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1978 XS400-2E
- Thread starter nico
- Start date
nico
78 XS400-2E
Dime City Cycles. And yea still have the air filter boxes
So today's progress:
Carbs put back together with 137 main/45 pilot jets, new gaskets
Floats adjusted to 1 inch
Carbs put back on bike
Pod filters on(had to use original air tube cause of battery)
Petcock rebuilt and put back on tank
Some wiring looked rough, so respliced/covered and tucked neatly away
Tank put back on
New fuel filter and fuel line installed
Sorry no pictures yet
Tomorrows agenda:
Straighten the bent brake lever and passenger peg and get those put back on
Get new pipes put on
Gas 'er up and see if she starts with the 137 mains and pods
adjust accordingly
I will try to take some pics tomorrow and post.
So today's progress:
Carbs put back together with 137 main/45 pilot jets, new gaskets
Floats adjusted to 1 inch
Carbs put back on bike
Pod filters on(had to use original air tube cause of battery)
Petcock rebuilt and put back on tank
Some wiring looked rough, so respliced/covered and tucked neatly away
Tank put back on
New fuel filter and fuel line installed
Sorry no pictures yet
Tomorrows agenda:
Straighten the bent brake lever and passenger peg and get those put back on
Get new pipes put on
Gas 'er up and see if she starts with the 137 mains and pods
adjust accordingly
I will try to take some pics tomorrow and post.
nico
78 XS400-2E
Ok I finally figured out how to post pics with my phone so I should be able to post more. Here's some from yesterday.
Had to notch the carb gasket to fit:
All of this came out of the peacock
My dad heating/bending the brake lever(I'm a little afraid of tools that involve fire)
I'll take more tonight. But she's a running! Backfired upon start up but ran ok. Gonna put seat back on and get my headlight adjusted and I'll drive it a few days to see how the jet setup is doing on the plugs
Had to notch the carb gasket to fit:
All of this came out of the peacock
My dad heating/bending the brake lever(I'm a little afraid of tools that involve fire)
I'll take more tonight. But she's a running! Backfired upon start up but ran ok. Gonna put seat back on and get my headlight adjusted and I'll drive it a few days to see how the jet setup is doing on the plugs
Don't blame you - especially with all those pressurized cans of explosive liquids nearby.
nico
78 XS400-2E
Went back up to finish getting bike ready and wouldn't start. Thought it might be pilot jets so switched back to stock 42. Spent all night messing with it. Now it fires up after carb is filled and revs but quickly dies. Put screws closest towards engine(air/idle?) 2 1/2 turns out. I think that's right. Made sure filter was installed correctly. Vacuum from petcock seems to be working. Not sure what's up. Will probably work on it some more tomorrow night. Any suggestions?
Your pilot is way too small right now, but you can try turning the idle mix screws out further. 3.5 turns out or more. Once you hit about 4 turns out there is nothing left to give; you must bump up the pilot jet.
Shoot some starter fluid in the filters. If it fires up easily you're just too lean.
Ambient temperature can have an affect as well; when it's hot out gasoline vaporizes easier and will make the bike easier to start.
Shoot some starter fluid in the filters. If it fires up easily you're just too lean.
Ambient temperature can have an affect as well; when it's hot out gasoline vaporizes easier and will make the bike easier to start.
nico
78 XS400-2E
I ordered new main jets, the large round type, so as soon as those come in I will pull the carbs again and put the larger pilots and new mains in. But unfortunately we will out of town all next week so I won't get any work done.
nico
78 XS400-2E
Little update before I'm away from my bike for a week.
Still having issues with it running. Think it's the coils as the spark plugs aren't firing so ordering new coils, wires and caps from Mikesxs.
Tires came in today so will be putting those on this weekend hopefully as well.
Also have bigger main jets on the way. So hopefully next week I'll get to ride my bike!
I do have a question on pod filters, what kind of oil does everyone use on them?
Still having issues with it running. Think it's the coils as the spark plugs aren't firing so ordering new coils, wires and caps from Mikesxs.
Tires came in today so will be putting those on this weekend hopefully as well.
Also have bigger main jets on the way. So hopefully next week I'll get to ride my bike!
I do have a question on pod filters, what kind of oil does everyone use on them?
I think I read that the oil type doesn't really matter. If you want to be ultra safe maybe you can buy a K&N recharge kit; it comes with spray oil and a cleaner although I do not know if it is proprietary. Personally I didn't oil mine; tisk tisk!
nico
78 XS400-2E
So this won't affect airflow? I put my stock filter back on just in case this was the case until I oiled mine. Well that's good to know. Thank you sir
don't oil my emgos.
