes this stuff is a curse.
View attachment 349380
Yes, that's what I'll do.
They're identical to the cheap-er set I bought 40 years ago * and have never given me any bother. However, the cheap ones then are the ones that have been copied to death and each iteration is cheapened further internally until there's nothing good or reliable left.
The cheap ones then weren't utter shit inside.
*Iirc, I paid £40 or 50 for them, so look at how cheap the cheap shit is now.
Yep. You're not wrong. They're crap. No other word for it.
Fitted new piston rings,barrel,new cam chain,new cam chain guide and lapped the valves in and fitted new guide seals,fitted the head
I've also been using an original mercury-filled "Carb Stix" manometer for 40+ years, and it still works great .....
I'd like to build an oil-filled version because I hear they are much more sensitive. I would "copy" the Carb Stix and have the two hoses pulling from a common reservoir of oil. I think this may keep the thing from so readily sucking the oil in one cylinder if the "sync" is really far off.
I'd like to build an oil-filled version because I hear they are much more sensitive. I would "copy" the Carb Stix and have the two hoses pulling from a common reservoir of oil. I think this may keep the thing from so readily sucking the oil in one cylinder if the "sync" is really far off.
Up early and down the workshop.
Taffy gets a proper service.
Oil, Filters, Plugs & Gapped, Recheck plug leads connections & caps.
Oil Unipods, Check nuts and fasteners. Retention drive chain.
Finally I hard wired / soldered the new start button into place and waterproofed with shrink tube.
I had temporary spade connectors on it before I wasn't happy with.
Taffy fired up first press and idles lovely & revs fine at a standstill.
Sadly no time to ride
Taffy gets a proper service.
Oil, Filters, Plugs & Gapped, Recheck plug leads connections & caps.
Oil Unipods, Check nuts and fasteners. Retention drive chain.
Finally I hard wired / soldered the new start button into place and waterproofed with shrink tube.
I had temporary spade connectors on it before I wasn't happy with.
Taffy fired up first press and idles lovely & revs fine at a standstill.
Sadly no time to ride
Progress though. I'm in the same boat here. Will give my 650 another run in the morning.Up early and down the workshop.
Taffy gets a proper service.
Oil, Filters, Plugs & Gapped, Recheck plug leads connections & caps.
Oil Unipods, Check nuts and fasteners. Retention drive chain.
Finally I hard wired / soldered the new start button into place and waterproofed with shrink tube.
I had temporary spade connectors on it before I wasn't happy with.
Taffy fired up first press and idles lovely & revs fine at a standstill.
Sadly no time to ride
Started with the PMA
So far so good
Stock rotor had about 5 Ohms a bit low
So far so good
Stock rotor had about 5 Ohms a bit low
650D has always been an oil leaker since I've owned it as a non runner. Worked through the majority of the leaks as they've arisen. I fitted a new gasket to the starter gear train cover. It's still leaking, I need to remove the cover and lap it flat if it's a bit out of true. There's also a dew drop of oil on one of the adjacent crankcase studs. I'm never sure whether it's one leak or two. So I fitted a copper washer and an acorn nut to that stud. Hopefully, I now have just one leak under there.
Edited to add - after a short engine run this morning, the two oil dew drops are there again in the same place. So I have the gear train cover to change a gasket for the second time. This time I'll be making certain the cover is truly flat before fitting it again.
Edited to add - after a short engine run this morning, the two oil dew drops are there again in the same place. So I have the gear train cover to change a gasket for the second time. This time I'll be making certain the cover is truly flat before fitting it again.
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Had a few hours this afternoon with perfectly sunny bike weather.
Thought it would be good to take Taffy for a shakedown run following the carb jet upgrades and coil treatment a few days ago.
That day Taffy fired up and idled& revved perfectly following the tweeks.
Today Taffy fired up and immediately misfired, would not hold idle and cut out at will. Adjustments to idle made no difference.
Even when warmed up it would backfire and cut out.
After several years and thousands of ££££ spent I'm at my wits end.
Only two trouble free rides in the years I have owned the bike.
I have lost patience and may sell at a huge loss going forward.
Thought it would be good to take Taffy for a shakedown run following the carb jet upgrades and coil treatment a few days ago.
That day Taffy fired up and idled& revved perfectly following the tweeks.
Today Taffy fired up and immediately misfired, would not hold idle and cut out at will. Adjustments to idle made no difference.
Even when warmed up it would backfire and cut out.
After several years and thousands of ££££ spent I'm at my wits end.
Only two trouble free rides in the years I have owned the bike.
I have lost patience and may sell at a huge loss going forward.
I feel your pain.Had a few hours this afternoon with perfectly sunny bike weather.
Thought it would be good to take Taffy for a shakedown run following the carb jet upgrades and coil treatment a few days ago.
That day Taffy fired up and idled& revved perfectly following the tweeks.
Today Taffy fired up and immediately misfired, would not hold idle and cut out at will. Adjustments to idle made no difference.
Even when warmed up it would backfire and cut out.
After several years and thousands of ££££ spent I'm at my wits end.
Only two trouble free rides in the years I have owned the bike.
I have lost patience and may sell at a huge loss going forward.
Had a few hours this afternoon with perfectly sunny bike weather.
Thought it would be good to take Taffy for a shakedown run following the carb jet upgrades and coil treatment a few days ago.
That day Taffy fired up and idled& revved perfectly following the tweeks.
Today Taffy fired up and immediately misfired, would not hold idle and cut out at will. Adjustments to idle made no difference.
Even when warmed up it would backfire and cut out.
After several years and thousands of ££££ spent I'm at my wits end.
Only two trouble free rides in the years I have owned the bike.
I have lost patience and may sell at a huge loss going forward.
Sorry to hear -And I know the feeling .when things don't work out
And this is surprisingly difficult the same manifestations Effects can have many Causes
But never the less one effort not reaching the solution .. Is a Increased knowledge base
A platform for trying something else ... Been there done that
Apologize if I am not updated .. and dont remember what have been done
For thinking out loud If i Recall right You have the old mechanical Voltage regulator
That I have had problems with Upsetting the Boyer Ignition
It gave out to high Voltage . Once warmed up .I dont know if it shorted somewhere else but the Boyer Dumped one cylinder
A problem that disappeared with more modern regulator and rectifier .. Of the type described here on the forum
I am of the personal view that the more modern ignitions can have problems on these bikes
The Gonzo crowd have it and Bjorn in Holland had it with another GizmoBongBong After market electronics
These bikes never was designed for anything other than points and sparks at the alternator brushes
That may well create voltage spikes into the harness that a Microprocessor in these black boxes are not able to cope with
Please note that this is my View and can be entirely wrong Just putting it out here . The electronics work at the bench in the electronics
air conditioned clean room laboratory But water heat vibration spikes .etc
If I am not off so far
I would try new Regulator / Rectifier that is not so expensive se if that makes any difference
After that I would consider Boyer Bransden and hook it up via the battery bypassing the rest
with a switch since the Coil must be switched off If that makes any difference the knowledge platform
is again better
Again it is difficult just putting it out here .For Discussion and Thoughts
Dont remember if there is a Voltage meter on the Machine that was how i Discovered the over charging mentioned above
