Yamaha Special 650 - barn find - Identifying

[Jim]

gas, oil, battery, spark plugs... and she can start?

Have you cleaned out the tank and float bowls?

Correct. When I kick it, the nut spins and I can hear/feel air come out of the hole where the spark plugs should be(ie we have compression?)

Sounds like your clutch or actuating parts are all gummed up. At this point, if it were me, I'd pull the left cover to get to the actuator, pushrod etc and clean all that up. Put it all back together and see if the clutch can be adjusted and operates normally.

 

[Jim]

Do you have or have access to a compression tester? Many auto parts stores rent/loan 'em out if you don't.

 

[YamahaSpecial]

Have you cleaned out the tank and float bowls?

Sounds like your clutch or actuating parts are all gummed up. At this point, if it were me, I'd pull the left cover to get to the actuator, pushrod etc and clean all that up. Put it all back together and see if the clutch can be adjusted and operates normally.

I emptied the old gas, tanks in great shape.
Float bowls, carburetor engine stuff is beyond my current knowledge.

Clutch cable seems to move freely but DOES NOT spring back. I manually have to push the cable in but it does so with ease.

 

[5twins]

Honestly, you shouldn't attempt to start it until you've looked into the carbs. If they're all gunked up inside (good chance they are), you'll just suck all the crap deeper into the carbs and plug them up worse.

If you can pull that much slack out up at the end of the clutch cable, it may not even be connected down inside the case.

 

[YamahaSpecial]

Honestly, you shouldn't attempt to start it until you've looked into the carbs. If they're all gunked up inside (good chance they are), you'll just suck all the crap deeper into the carbs and plug them up worse.

If you can pull that much slack out up at the end of the clutch cable, it may not even be connected down inside the case.

Drumroll please.... not connected. Lol

 

[Jim]

Float bowls, carburetor engine stuff is beyond my current knowledge.

Well if you don't get those float bowls off and give us a look, you're likely to get a lot more intimate with the carbs than you otherwise would have. I really wouldn't suggest trying to start it until (at least) the carb bowls are cleaned out.
Time to expand your horizons.

 

[YamahaSpecial]

Well if you don't get those float bowls off and give us a look, you're likely to get a lot more intimate with the carbs than you otherwise would have. I really wouldn't suggest trying to start it until (at least) the carb bowls are cleaned out.
Time to expand your horizons.

Float bowls are my next project. I guess I’m on hold until parts come in since I took this cover off without asking questions like “am I going to need a new gasket” HAHAHA

SUGGESTIONS on gaskets? I see some complete kits on MikesXS but it’s $145 for the kit which is fine except I see the same kit for like $46 for my bike on there too. The top kit costs more than the complete kit. Hahah

also I love Amazon so any suggestions for purchases there is great.
How many more gaskets will I go through. Would you recommend a full gasket kit?

 

[Jim]

The gasket for the left cover is nothing more than a dirt/water gasket. If you can't piece the old one back together, you could actually get away without it for now. There's a good chance you'll need more gaskets, but if it were me, I'd hold off 'till I ran it to see where we're at. Yes, you can get gasket sets cheaper.

 

[YamahaSpecial]

The gasket for the left cover is nothing more than a dirt/water gasket. If you can't piece the old one back together, you could actually get away without it for now. There's a good chance you'll need more gaskets, but if it were me, I'd hold off 'till I ran it to see where we're at. Yes, you can get gasket sets cheaper.

speaking of dirt and water, can I blast that and tooth brush it clean. Would carb cleaner work or buy some gunk off or let it be?

figured I’d need to at least clean that clutch spring area and grease it.

 

[Jim]

Yes you can Gunk and brush it. You really should so you can see what's what in there. The cleaner the better. Take a bag and tape off the alternator so it doesn't get soaked and splattered with grime.

 

[member28833]

Clean it to your liking, cautious of the clutch push rod seal area.
And, you may was well bend the tab on the sprocket nut and check that nut for tightness. Most do come loose but appear tight because of the lock tab..

 

[Jan_P]

A caution depending on your skills time and tools
I would be careful of taking down to much..
I Have done this for many years and I tend to take down less than what most of the experienced men here at the forum.
Recommends.
Every human effort can go wrong and so can a tear down of an old motorcycle
Keep it simple and if not broken don't fix it.
I have seen people in life and also here at the forum of people going for a bit more than they can cope with
And don't run the motorcycle at all is the Impression. And loosing money
A little leaks and dirt can be something that can be acceptable in my view at least the first year or two.
The clutch might not operate perfectly from the start . But in my view things can get better with time.

