xs400newbie
XS400 Enthusiast
Hi all,
So I went to start up the bike yesterday after it sat for a couple of weeks and I had some difficulty again. It took about 12-15 crisp kicks before it came alive. The electric start won't cut it in this situation. I've kept the battery on a tender so it's not the battery. I had experienced this before so yesterday I went ahead and adjusted the valve clearances before I attempted to start it. The bike seems to run and idle great once fully warmed up. Now the weather was a bit cool also, around 8 degrees celcius, which I'm sure didn't help much. Over the last few weeks I've cleaned the carbs, added a new fuel filter, drained the old gas, new plugs, and reconditioned the air filters. The ignition is electronic so there is nothing to adjust. Timing not checked as I believe on this model it's also non adjustable. It's an 81 special II. I wasn't able to remove the pilot jets on the carbs as they were stripped but everything inside look pretty clean upon first inspection. Like I said it runs fine when warmed up, so can we eliminate the carbs as the problem? The carb boots have some cracks but it appears to only be on the surface but I should probably check for any leaks. The spark plug caps and wires have not been replaced, so this is my next purchase. Could this be a situation where the spark is a bit weak? Once the bike is warmed up I can start it with the electric start. Is it likely a lean condition? Guess I'll have to remove the plugs and have a look at them again. I have yet to balance the carbs. Anything else I need to consider?
So I went to start up the bike yesterday after it sat for a couple of weeks and I had some difficulty again. It took about 12-15 crisp kicks before it came alive. The electric start won't cut it in this situation. I've kept the battery on a tender so it's not the battery. I had experienced this before so yesterday I went ahead and adjusted the valve clearances before I attempted to start it. The bike seems to run and idle great once fully warmed up. Now the weather was a bit cool also, around 8 degrees celcius, which I'm sure didn't help much. Over the last few weeks I've cleaned the carbs, added a new fuel filter, drained the old gas, new plugs, and reconditioned the air filters. The ignition is electronic so there is nothing to adjust. Timing not checked as I believe on this model it's also non adjustable. It's an 81 special II. I wasn't able to remove the pilot jets on the carbs as they were stripped but everything inside look pretty clean upon first inspection. Like I said it runs fine when warmed up, so can we eliminate the carbs as the problem? The carb boots have some cracks but it appears to only be on the surface but I should probably check for any leaks. The spark plug caps and wires have not been replaced, so this is my next purchase. Could this be a situation where the spark is a bit weak? Once the bike is warmed up I can start it with the electric start. Is it likely a lean condition? Guess I'll have to remove the plugs and have a look at them again. I have yet to balance the carbs. Anything else I need to consider?