Xs650

[donebysunday]

adjustments

Valve adjustment is done cold by the book (as I said I like to adjust clearances closer rather than the greater side of the specs) .
Initial cam chain adjustment starts by following the book. Turn the engine from the left side (by the alternator rotor retaining nut) counterclockwise until the front (toward the front wheel) of the cam chain is tight, this means the back of the cam chain is loose (plugs out is easier).
I like to keep the tool/wrench on the nut to make sure there is no movement (WARNING ! DO NOT FORGET THE TOOL IS THERE !!!!!) if you do forget and hit the starter that tool can travel very fast for some distance causing damage, pain, destruction to you and yours.
Maybe better to use a felt marking pen ? ? ?
Once that initial adjustment is made I like to final adjust engine running, watching the cam chain pin/shafts and adjust to the least amount of movement, also listening for that cam chain noise to go away.
Maybe after the first adjust button it up and go for a ride to make sure it's at operating temp (all the parts will now be very hot to the touch).
I got the tip from a Yamaha mechanic to final adjust engine running, been doing it that way for 30 years myself.
How many miles are on this bike ?
If over 25K it might need a new chain, although many are known to run fine for upwards of 60K.
LUCK !

[Mike Whipple]

Carbs are tuned and synced. She's running great now. Thank for the tips everyone. The cam chain thing I dunno. I think I'll leave it alone. It's not that bad. It's just weird, there's not that many miles on the the bike. It shouldn't be at full adjustment. If I was planning on keeping this bike I'd probably look into it further. But the point of this project is to sell it to get money to build the XS11 harley killer. I'm trying really hard to not fall in love with this bike. It really is a beautiful machine.

[hamjam]

Donebysunday wrote ... globules of ethanol and water ..... what exactly are you referring to ethanol is completely dissolved in water and miscible with each other in that molecules of water and ethanol mix with each other at the molecule level. how can they form globules just look at your glass of whiskey 40% ethenol and 60 % water

[donebysunday]

Whiskey

Donebysunday wrote ... globules of ethanol and water ..... what exactly are you referring to ethanol is completely dissolved in water and miscible with each other in that molecules of water and ethanol mix with each other at the molecule level. how can they form globules just look at your glass of whiskey 40% ethenol and 60 % water

I like whiskey, I don't like ethanol ! Think what happens to ethanol fuel when it sits all winter long in the carbs/tank, evaporation they are not in a sealed bottle, what if you left the top off your bottle of whiskey all winter, would you find it was just as good as it was when you first cracked it open ?
When the solvents evaporate off what's left is the water that the ethanol has attracted/absorbed, I've had problems with this crap before.
In one case a very low mileage (4K) bike that was gorgeous but had sat for 5 years. Once it was running like new I took it for a ride made it 20 mi. from home stalled. I had what tools I needed, pulled the carbs side of the road and cleaned them. Running great but turned for home, made it 3 blocks from home and the coughing started, just made it into my drive. Disgusted I put it in the garage and walked away, next morn it would not start. Looking it over I noticed a 1" long bubble in the clear blue fuel line, squeezed it did not move, pulled the line off the carb to drain into a cup, it would not move. I cut it where the bubble was squeezed again and this substance just a bit lighter than vaseline oozed out. I put some in a tiny container and dropped it off at Escotech engineering (I know the owner) Dan tested it and reported to me it was fuel residue, bug parts and vegetable material (leafy substance).
I ran my own test, fresh ethanol fuel in a cup covered with a coffee filter on a shelf in the garage, 10 days later you could see little bubbles moving around at the bottom of the cup, they were heavier than the fuel so I call them ethanol/water globules ?
Anyone else ever seen this ?

[Radioguylogs]

The metal gas tank on my push lawnmower had water globules in the bottom this spring. The water volume was about equal to a teaspoon

Normally I make sure my tanks are stored full to prevent condensation, but I was lax on the push-mower this year.

I sucked it out with a turkey baster.

I could see the water would disperse if disturbed, but it would settle back out easily. The water was not thick....just normal water.