Recent content by vinpickering

Thanks for the offer, I really appreciate it, but yeah, I imagine shipping to Australia is a little over the top. Is it really possible to break the chain then put it back together while in position on the sprocket? I think I only really need a new sprocket and chain. And that jerk of a...

Ok, thanks very much for your advice everyone, I FINALLY got around to taking the rocker cover off and it was as I had come to expect... The valve locknut that vibrated itself off must have jammed itself in the cam chain and has completely wrecked: Itself The cam chain The cam sprocket...

Ok, so long story short my '80 XS400 has been off the road for over a year as I (slowly learnt to paint, then) repainted it. I took it for it's first ride in that long and it was glorious. It and I was loving it. So then I thought I'd ride it to work, and it got there fine but then when I tried...

It could be in the transition from one jet to the next that there is a flat spot. Is it only when the clutch is disengaged that it will die? or is it if you blip the throttle suddenly in general, such as with the clutch in or in neutral?

Been a while, but I have been working on it. I did Houghmade's 5 point pilot system check I found on another forum (http://www.xs400.com/forum/showpost.php?p=64401&postcount=17), and could not get the three distinct sprays coming through above the throttle butterfly. Just a mash of inconsistent...

Awesome! Hooked up to the negative or positive terminal? It looks like it only reaches the closest one, which I think is negative (sorry, not near my bike at the moment), is that right?

@ThePsuedoMonkey On your photo, what does the great big red lead, in the top right hand corner connected to the breather cover, connect to? Mine just travels up and floats next to the battery, not connected to anything. Is it an earth wire? My electric starter is not working, just gives a...

Sorry, can't figure out how to delete this post! The next one is more detailed.:doh:

Slide Diaphragms look like new, so that's not it. With the mixture needle o-ring, there is no obvious place for it to go on the needle. I would kinda be just putting it on there and hoping for the best. There is no obvious petrol leaking from out the top of where they screw in so I'm not...

I don't think these are the original carbs for this bike but one from a similar year. The mixture screws which require an o-ring have a divot in the screw for the o-ring just before it cones into a needle right? My needles do not have that, but I'm also not convinced they are the original...

So awesome to be getting all this advice! :bow: Compression is RH:150psi, LH:160psi so compression seems pretty good. :thumbsup: Took the carbs completely apart and sprayed in every single hole available, with the cleaner coming out the other end (& in my eye at one point, :cussing:)...

Thanks heaps for your help! I checked the compression a while ago and they were both over 100, but I will re-check tomorrow. I have been through the carbs so many times, but I will go through them again and double check, making sure everything is 100% :thumbsup:

Ok, I've been trying to avoid making a new thread but I just can't fix my problem and noone seems to be having the same problem as me. :banghead: Essentially, my 1980 xs400 won't idle properly. When warmed up it either idles too low (about 900rpm, holding on before stalling after about a...