What have you done to your XS today?

[bosco659]

On Saturday I brought my XS back home from the CVMG Rally in Paris, Ont., loaded on a single axle, landscape trailer, with a mesh ramp. I noticed when loading it, there was a slight bit of interference between the top of the trailer ramp and something under the bike. I didn’t pay too much attention to it while loading. As I unloaded it, halfway down the ramp, the bike stopped and I noticed the side stand was sticking out. Tried to push it back up but no go. What happened was the side stand spring decided to unhook itself from the bike frame and hook itself into the mesh in the ramp. Now I had a big problem - couldn’t go forward or backward as the spring would conveniently latch itself into the mesh no matter what I tried.

So here I am, holding the bike up, can’t go forward or back, side stand was useless. I tried to reach down to unhook the spring and leaning over that far, the bike nearly fell on me a few times. Nobody was at home to help Now what do I do? I mustered up the strength to push the bike up the ramp a bit and the spring was no longer under tension. I carefully reached down and pulled it out of the mesh opening. Trouble is there was nothing to hold it up so each time I let it go, it fell in the hole again. Eventually I was able to lift the spring and detach it from the stand with my left hand, while my right hand held the front brake on. Great I thought, until I started rolling back down the ramp and the side stand started digging in. Inch by inch I got it off of the trailer, but what actually took me several minutes, felt like an hour. Could have made a good comedy video of this.

Sharing this with the group so it won’t happen to you. Oh and the thought of putting a spin on filter underneath the engine... this ordeal taught me it’s not a good plan.

 

[40north]

On Saturday I brought my XS back home from the CVMG Rally in Paris, Ont., loaded on a single axle, landscape trailer, with a mesh ramp. I noticed when loading it, there was a slight bit of interference between the top of the trailer ramp and something under the bike. I didn’t pay too much attention to it while loading. As I unloaded it, halfway down the ramp, the bike stopped and I noticed the side stand was sticking out. Tried to push it back up but no go. What happened was the side stand spring decided to unhook itself from the bike frame and hook itself into the mesh in the ramp. Now I had a big problem - couldn’t go forward or backward as the spring would conveniently latch itself into the mesh no matter what I tried.

So here I am, holding the bike up, can’t go forward or back, side stand was useless. I tried to reach down to unhook the spring and leaning over that far, the bike nearly fell on me a few times. Nobody was at home to help Now what do I do? I mustered up the strength to push the bike up the ramp a bit and the spring was no longer under tension. I carefully reached down and pulled it out of the mesh opening. Trouble is there was nothing to hold it up so each time I let it go, it fell in the hole again. Eventually I was able to lift the spring and detach it from the stand with my left hand, while my right hand held the front brake on. Great I thought, until I started rolling back down the ramp and the side stand started digging in. Inch by inch I got it off of the trailer, but what actually took me several minutes, felt like an hour. Could have made a good comedy video of this.

Sharing this with the group so it won’t happen to you. Oh and the thought of putting a spin on filter underneath the engine... this ordeal taught me it’s not a good plan.

Sympathies, Brother! It's always better to have somebody with you, just in case they have to hold your beer or lend a hand. You did a good save though, and a good deed too.

 

[Adamc]

NEW RUBBER DIDN'T ERASE THE ISSUE!

Due to poor running I investigated the carb slide diaphragms suggested by @Jim and @jpdevol.
The 'Slow Slide Drop' test showed a problem with the left slide; It didn't drop slowly.
Removed the carb set, disassembled and cleaned the jets again.
Inspected the slide rubbers and discovered a tiny pin hole in the rubber diaphragm.
View attachment 245547

Ordered some new slides with rubber from Yambits.co.uk.
They arrived on Thursday. I swapped out the needle old to new slide; and I installed carbs on Friday.

