help in ohio

[webbcraft2150]

Ditto with above suggestion,loose the shops. Most of simply do not know HOW to work on a bike as simple as the XS. No place to plug in there laptop. Go to a car dealership and ask any mechanic under 40 what a dwell meter is.

Since your just getting started on this never ending project, see if you can score some Zanex. By the time you have everything dialed in, you will be up to at least a pack a day, each carb takes at least three beers, brake system bleeding requires at least 4 fingers of a good Canadian blend. There will be a groove right st the base of your hairline from rubbing it, or your hairline will simply head south all together. A GI style haircut will keep you from pulling it out while you do the pickup wire fix.

Dam, how I love these bikes.

[oseaghdha]

Webbcraft, you forgot the flatspot from banging your head on the wall.

[trbig]

But... even with all of that, you have to admit... when YOU finally have it tuned and you are purring down the road... especially if you have some sentimental value in it... there is NO better feeling!

I have my dad's old Remington 870 shotgun. He died in 2000. When I am out bird hunting with it... the action is smooth and flawless... I feel like he's still here with me a bit.... smiling at his old gun. That gun is alot like these old bikes to some. It's not worth alot monetarily... but I honestly wouldn't take $100,000 for it. As much as it makes the world go 'round.... money isn't everything. Good luck QRFan... keep us informed.

Tod

[BOYZSBLUE]

PICTURES

QRFAN, LETS SEE SOME PICTURES,THESE GUYS CAN PICK OUT A PROBLEM A MILLION MILES AWAY,AND WE ALL LIKE SEEING ONES PRIDE AND JOY. USE PHOTODUMP.COM. THANKS AND GOOD LUCK..REALLY NOT THAT HARD TO WORK ON AND IF YOU GET STUCK LET ALL US KNOW, IT'S FLOOR YOU HOW MANY RESPONSES YOU'LL GET

[QRFan]

Ok this work schedule is killing me,,,,,,,,, but i finally found time to investigate & found that I have gas in my oil,,,,,, I drained it & am in the process of borrowing a compression tester to determine if its the rings or probs w/ the carbs,,,,,,,,, anything else I should consider that may have caused this problem if it's not the rings?
I'll post a pic as soon as I can find daylight to snap a shot I have lots of elbow work yet to do .......any suggestions for polishing up the Al?

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there QR Fan,

Oil in the gas is a common occurence with bikes that have sat for a long time, and it's nothing to do with the rings. The gas turns to varnish, gets sticky, etc., and the float needle valves and floats don't work like they should to stop the flow of fuel, so fuel overflows the carbs, and then it flows up into the throat of the carbs, and often in towards the head, where it then flows into the intake, and IF that valve is open, then it flows into the cylinders, and WILL seep down past the rings....they have gaps, and finally drains into the oil case where it CAN damage the bearings IF the engine is run for very long that way!!

A compression test would be useful, but don't put much stock in their values at this time, again, after sitting a while, rings can get stuck, a little rust can build up in the cylinders, etc., and can give you strange values, but can improve once the engine is run and the rings loosen and reseat, scrub the rust from the cylinder walls, etc.!!

Just concentrate your efforts on getting the carbs right, also check out your fuel tank petcocks, I didn't check your profile before replying, can't remember if you have Std or Spcl, so you either have vacuum petcocks=Std, or the Octopus=Spcl. IF you didn't clean out the gastank, then you could have a bunch of crud that got thru the petcock screens and down into your "newly" rebuilt carbs, messing up the float needles, so would be advised to put inline filters on. Also, floats can go bad, 'specially if they are the older BRASS kind, can corrode, form small pinholes and leak, causing them to turn from "floats" to "Sinkers", again allowing fuel to flow when it shouldn't!!

You're on your way, keep at it, we'll be here!

PS, check the tech tips, scroll down the MAIN FORUM PAGE, you'll find tips on Polishing the engine, etc.!!

[oseaghdha]

I had two XV920s at one time(not on purpose, just worked out that way). They don't have an "OFF" position on the petcock, just the vacuum diaphragm. One of em leaked a ton of gas over a period of inactivity, unbeknownst to me.

I was riding it wondering why it was running so rich. The gas was vaporizing and entering the fuel/air stream via the crankcase breather. Don't know how close I got to disappearing in a ball of fire, but it scared the carp outta me.

When I dumped the oil, about 4.5 quarts came out! Capacity is 3 liters.
After that, whenever I laid it up, I clamped off the fuel line. I always pop the oil cap and give it a sniff before riding now. Anyway, that one started making big end noise later, after an extended high speed run, so I pulled it apart and sent it to Ebay. I expect the rod bearings were damaged from the gas. Bottom line, don't trust the octopus.

[Ken Talbot]

Originally posted by oseaghdha
I always pop the oil cap and give it a sniff before riding

Now that must draw a few looks!