Got my first XS for FREE

bbd1983

XS400 Enthusiast
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Hey all, brand new to the forum and I'm about as excited to start this thread as I was to get the bike...for free. Buddy dropped it off, I wasn't expecting much and when I asked him if the motor was free he said he hadn't even checked. I expected it to be considering how clean so much of the bike was....nope. Went to try and kick it over and the kicker moved a couple inches and stuck. Later that evening I pulled the plugs and since it had no carbs I poured some diesel in the plug holes and the intake. Didn't free up the kicker so I pulled the left side cover off, put a wrench on it and went back and forth lightly until it broke free and blew all that diesel out the holes. Kicker was then completely free. Compared to most of ya'll I'm a newbie to all this so I'm looking at this as a chance to start from the ground up and learn a bunch about this bike. This will be my most intensive work to date. I'll attach some pics, guy said it was and early 80s xs650 but it's a 79 xs400 special. Just wanna get this thread started and get the feedback ball rolling. Any and all info appreciated. I'm super excited about this free learning experience. Should be getting the carbs today. Was told it was a 1 owner bike then got passed on to someone else who had it running, pulled carbs and then it sat. Not sure how long or how so much of it went from 1 owner condition to partially torn apart. I think it has potential though, motor is really clean looking, gas tank same, alot of it is in really nice shape and despite being torn apart the harness seemed intact with the exception of a missing headlight and taillight
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. Here we go guys...thanks in advance!
 

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Welcome to the forum. Bike is a 80-SG xs400 The 79 is the build date not the model year.
 
Welcome, Dont tear down the engine at all for any reason. Leave it alone.

Read the manuals available here but I recommend buying the soft cover manuals, much more convenient in the work space.

Spray some oil in the spark plug holes and remove the rocker arm caps and do the same. Change the oil and get a new filter. Adjust the valves.

Get a battery. Aside from getting the carbs ready, that should be enough to get the bike to start. You need a good fully charged battery, this bike will not run without one or even start.

Bike looks clean and that should be all you need before you get into brakes and tires and everything else.

Once its running youll want to do a compression test and that will tell you how much life the engine has.
 
I would check your compression first. If your 125+ with a dry cylinder it should be able to run. That is the minimum. These are 155+ with a new motor.
 
Awesome, encouraging feedback. That's exactly where my head is at. Just waiting on carbs, gonna do what NewHavenMike said. Already downloaded a manual but I also prefer hard-copy myself. I'll research but what did the SG name consist of? Will I get a proper compression reading with no carbs on? I recently got a KZ1000 and it had 90psi of compression across all 4 dry and after fresh fluids and some running it went up to 130 an runs like a beast. Thanks for the warm welcome fellas, can't wait to get carbs! Also, any clue why that kicker seized up. Just sitting with a bit of oil in it and no carbs? Appreciate ya'll!
 
How long until you receive the carbs? Until they arrive you can do stuff. Bleed the front brake, check the headlight connections, it looks messy. Clean the bullet and pin connectors and assess for correctness. Oh yeah welcome to our little forum.
 
Hoping to have the carbs tomorrow and even more hoping they're as clean as the motor. There is no headlight, all that wiring is just what was in the bucket. Front brake is all fkd off but I'll take a deeper look tonight. My shop space is a mile or so away but I'll be there later. Wiring seems intact just hanging in the front/rear. Coils are in spec, primary and secondary. Step 1 just make it run and I think I'd like to learn how to wire from scratch. Real simple like headlight/tailight chopper wiring after it runs. Starter seems good and the solenoid is there.
 
Id be searching for XS360 carbs. XS400 carbs are fine though. Thing about 360 carbs is they are harder to find and parts are just as rare and XS360 only or else they wont function properly.

pretty sure the XS650 used the same carbs as the 360s, not sure which years. 400 carbs were EPA “compliant” and run lean
 
The 80-82 sohc and the 80-84 xs650 used bs34 mark III carbs just jetted/metered different. The 77-79 xs400 used the bs34 mark II carbs which use different slides/diaphragms, idle mix screws, air jets, choke plungers, air jets and float valves. Make sure when buying parts you shop by part number so you get the correct ones.
 
Tracked down the stock carbs from one of the POs, picking them up tomorrow. Drained oil and pulled filter, fresh oil/filter tomorrow along with a new battery. Gonna spray a bit of oil in plug holes, mount carbs and give it a go. Cut my own gaskets or any recommendations on a gasket maker. Will let ya'll know which carbs they are once I snag em.
 
Make sure you remove the sump screen and clean it out. It's the 6 bolt plate under the motor. There are threads on this in the forum.
 
Well I got the carbs. You guys are gonna love this, they came free with leaves and sludge water. There were a bunch of usable goodies in that tote though and the carbs and airbox etc are all there.
 

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Gasket kits are readily available on EBay with the except of oil seals. You will need to buy those separate but you can find in a kit. Ive cut some of my own gaskets on lsmaller stuff like the round side cover and the sump screen cover. The gasket material is a little thicker than regular pre cut kits.

Ive never used additional sealant such silicone on paper/cork gaskets but Ive used dabs of it to hold gaskets in place while I install them. The cam cover and case halves use a liquid gasket maker. I use Yamabond for that. Actually I use Yamabond on many other things as well.
 
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