I would take down the float bowls and if not to bad flush through some gas through the float valve.
Post some pictures of how it looks in the bowls here
If not to bad I would not touch the rest of the carburetor. ( again depending on how comfortable you are doing it )

I would still have some oil in the cylinder
I would tighten the head bolts. according to specs not loosening.
Intake side and exhaust side bolts check as well as other Nothing fancy just so nothing is loose.
Then insert the battery trying lights and so . see if fuses pop ..and things work
and lastly if there is any spark.
Oil change and filter inspection. Cleaning
And then try to start it
Maybe forgot something above but the main rule keep i simple unless need and competence is there

 

[5twins]

Kerosene is a nice general purpose de-greaser, pretty mild on the hands and not extremely flammable. Some of the gas stations in my area have a pump for it and sell it by the gallon. I have a special 5 gallon container for it that I fill up every few years. It's my go-to cleaner for most oil and grease clean-ups.

Yes, it gets pretty nasty under that left cover because no one bothers to go in and clean it on a regular basis. Your initial clean-up will be a bit of a chore. I try to get under there at least once a season, then clean-up isn't bad at all. Mostly, I only have to deal with a little chain lube fling-off .....

A few minutes with some kerosene and paper towels, and I'm good to go .....

 

[Jim]

I would tighten the head bolts. according to specs not loosening.

I'm gonna disagree with that. The nuts are most likely stuck from age. Trying to torque 'em like that ain't gonna work as it'll take more torque to break 'em loose than's called for. At that point you'll have no idea where you're at.
One nut at a time... break it loose, remove and clean it and the stud, lube with motor oil (or anti-seize) and retorque. Once that nut's done, move on to the next.

 

[Jan_P]

I'm gonna disagree with that. The nuts are most likely stuck from age. Trying to torque 'em like that ain't gonna work as it'll take more torque to break 'em loose than's called for. At that point you'll have no idea where you're at.
One nut at a time... break it loose, remove and clean it and the stud, lube with motor oil (or anti-seize) and retorque. Once that nut's done, move on to the next.

As Mr Skull put it there is more than one way to skin a cat.
I have been into Pipelines and Excavators.
Newer was any mention of loosening anything. even if leaking.
OK many times it was pressure on in the system so loosening was dangerous ..
Most cases a tightening of the bolts did the trick . I have no problem with the loosening but I would wait.
It may be wrong and the amassed knowledge here says it is best practice
The check now would give an indication if it is loose at all.
I have had larger leaks than the one seen there. For a couple of years
Loosening has the risk of damaging something which the quick check tightening don't have.
What if it is a sheared nut there and it is taken off .The threads gone .And one has created a problem that can be to large to fix. Causing problems .. On a fine bike with few miles on it.
( Again depending on skills and tools )
Based on my Pipeline and Excavators background unless there is solid facts I would wait I believe i have seen a service bulletin.
If that is applicable .for this year model perhaps another thing.
Lets get this one started first .. And then consider taking down ( Unless better info is here somewhere )
Back in the day I saw that many times. Complicating it and don't run at all.
Having said that I do have respect for the word class knowledge here

 

[GLJ]

Loosening has the risk of damaging something which the quick check tightening don't have.
What if it is a sheared nut there and it is taken off .The threads gone .And one has created a problem that can be to large to fix. Causing problems .. On a fine bike with few miles on it.

There's no pressure in the cylinder when the motor not running, so no danger there. If something shears off when loosening it it would have sheared off tightening it. Jim has the right procedure. Take nuts off, clean and lube threads and torque one at a time.

 

[GLJ]

Based on my Pipeline and Excavators background unless there is solid facts I would wait I believe i have seen a service bulletin.
If that is applicable .for this year model perhaps another thing.

Many many people on this forum have done this with good results. I don't think Yamaha is going to come out with any more service bulletins on the 650s now.

 

[Jan_P]

The fact of the matter is that ..loosening things can go wrong at least it has for me sometimes
One clutch basket and some threads I can remember.
Who cares what you think about Yamaha's service bulletins.
You can think whatever you like
You can always say that to the owner ---that if things go wrong he can send you the bill.
It is up ,to him to make his own decisions how he wants to proceed.
And if everyone here has good experiences fine but there exists loosening patterns on other vehicles
one there
https://www.exx.se/techinfo/head_torq_seq/index.html

Let those who ride decide. The owner makes is own choices.

 

[GLJ]

The fact of the matter is that ..loosening things can go wrong at least it has for me sometimes
One clutch basket and some threads I can remember.
Who cares what you think about Yamaha's service bulletins.
You can think whatever you like
You can always say that to the owner ---that if things go wrong he can send you the bill.
It is up ,to him to make his own decisions how he wants to proceed.
And if everyone here has good experiences fine but there exists loosening patterns on other vehicles
one there
https://www.exx.se/techinfo/head_torq_seq/index.html

Let those who ride decide. The owner makes is own choices.

Having said that I do have respect for the word class knowledge here

 

[GLJ]

Not my knowledge what people here have gotten good results with.