Bike is new to me and I have questions

[LiteFiter]

New to this forum, hope this is posted in the appropriate area for general info. I have just acquired a 79 SF with 18,500 miles. I had an XS750SF in 78-80 before it was stolen, so I am familiar with the bike, just not the engine. It actually seems to run pretty well for having sat for 5+ years without services or running. Problem, I am taking it to a dealer this week to have a complete service done. My issue is i don't have a trailer yet, and will have to ride it about 10 miles. The oil window is so stained I can't tell tell if the bike is under or over filled. The tool pouch, still with the bike, is missing the middle/final gear level gauge. Is there any other way other than just just draining and refilling, that I can check these levels to be sure that I can safely ride without fear of seizing up something? Thanks for the help, I have had nothing but Harley's and T120 Triumphs in the last 20 years, so I am afraid anything with more than two cylinders and carb's is completely foreign to me. Jon

[Gallaecus]

for the middle and final drives

http://www.ringler.us/xs1100/xs11_dipstick.pdf

use a propane torch to heat up around the plug (but not plug) because chances are those plugs arent coming out easy

[LiteFiter]

Thanks for the quick reply

Thanks for the info, that is a start

[jwhughes3]

Unless the dealer is a relative, you are gonna get a $600 bill for service maintenace like carb cleaning that you could have done yourself..please skip the dealer ... The mechanics dont know old bikes anyway.

You say its running pretty well and you are willing to change fluids. Thats a start....get some Seafoam to put in the gas, let it mix then idle for 15 min to ensure its in carbs then let it sit overnight. Next day ride it till tank is empty and repeat. Can possibly save you $$$.
If it needs it later there is a pictorial on carb cleaning. My 17 year old son can do it and he is no mechanic. Just takes patience and organization.

Oh and welcome!

John

[ViperRon]

Dealer

The deal is they work on your bike and it costs a lot and you get it back and it is not right and they will work on it again but same effect then when you have spendt a lot of money they offer to give you a discount on a new bike its what they really wanted to do for you in the beginning.

So the deal is the old bike will not be fixed as long as they have something to sell.


Not all deallers are this bad but they are motivated to sell.

[natemoen]

I agree, it is a waste of money to pay a dealer to learn how to work on your bike. If you are going to own something older than about 1995 you might as well learn to work on it yourself.

Here is a nice walk through for working on the carbs.

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36017

Also, before changing the oil put some seafoam in the oil after it is warmed up and let it idle for a bit and work the clutch a few times, don't drive it though, and then dump the oil. That might clean off the sight glass.

[madmax-im]

I recall that if my bike had been running and then I shut it down and set it on the sidestand...the oil sight glass would be covered/filled with oil as to be blacked out...even aftre the engine cools down...I suggest if you have the centerstand ..is to run the engine til its warm...and with it still running set the bike up on the centerstand...let it idle for another 10 secs then shut it down...give it a couple mins and then check the sight glass...tell me what you see?
Oh and please DO NOT take this to a dealer...as noted above you'll be wasting your money and you'll be pissed as well...I'm sure there are folks in your area willing to help you...that is one of the advantages of being a member here...I can tell you personally my bike has been saved by the folks who were willing to come to my home or were welcoming me to theirs to help me fix it...Priceless...

[madmax-im]

The deal is they work on your bike and it costs a lot and you get it back and it is not right and they will work on it again but same effect then when you have spendt a lot of money they offer to give you a discount on a new bike its what they really wanted to do for you in the beginning.

So the deal is the old bike will not be fixed as long as they have something to sell.


Not all deallers are this bad but they are motivated to sell.

Most of the techs werent even born when these bikes came out...In fact most modern dealers and bike shops will not know how to work on something thats older than 15 yrs old. There are exceptions though...I knew a place and a mechanic in NJ that only works on older bikes nothing newer than 15 yrs old...His shop people specialized in bikes of our vintage. I have utilized him in the past when I could not figure some things out...He always got it right and his rates were cheap in comparison to a service dept at a stealer.

[Rasputin]

Try this for checking your middle and final drive levels.
http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=72

[Shacknasty]

....get some Seafoam to put in the gas, let it mix then idle for 15 min...

With a fan blowing on yer motor, please. I would think five minutes would be plenty.

[Aches n Pains]

LiteFiter,

These guys are right.