Out for a short test ride on Saturday over varied roads around my shop. Up hill, down hill; fast and slow roads.
Gradual throttle application and quick application showed great results, just a little momentary fluffiness through half travel of the throttle.
I was happy with the results, knowing I may need to fine tune the jetting to the exhausts and Uni Filters.
Returned to the shop with a big grin; confident the bike would now get me to a destination.

Sunday I planned a route to a bike gathering in Abergavenny; a round trip of 80 miles on picturesque A & B roads.
Kitted up, Bike properly warmed up, choke off and away.......
30 meters along the road and shes not going too well, feeling a little bogged down. 2 miles along and shes popping and banging; and running like worse that before the swap. Aaaaarggghhh!!!! Returned to the shop; put her away and went to the pub .

Back at the shop today to go through the tests again; remove the carbs to investigate yet again.
Ads.

OK carbs are refurbished again with new slides & diaphragms; cleaned and reinstalled after bench set up. Carb boots have new gaskets; left side old one seemed perished when removed. Everything is buttoned up and ready to go. Battery on charge. Test tomorrow.
ACBUILD

 

[GLJ]

On Saturday I brought my XS back home from the CVMG Rally in Paris, Ont., loaded on a single axle, landscape trailer, with a mesh ramp. I noticed when loading it, there was a slight bit of interference between the top of the trailer ramp and something under the bike. I didn’t pay too much attention to it while loading. As I unloaded it, halfway down the ramp, the bike stopped and I noticed the side stand was sticking out. Tried to push it back up but no go. What happened was the side stand spring decided to unhook itself from the bike frame and hook itself into the mesh in the ramp. Now I had a big problem - couldn’t go forward or backward as the spring would conveniently latch itself into the mesh no matter what I tried.

So here I am, holding the bike up, can’t go forward or back, side stand was useless. I tried to reach down to unhook the spring and leaning over that far, the bike nearly fell on me a few times. Nobody was at home to help Now what do I do? I mustered up the strength to push the bike up the ramp a bit and the spring was no longer under tension. I carefully reached down and pulled it out of the mesh opening. Trouble is there was nothing to hold it up so each time I let it go, it fell in the hole again. Eventually I was able to lift the spring and detach it from the stand with my left hand, while my right hand held the front brake on. Great I thought, until I started rolling back down the ramp and the side stand started digging in. Inch by inch I got it off of the trailer, but what actually took me several minutes, felt like an hour. Could have made a good comedy video of this.

Sharing this with the group so it won’t happen to you. Oh and the thought of putting a spin on filter underneath the engine... this ordeal taught me it’s not a good plan.

Glad it worked out ok.
As the saying goes "no good deed goes unpunished".

 

[Adamc]

This morning checked the cam chain tension. All good.

Wiring up a three pin quick connector for the rear lights mounted in the seat unit.
What with my running issues the seat comes off every three minutes!!!
ACBUILD

 

[Adamc]

A quiet moment in work so:
Swapped out the NGK non resistor plugs for brand new correctly gaped NGK resistor plugs with appropriate non-resistor NGK caps.
Checked valve clearances and all are OK.
Fresh tank of Shell V-Power E5
I think i have covered all other bases. @jpdevol and @Jim believe it could be a failing TCI unit.

Giving the old girl the best chance to run well. If the same popping & banging returns it looks like a new or reconditioned TCI unit for me.
Cliff (@nighthog) sent me a contact who can recondition the unit.
I'm hoping it runs OK.
ACBUILD

 

[Alabaster]

Got the engine mounted in the stand and clamped it on a movers dolly. Got a bunch of new parts in the mail including the 750cc big bore kit. One step closer...

 

[Adamc]

Got the engine mounted in the stand and clamped it on a movers dolly. Got a bunch of new parts in the mail including the 750cc big bore kit. One step closer...

Hi @Alabaster
What BBK are you using?
Please run a build thread with lots of photos.
cheers,
Ads.

 

[The farmer]

Hellreiser .

 

[The farmer]

My Weener is hard!

 

[jpdevol]

For mye informasjon

 

[Jim]

My Weener is hard!

