knotwerk
XS400 Member
1981 XS400 - Picked it up a few months ago and was a non runner that was supposedly "running ok last year". It had a handful of new parts like carb rebuild components and whatnot. ...anyhow
Been lurking here for a few months and wanted to say thanks to everyone that has helped me without even knowing it.
I've set the carbs and she seems to start right up. After a few minutes it begins to idle funny and wants to die. I've done some digging and someone had described an over tight valve clearance shutting the bike down once it heated up. I thought I'd dive in and see how these ones are set.
- First off I cracked the small stator cover and it began to drizzle oil.... I quickly grabbed a stray soda can and placed it under the drip. That actually filled and I had to scramble for another.... and another... and another. I ended up filling 5 cans with what I now see is a gas and oil mixture (can't believe I had been running this engine)
[Could this have been my issue all along and not the valve clearance?]
- I rotated to what appeared to be LT and checked the intake clearance and it seemed good. The exhaust seemed a bit off so I reset it.
- As I went to cycle the engine again I noticed another mark on the stator (i think that's what it is) that said "LT"... I cycled through again and the one that I had checked at was "LF". I rotated to "LT" and both valves had no clearance. [What's the LF?]
- I thought "ah ha!" and went to reset these to the right specs. As I went to adjust the intake I found the nut was locked on the bolt. I removed it completely to try to free it and ended up stripping the nut out and beating up the bolt. Reset the exhaust and went to do the other side and the first valve adjuster I touched was also locked up.
- At this point I realized I was chasing my tail and decided to just order 4 new adjuster bolts. (gotta go find those)
so that's where I stand.
Do those bolts lock up often?
What's that LF?
Could all that extra gas/oil have been my problem?
Been lurking here for a few months and wanted to say thanks to everyone that has helped me without even knowing it.
I've set the carbs and she seems to start right up. After a few minutes it begins to idle funny and wants to die. I've done some digging and someone had described an over tight valve clearance shutting the bike down once it heated up. I thought I'd dive in and see how these ones are set.
- First off I cracked the small stator cover and it began to drizzle oil.... I quickly grabbed a stray soda can and placed it under the drip. That actually filled and I had to scramble for another.... and another... and another. I ended up filling 5 cans with what I now see is a gas and oil mixture (can't believe I had been running this engine)
[Could this have been my issue all along and not the valve clearance?]
- I rotated to what appeared to be LT and checked the intake clearance and it seemed good. The exhaust seemed a bit off so I reset it.
- As I went to cycle the engine again I noticed another mark on the stator (i think that's what it is) that said "LT"... I cycled through again and the one that I had checked at was "LF". I rotated to "LT" and both valves had no clearance. [What's the LF?]
- I thought "ah ha!" and went to reset these to the right specs. As I went to adjust the intake I found the nut was locked on the bolt. I removed it completely to try to free it and ended up stripping the nut out and beating up the bolt. Reset the exhaust and went to do the other side and the first valve adjuster I touched was also locked up.
- At this point I realized I was chasing my tail and decided to just order 4 new adjuster bolts. (gotta go find those)
so that's where I stand.
Do those bolts lock up often?
What's that LF?
Could all that extra gas/oil have been my problem?