Update to washer move on FIRST gear.

[trbig]

My first gear was starting to go out again, so it was time to rip apart the motor again. I don't know if any of you remember, but with my last motor tear down, I tried to do a washer swap on 1st gear like you do on 2nd gear. What I did, was find a washer that was exactly HALF the thickness of the stock washer. I left one of these washers where the original was, then moved the other one to the back side of first. This moved 1st gear towards 4th half the distance than if I'd done the stock washer swap.

Let's just say that the results weren't quite as hoped. I could hear the gears hitting a bit when the bike was in 4th gear. Another REALLY fun side effect.. if the bike was in neutral with the clutch out, and you revved it pretty good.. the transmission would jump into first!! lol. So.. a washer swap on first gear moves the gears too close together.

I tried this washer swap since 1st gear seems to be the one that craps out on the XJ versus the XS 2nd gear. Same motor, same trans... no idea why it's like that. I've had some great help from Jeremy (Montreux_Blue) down here at John and Kat's house, and John has chipped in when he could.. but is still a bit hampered by his recent back surgery. He is getting around better than I expected though. We got the motor pulled and cases split last night (Friday night). When I got into the motor, I saw that 2nd/5th weren't much better. Luckily I had left some gears down here from the last Meeting of the Minds, and I had a set to grind on. I had previously done 1st/4th gears before I got here. Here's how the motor looked this afternoon...





And we finally got the motor somewhat together and stabbed back in the frame tonight.






Hopefully I'll have it finished up in the morning. Today, I also rebuilt the starter clutch, cleaned the carbs, and got the valves all shimmed back up. Next weekend.. I get to do it all again with another member's XS! lol.

Tod

[petejw]

Hey Tod,
The extra washer sounds good in theory and well worth a try, pity it didnt fix the problem.
I know youve rebuilt a few engines, but man you had that pulled apart fast.
What did you do do to rebuild the starter clutch, was it slipping or a precautionary thing?

[trbig]

For the starter clutch, there's a kit on Partsnmore.com. Sometimes on cold mornings the starter was having some problems. It sounded like a car starter that didn't have enough juice.. and wouldn't kick the bendix forward to the flywheel and just spin.

Yeah, a little disappointed that the washer swap didn't work for first also. Sometimes playing the guinea pig works out.. and sometimes it doesn't. This last motor rebuild lasted a year.. none of the others lasted 3k miles! lol. So I was expecting to be back in it before now anyway. I actually didn't touch the top end.. only thing I took off of it was the valve cover. So that part of it is still working fine... but the gears don't seem to like my riding style much.

Tod

[Ivan]

I bet you got that motor held together by a zipper by now. How long does it take you to get from running bike to split case?

[trbig]

How long does it take you to get from running bike to split case?

If I'm really trying to get it done... 2 hours to get the motor out.. another hour to get the stuff off and the cases split. BUT... that's my bike. Someone else's would take a bit longer to get the motor out, but the same after that. That's also the reason I'd just rather split the cases to do the gear fix versus trying to flip the bike or fight with trying to get the gears and shift forks in/out. It also gives me a chance to check out the rest of the motor and bearings.


Tod

[tarzan]

So what comes in that starter clutch kit TRBIG?Is it a stronger spring?
I think your bringing down the % ratio of how reliable the XS is with all these motors.LOL
You must ride that thing like you stole it.

[trbig]

https://www.partsnmore.com/cat_index...ory=electrical

Scroll to the bottom to see it. The springs push those steel rollers against a shaft. WHen the motor catches, centrifigul force pushes them away from the shaft and compresses the spring. I don't know if the springs get old, but I think any rough spots on the shaft the rollers grab would cause more problems.. so I don't think this kit is necessarily a fix-all. Those rollers do get worn spots on them too though. I looked through a few starter clutches I have to find the best one.

As far as the reliability.. my problem was taking used parts from different motors and trying to get a running one. I have had a lot of crank/crank bearing problems which is uncommon... but I do ride harder than most, I think.

Tod

[trbig]

Everything back together and fired right up like it's supposed to. Time to take it on it's trial ride of @ 180 miles to the house.. lol.

Tod

[79XS11F]

Are you going to pack it in on trying to fit this issue with the 1/2 thickness washer or will you try different thickness's.
Rob

[trbig]

Nope.. I just went back to the stock washer. If you can't even move it half the thickness of a washer over without having problems... you probably don't need to be moving it. That's my opinion anyway.

The bike made it home just fine. Not very good gas mileage.. 25-27mpg, but was bucking @ 30-40mph headwind and was going close to 100mph most of the way. At least I made it past the Texas Motor Speedway before the Nascar race ("Bubba races" as John and Kat like to call it) was done.


Tod