1977 xs400

[khales]

Hey guys I'm brand new to the site. Just wanted to introduce myself and my bike to the site. I found this bike running for a really good deal and couldn't pass it up. It runs great, but has some idle issues. As you can see from the pic the exhaust has been chopped off and the paint needs to be redone. This is my first XS and also my first bike period. As of right now I'm just going to be working the motor and electrics. Cosmetics will come later on.

My first major question is about the ignition. The bike is currently a kick start only, however I have been told that it can easily be converted to an electric start. If anyone can point me in the right direction for this I would be very greatful.

The second and more pressing issue is the idle problems. It will fire right off on the first kick, but after idling for about 45 seconds to a minute it dies. I'm assuming it's a carb issue but haven't torn into it yet.

Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[hardtailed77]

Welcome to the forum!

When idling for the 45 seconds, does it idle correctly?

 

[khales]

When idling for the first 45 seconds or so it sounds fine. I've tinkered with the carb settings, but even with the adjustments it still dies within a minute of being started unless i'm on the throttle.

 

[volcomskater77]

well welcome home buddy. great to have ya here. i hope you get your carb issues sorted out, if you do, i have a starter that i can sell ya. pm me if intrested.

 

[hardtailed77]

When idling for the first 45 seconds or so it sounds fine. I've tinkered with the carb settings, but even with the adjustments it still dies within a minute of being started unless i'm on the throttle.

Have you checked the float levels yet? It sounds like it's running the bowls out of fuel...

 

[HoughMade]

Check to make sure the petcock is opening the fuel flow...'cause I agree that it sounds like the bowls are running out of fuel. But like hardtailed said, could very well be the float because even with the petcock shut off, mine will idle much longer tha 45 seconds before it dies.

 

[hardtailed77]

Also, regarding the electric starter.....I'm pretty sure your '77 came with electric start in the first place. I know mine did. If it did originally come with it (again, I'm not 100% sure it did), then all it would take is buying the pieces of the electric starting system that your bike is currently missing. It looks like Volcom has your first purchase too.....

 

[XS400D]

to concur with hardtailed my 77 has electric start as well although in some markets i could believe it wouldnt. should be the same in all us and england for 77. where are you located?

 

[hardtailed77]

I'm gonna guess that by the picture....with the cut and wrapped pipes, shorter rear shocks, and attempted bodywork on the side covers.....that someone has done a little "work" to the bike and the previous owner more than likely pulled the starter out as a lot of people these days do. It looks to me that the chrome starter motor cover is still there, so the starter may just be unhooked also.

 

[khales]

Thanks for all the input guys. I'm located just west of Atlanta, Georgia. Got my new baby tagged and insured this morning and I'm currently working on the carb issue so I can get her on the road while it's decently warm today. The housing is there for the electric start but there is no switch on the assembly on the bars....

 

[erna]

soundslike lack of gas. try to run the engine on "pri" on the petcock. if it works, its a non-working vacuum-tube between carb and reservoir. On the other hand,i had this in the beginning as well, sorted it with new sparkplugs and a correct timing of the ignition. specialy the distance of the contacts. greets hannes

 

[hardtailed77]

Thanks for all the input guys. I'm located just west of Atlanta, Georgia. Got my new baby tagged and insured this morning and I'm currently working on the carb issue so I can get her on the road while it's decently warm today. The housing is there for the electric start but there is no switch on the assembly on the bars....

I bet the starter is still under the plate...I'm guessing the previous owner just did away with the switch on the handlebars.

 

[drewpy]

button probably fell out, show us a pikkie of the switch

 

[volcomskater77]

if your missing wiring parts for the electric start i would also love to help. its just taking up space over by me, and ill figure out what i can part with as soon as i get a wiring diagram for a kick only, headlight, taillight, and coils.

 

[ivor]

I just got my bike back on the road yesterday after stripping the petrol tap to check for crud, (a few months ago on a long run I suffered occasional petrol starvation when on full throttle on the Motorway). Also, just before Christmas I stripped and cleaned the carbs.
Anyway, after filling up at the local petrol station, the bike hesitated a few times on the short ride back, before the engine died as I reached home. I then found if I kicked her I could get her to fire but not run. After taking the tank off and having a good look round, (and scratching my head quite a bit!), I unscrewed the banjo from the side of the carb, (where the petrol pipe goes in). And, lo and behold, more muck and sh*t than I could believe! I cleaned it all out, and later this morning I'll try the bike out on the road, but I reckon that'll fix it.
Sorry, that's a long-winded way of suggesting you check everything on the petrol supply side, from the filter on the tap through to the union on the carb.

 

[khales]

Hey Guys, after a couple of days of going over the bike without taking anything apart, but just getting a feel for it and from the way it sounds i've decided to pull it apart and replace all seals, gaskets, and the like. I've downloaded the service manual from the website. Now my major thing is where would be the best place to pick up a new gasket and seal kit?
Also if you have any pointers on soaking the carbs please let me know.

 

[volcomskater77]

drewpy told me about this one. thats where im getting my kit from.
http://www.partsnmore.com/parts/yamaha/xs400/?filters[fitting]=custom

 

[khales]

Well guys I have been forced to halt any major work on the bike for a while. I've got all the parts to rebuild the front forks and gaskets to replace on the engine thankfully before all this happened. But as of Wednesday afternoon I am without a car to drive so I've got to get the forks done and then the bike will be my only means of transportation for a few weeks since my car is out of order. I had an accident that rendered my car undrivable. Here's a picture of the the front right wheel where the damage was done.

 

[bcware]

You're going to have to attach the photo; linking to your mailbox won't work. Anyway, I hope you're ok.

And wait, you decided to replace all the engine gaskets? Were you planning to tear it down completely? It sounded like your float height or a lack of vacuum was the only problem from previous posts. Is there anything else wrong with it? I think partsnmore has the engine gasket set for like 45 bucks.

 

[khales]

I'll get that attached in a min. Luckily I'm ok as was the girl that caused the accident.
Yeah eventually I'm going to pull the motor and replace all the gaskets. The head gasket is leaking a little bit of oil. Nothing major but it still needs to be replaced at some point. I actually already have the kit at the house. I ordered it off of ebay a few weeks ago for $45 I think. Came with all engine gaskets, o-rings, etc...