What exactly are you "farming?".

 

[Adamc]

A quiet moment in work so:
Swapped out the NGK non resistor plugs for brand new correctly gaped NGK resistor plugs with appropriate non-resistor NGK caps.
Checked valve clearances and all are OK.
Fresh tank of Shell V-Power E5
I think i have covered all other bases. @jpdevol and @Jim believe it could be a failing TCI unit.

Giving the old girl the best chance to run well. If the same popping & banging returns it looks like a new or reconditioned TCI unit for me.
Cliff (@nighthog) sent me a contact who can recondition the unit.
I'm hoping it runs OK.

Pops, Bangs and bogging!

Another day another test ride.
Beautiful day in Cardiff; too hot for me to be honest.
Quiet in the shop today, so decided to take the bike out for another run to see if my latest handy work cured the issues.
Bike is looking awesome in the sunshine.
Immediate fire up as usual. Warmed the old girl up; knocked off the choke to a steady idle. Sounding real nice.
Took off down the 1/2 mile service road gently at first, snicking up the box nicely at quarter throttle.
Back down the road good throttle response and half throttle OK before backing off; one pop on closed throttle to a stop.
Onto main road and again half throttle with strong acceleration up hill. Down the other side and all running fine.
Left turn back towards shop and full throttle attempt; more pops and bangs and then bogging down.
Turning into shop car park and shes still bogging. Close throttle and nice even idle.
Park up and switch off.

Time to look at a new TCI unit (maybe borrow a spare one from a member, @nighthog and @jpdevol offered).
If it runs fine with another TCI; I will get mine refurbished / or GONZO job.
Its gotta be electrical now surely?

Ads.
ACBUILD

 

[Jim]

Pops, Bangs and bogging!

Another day another test ride.
Beautiful day in Cardiff; too hot for me to be honest.
Quiet in the shop today, so decided to take the bike out for another run to see if my latest handy work cured the issues.
Bike is looking awesome in the sunshine.
Immediate fire up as usual. Warmed the old girl up; knocked off the choke to a steady idle. Sounding real nice.
Took off down the 1/2 mile service road gently at first, snicking up the box nicely at quarter throttle.
Back down the road good throttle response and half throttle OK before backing off; one pop on closed throttle to a stop.
Onto main road and again half throttle with strong acceleration up hill. Down the other side and all running fine.
Left turn back towards shop and full throttle attempt; more pops and bangs and then bogging down.
Turning into shop car park and shes still bogging. Close throttle and nice even idle.
Park up and switch off.

Time to look at a new TCI unit (maybe borrow a spare one from a member, @nighthog and @jpdevol offered).
If it runs fine with another TCI; I will get mine refurbished / or GONZO job.
Its gotta be electrical now surely?

Ads.

Can you tell if it's one or both cylinders acting up?
Have you looked into the gas cap vent being restricted?

 

[Jim]

Just a general observation Adam.... with everything you've encountered and done posted in a generic thread everyone posts in, it's almost impossible to look back through and see what's been done. Perhaps you should move all this to your build thread?

 

[Adamc]

Can you tell if it's one or both cylinders acting up?
Have you looked into the gas cap vent being restricted?

I think its the left cylinder; that was the one with the holed diaphragm (but I fixed that).
Good point about the gas tank cap; will try it out with the cap popped ajar.
Thanks Jim
ACBUILD

 

[GLJ]

Not my XS. Just set the motor back in a friend of mines. It got a BBK.

 

[jpdevol]

Not my XS. Just set the motor back in a friend of mines. It got a BBK.
View attachment 245934

Old-school style; I like it

 

[Alabaster]

Hi @Alabaster
What BBK are you using?
Please run a build thread with lots of photos.
cheers,
Ads.

I got mine from yamahaxs650.com. I do need to start a build thread because I have a lot of questions and am going to need a lot of help from you guys.

 

[Dunc]

Last few days of mucking about