Working on these bikes is pretty straight forward.
Current shops aren't worth a damn at dealing with older bikes and charge you an arm and a leg to get it limping.
Use this forum to get any help you need. It's unbelievable how far these folks will go to help you keep one up and running. They're the best! Also, the existing references on the site are great with pictures and stuff.

If you don't want to do basic wrenching you might want to sell your bike while it's running. I'm serious.

You can do it and you will really enjoy it.

Aches n Pains

[JerseyJon]

Most of the techs werent even born when these bikes came out...In fact most modern dealers and bike shops will not know how to work on something thats older than 15 yrs old. There are exceptions though...I knew a place and a mechanic in NJ that only works on older bikes nothing newer than 15 yrs old...His shop people specialized in bikes of our vintage. I have utilized him in the past when I could not figure some things out...He always got it right and his rates were cheap in comparison to a service dept at a stealer.

Hey Max,

What place in Jersey are you referring to?

Jon

[LiteFiter]

Thanks for the input, next set of questions

I really appreciate the quick response and support, it is nice to be on a forum where members really want to help, not always the case in other forums I have been associated with. Anyway, I am taking the suggestions to heart.
A) I am looking for a straight forward repair manual that will get me going but it has to be one that a learning disabled monkey can understand so all suggestions are welcome. B) I am also looking for what I believe might be the oil pump cover. It is on the right side, below the cylinder head, and does have the name Yamaha stamped into it. I tried to verify it with using schematics online, but most are pretty tough to see well. This is strictly an aesthetic issue as the one on the bike appears to have had a small crack at one time, but has been patched over, nothing is leaking. But it does look pretty ugly. Again, thanks for any info. I will probably keep this question asking up until I get thrown out by the general population here for driving people nuts. Jon

[DGXSER]

Ask away Jon, as long as your well intended and trying to educate yourself, we will have no problem answering the questions. ( I have seen a couple folks come on here that were obviously just being obnoxious and asking things that were stupid to be true "is the wheel supposed to be round" type stuff.)

I am looking for a straight forward repair manual that will get me going but it has to be one that a learning disabled monkey can understand so all suggestions are welcome.

All of the manuals are pretty good and will help you considerably. IMO, the Clymers tend to be oriented toward the shadetree mechanic that needs more detail and explanation. The FSM tends to be more intensive but does nto explain as much detail assuming the user knows some terminology or is familiar with a process or procedure. Either is available from member Catatonic Bug's personal website, find a post from him or his member page and they have links to his site.

B) I am also looking for what I believe might be the oil pump cover. It is on the right side, below the cylinder head, and does have the name Yamaha stamped into it. I tried to verify it with using schematics online, but most are pretty tough to see well. This is strictly an aesthetic issue as the one on the bike appears to have had a small crack at one time, but has been patched over, nothing is leaking. But it does look pretty ugly.

First thing is which side your calling the right side. For commonality sake, the sides of the bike are referred to as if your sitting on the bike riding it. So the right side as you sit on the bike, the roundish cover your referring to is the alternator cover. It has three screws in a circular pattern in the flat area. They are holding the field coils in place. It can be removed and replaced, you could also consider painting the engine or just the covers to hide the patch your describing.

[fredintoon]

I really appreciate the quick response and support, it is nice to be on a forum where members really want to help, not always the case in other forums I have been associated with. Anyway, I am taking the suggestions to heart.
A) I am looking for a straight forward repair manual that will get me going but it has to be one that a learning disabled monkey can understand so all suggestions are welcome. B) I am also looking for what I believe might be the oil pump cover. It is on the right side, below the cylinder head, and does have the name Yamaha stamped into it. I tried to verify it with using schematics online, but most are pretty tough to see well. This is strictly an aesthetic issue as the one on the bike appears to have had a small crack at one time, but has been patched over, nothing is leaking. But it does look pretty ugly. Again, thanks for any info. I will probably keep this question asking up until I get thrown out by the general population here for driving people nuts. Jon

Hi Jon,
some will say the Clymer's XS11 manual was written by a learning disabled monkey but your local bookstore can bring one in for you.
Or borrow from your local library, most likely via their inter-library loans service. (be sure the librarian sees the existing oily fingermarks before you borrow and try not to add any. Hell hath no fury compared to a librarian witnessing book abuse.)
Or pull a free download from any of Catatonic bug's posts.
The rightside round cast YAMAHA plate covers the alternator and there's no oil behind it to leak out; the oil pump is buried in the engine near the oil filter.
The "parts for sale" forum will find you a better one.