Still no headlight, clutch slipping and front brake squeals

[Tobz]

OK, I'm about to start pounding my head on my work bench. I still don't have a headlight when the bike (81 xs400 SOHC Heritage) is running. Good bulb, good fuse, wires in the switch are good. Where is the headlight relay?
Also, I've had the bike out for a couple short shakedown runs and the clutch seems to be slipping. Not sure what the PO had in it for oil. I put in some Valvoline 4-stroke motorcycle oil and ran it for a bit, but I think I put too much in so I drained it all and put in Shell Rotella T diesel oil tonight. I made sure the bike was upright and filled it to half glass on the sight glass. Still having some slipping. Will it take a while for the clutches to work better with the better oil?
On another note, my front brake has a pretty annoying whine when pushing it around the garage and yard and I can tell it still hangs when riding. It makes a softer whine.
I don't really want to throw in the towel and take it to a shop. I like older bikes and really want to learn the characteristics of some metric bikes (Had a '73 H-D Ironhead Sportster previously) but, man, The Japanese really know how to over-engineer things...

 

[arfstrom]

OK, I'm about to start pounding my head on my work bench.

Done, no more doing that.

Headlight relay? Forward of the batteybox, next to the Air intake H tube. may be easier to see on the kick start side, just up, and to the rear of the kick starter, should be 2 metal grey things. the one with the white wire is your headlight relay. The other is the safety relay. Before you do anything outside of checking for voltage/amps. Check for Volts and Amps. The cycle of operations for the relay, is too see if there is energy coming down the red/yellow line, if that energy isnt up to spec, the headlight will not turn on. The white wire is power support from the stator (alternator) It is essentially one whole phase, dedicated to just the headlight. For testing purposes I have swapped the two relays around, and that proved to me that the wires were all fine, and then the original relay seem to work, after replacing my voltage reg, and re-wiring the Stator. http://www.xs400.com/forum/showpost.php?p=88162&postcount=72

I put in some Valvoline 4-stroke motorcycle oil and ran it for a bit, but I think I put too much in so I drained it all and put in Shell Rotella T diesel oil tonight. I made sure the bike was upright and filled it to half glass on the sight glass. Still having some slipping. Will it take a while for the clutches to work better with the better oil?

Don't know about the Valvoline oil, if you still have the container, check for the standard "JASC MA" that is the guarantee from the oil producers that our wet clutches will work. If you find out the Valvoline is not rated for the wet clutch, you may need to do 2 more oil changes (maybe even 2 filter changes as the filter will collect the bad parts, and continue to share it within the fresh oil. (not technically right, someone might jump in and confirm my suppositions) I suspect by the time you change it 4th time, you will be alright. Get the two done first, run it for a bit, the change out with soon. Remember there is torque settings next to the oil filter, Do not exceed torque settings, you may not find a filter cap easily. (you may not go back and ) try for 4 with in the month, because all you doing getting rid of the old oil, with displacement, putting in a greater amount of fresh right oil, which will continue to drop the bad oil percentage down to nothing, eventually. The clutch seems too be fine, based on others experiences.

my front brake has a pretty annoying whine when pushing it around the garage and yard and I can tell it still hangs when riding. It makes a softer whine.

I am suspecting that your whine, is one of two things, you forgot the cheese, or the front pads are toast. At least your front brakes are working. You are going to have to pull the front brake off, and look. if the pad is gone, and the plate is squealing on the metal disk, then you need more pads. Since this bike is new to you, Flush the oil in the front brakes! That is preventive.

I don't really want to throw in the towel and take it to a shop. I like older bikes and really want to learn the characteristics of some metric bikes (Had a '73 H-D Ironhead Sportster previously) but, man, The Japanese really know how to over-engineer things...

This bike isn't bad. use this web site, for researching, chances are, we all have gone though all the problems, they are not hard to fix. Just take your time, figure out which way is the right way for you, and get it done. Hope that helps

by the way, when you have time, click on Control panel, (top of page, under the second set of tab controls) and add a signature line with you motor cycle info, so that way, you will not need to keep reminding everyone.

 

[Tobz]

Thank you for all the info. I hope to get back in the garage tonight to work on some things and apply these. I really appreciate it and the humor, as well.

 

[arfstrom]

I was just proof reading, I messed this part up...

Get the two done first, run it for a bit, the change out with soon. Remember there is torque settings next to the oil filter, Do not exceed torque settings, you may not find a filter cap easily. (you may not go back and )

These break easily. Too easily. I seem to think the torque setting is next to the cap.