First bike 1980 xs400 and I need some help

[Ramonski2]

Hi guys.

I just bought my first bike and it's a 1980 xs400. The guy who sold it to me said it was having so idle problems when he had it running. Said it would stall out at stops. The gas in the tank had sat for a year with no lock to keep the cap shut. So I figuered it not starting was due to bad gas and a dead battery.

Here is where I am having trouble. Got the old gas out and put some new gas in with some stabilizer. Tapped the cap down to keep it shut for now. Spent the better half of an hour trying to kick start the bike, didn't go to well. Found a battery i knew was good and connted it with so jummpers just to see what worked. Lights came on but pushed the starter and nothing. So I tried to kick a few more times and then gave up and called it a day after I pulled the old battery out see it was low on acid.

Any ideas on where to go from here would help me out. I also can only get to the bike every few weeks as I'm a student and currently keep it in a friends shed who lives a few towns over so an ordered list of things to do would be best.

Thank guys

 

[spectra]

Welcome and well where to start I am not an expert but did get one running that sat for a while. First thing make sure you are getting spark as it is really needed are you getting fuel into the carbs ? and then there are the carbs.......I would pull them off and go through them and clean them up first as they probably have varnish and who knows what inside of them. Also may be worth it to put fresh oil and a filter in it. As for the starter issue do you have a multi meter and can check things out ?

I am sure a more qualified member will chime in but that's my 2 cents..........Good luck! and let us know how it goes

 

[BBS360]

Welcome to the forum.
Let's see some photos.
You'll probably want to clean the carbs a few times.
Stock air filters and exhaust?

 

[Ramonski2]

The first thing I did was clean the carbs when I got it. They seemed in good shape there wasnt any gas in them and all parts seemed good. The diaphragms where a bit softer then I though they would have been just looking at them but no rips or holes. I ckacked the fuel drain on one carb and got a few drips so I assume fule got to the bowl. The oil also seemed clean but a bit low. I could get my hands on a multi meter next time I go out. I didn't have a way to check spark this go around. The owner before last knew a bit more about bikes then both the one I picked it up from and myself. Not sure what he did.

 

[spectra]

Looks good and has aftermarket shocks and bars on it.

Hopefully you can figure it out and get it running.

 

[Ramonski2]

I was just sitting here this morning thinking and realized that even with power I didn't hear a click when pressing the start button so it could just be the relay or something before that. Can you give me an idea of where its at on the bike?

 

[spectra]

Everything is under the seat with the battery. Pop the seat and you will see the fuse box and relays. May need to pull the air box but not sure. None of my bikes had them as they were in pieces.

 

[tmatter]

Stupid question here but I need to ask. When you are kicking or pushing the starter button is the kill switch in the run position? I'm sure it's a yes but that has tripped me up before because I can be thick from time to time.

Pull the plugs while kicking with a good battery you should be able to check their spark easily enough. If you don't see a spark work backwards. If you do see a spark start trouble shooting the fuel system. Once you get it cranking with the starter give it a small shot of starting fluid in the carb (a SMALL shot) it should for and run for a few seconds. If it doesn't then you may not have spark under compression after all.

Another way I liked to get bikes that have set for a long time running is to find a big long suitable hill and jump start them. I've had much luck with this method. Of course if you don't get it running you better have a friend with a truck to pull you back up the hill.

Good luck.

 

[Jeff0133]

Maybe a safety switch/relay gone bad...like a kickstand switch perhaps...those kill the power to the ignition...

 

[Ramonski2]

Switch was set to run. Not sure if all the switches were good. First thing I'm gonna do next time I get time with the bike is drop in a new battery test spark and then if thats good check all the switches.

 

[Petew]

Sounds like a plan, check small and obvious things first.

 

[Ramonski2]

So I finally got some time with it. Dropped in a new battery noticed the headlight wasnt on. Check the fuses some were out and only had a few on hand so replaced the main and then ignition with the on for headlights still in and none for turns. Tried to bump start it with some starter and the best i got a large puff of black smoke.

 

[Petew]

So I finally got some time with it. Dropped in a new battery noticed the headlight wasnt on. Check the fuses some were out and only had a few on hand so replaced the main and then ignition with the on for headlights still in and none for turns. Tried to bump start it with some starter and the best i got a large puff of black smoke.

I was informed that some of these bikes had a switch that won't allow the headlights to come on without the bike running. That is how mine is currently.

 

[xschris]

The e-start button grounds through the handle bars to the left signal housing. You need to make sure the bars have any covering removed. The stock ones are chrome steel which allows for a good connection.

 

[NewHavenMike]

If you have the original fuse box, those connections where the fuse clips in need to be pretty clean. I replaced a popped fuse one time and it didnt work until I cleaned the clips off. The turn signal relay is old and junky. I had to give mine a tap with a screwdriver a couple times for it to start working.

Dont leave the lights on too long as they will drain the battery fast and then you will have trouble starting because you dont have enough voltage and youll just end up going in circles..

 

[Petew]

Something that happened to me recently; after I got my new key made it worked beautifully. I went out the next day, however, and there was nothing except the taillight on. I depressed the brake and the light went off-when it would normally light the brake light. I traced and tested and found no short. I reversed the key in the ignition and everything worked fine.Apparently one of the cuts wasn't tripping its mated surface. If your keys are not the factory originals you may try that. Sounds stupid but a 3 second key switch would have saved me hours of frustration.

 

[Jeff0133]

Something that happened to me recently; after I got my new key made it worked beautifully. I went out the next day, however, and there was nothing except the taillight on. I depressed the brake and the light went off-when it would normally light the brake light. I traced and tested and found no short. I reversed the key in the ignition and everything worked fine.Apparently one of the cuts wasn't tripping its mated surface. If your keys are not the factory originals you may try that. Sounds stupid but a 3 second key switch would have saved me hours of frustration.

Now i am not electrically inclined by any stretch of the imagination but I would think the switch is just that ...a switch.
So either current goes or it doesn't...if the key doesn'the mate then nothing goes...right?
I would think that you have a bad connection/ground somewhere...intermittent...and that you just got lucky...
But maybe there are subtleties that escape me here

 

[Petew]

Now i am not electrically inclined by any stretch of the imagination but I would think the switch is just that ...a switch.
So either current goes or it doesn't...if the key doesn'the mate then nothing goes...right?
I would think that you have a bad connection/ground somewhere...intermittent...and that you just got lucky...
But maybe there are subtleties that escape me here

 

[Petew]

I would be inclined to say the same thing, except that I can replicate the situation repeatedly by switch the key position in the ignition lock switch. I don't know anymore about it than you, but it happens,and only since I replaced the key. Go figure...
...and hey, ...I'd take 3 seconds and give it a shot- I've looked foolish before and will again!

 

[NewHavenMike]

The lock mechanism doesn't seem to have electrical priperties. its just a cylinder with tumblers inside a bigger cylinder and the tumbler portion turns a seperate switch housing. Most common electrical problems are ground related. The wire insulators get hard and crack and sometimes they rub on the frame or cross other wires.. you couldve uncrossed a ground just by sitting on the bike.