K&N are set up for oiling
K&N are set up for oiling
nico
78 XS400-2E
Thanks for shedding some light guys! I'm learning a lot this past month!
nico
78 XS400-2E
Got new mains in and put 142.5 and put 45 pilots back in.
Picked up my tires yesterday. Had to replace tubes as well
Got coils installed
But still didn't start. New plugs. Tried push starting. Nothing. We put it on a trickle charge overnight
My dad tried it this morning and it started with the choke but wouldn't run without it. I'm thinking I need to adjust the clip on the needles or re adjust the floats? It'll have to wait til tomorrow though as I need a break from failure!
Picked up my tires yesterday. Had to replace tubes as well
Got coils installed
But still didn't start. New plugs. Tried push starting. Nothing. We put it on a trickle charge overnight
My dad tried it this morning and it started with the choke but wouldn't run without it. I'm thinking I need to adjust the clip on the needles or re adjust the floats? It'll have to wait til tomorrow though as I need a break from failure!
Floats at 26 mm for a 1978 2e. I have the same bike. If it still wont run off of choke your pilot jet passages are probably dirty.
Needle clip position won't affect idle/starting.
Try turning the idle speed adjustment "nut" up (clockwise) a bit before kick starting it. I find this really helps to start the bike easier. Once it's a little warm just turn it back down.
Needle clip position won't affect idle/starting.
Try turning the idle speed adjustment "nut" up (clockwise) a bit before kick starting it. I find this really helps to start the bike easier. Once it's a little warm just turn it back down.
nico
78 XS400-2E
Ok it's probably float height then. I thought I had read an inch somewhere. And they were taller than that before I adjusted it. I'll try that for sure. I'm really hoping its something like that. I'm so ready for it to run!
And just to be clear, I have the carb upside down when adjusting the float so the "height" is from gasket to "top" of float?
And just to be clear, I have the carb upside down when adjusting the float so the "height" is from gasket to "top" of float?
You do it like this Just ignore the measurement in the photo (the photo shows 30 - 31 mm). It should be 26 mm.
The second photo shows a second tab that adjusts the play in the float needle. This may not need to be touched at all. Once you adjust the float height to 26 mm hold the carbs right-side up (how they sit on the bike, and don't forget to secure internal parts).
Use your finger to push the floats up and down lightly while watching what the float needle does. The float needle's total travel should only be a few mm, but the exact amount doesn't really matter. Make sure they move smoothly and don't get hung up.
What matters is that the float needles are not opening way too much and not enough. This second tab can get bent through handling. I did it the first time I adjusted my float height and it took me a week to figure out that this second tab was jamming the float needle closed all the time.
Just ignore the measurement in the photo (the photo shows 30 - 31 mm). It should be 26 mm.The second photo shows a second tab that adjusts the play in the float needle. This may not need to be touched at all. Once you adjust the float height to 26 mm hold the carbs right-side up (how they sit on the bike, and don't forget to secure internal parts).
Use your finger to push the floats up and down lightly while watching what the float needle does. The float needle's total travel should only be a few mm, but the exact amount doesn't really matter. Make sure they move smoothly and don't get hung up.
What matters is that the float needles are not opening way too much and not enough. This second tab can get bent through handling. I did it the first time I adjusted my float height and it took me a week to figure out that this second tab was jamming the float needle closed all the time.
Attachments
nico
78 XS400-2E
Ok. That's what I thought from watching your video. That is how I did it the first time but as I said I used wrong measurement. This gives me some hope. I will definitely try this tomorrow and with luck get it running. Thanks so much for all the help.
nico
78 XS400-2E
Got floats adjusted to 26mm. Bike is running with the choke. But cannot let go or it dies. And the throttle sounds like it just floods it when touched. Air mix screws are 2 1/2 out at the moment. Idle is barely in. Any suggestions? Please help! I'm so close lol!
nico
78 XS400-2E
Ok so, messed with the idle up high and with the choke pulled and the idle up around 4-5000 rpms, I can throttle it and keep it running with a little backfire. But below that it dies. And unfortunately I just noticed that MikesXS sent me a 50 mixed in with my 47.5 jets so I don't have anything above a 45 which is what I had in when it would die below 4000 rpms. Can I try this with uneven pilot jets?
