Mickey85
XS400 Enthusiast
And it sounds like a very angry wasp...
This is a long one...
I only took it down the road and back, but I got it to 4th gear and about 40 mph.
Now, for the problems... The clutch is very on/off. I adjusted it at the chain cover, tightened the screw until it reaists, then back off 1/2 turn, and it still is very on/off. Could it just need broken in after sitting for 30 years?
Also, after going down the block and back, it doesn't want to run off choke, and on choke revs high. I checked for leaks, and didn't find any. The idle screws are set at 2.5 turns as the main jets are rich enough to start without the choke. I did notice before riding it that the right air cleaner boot was wet. Usually this would indicate a sticky float...I've been fighting these Damn floats literally for 9 months. When you flip the carbs, they're loose enough to bounce. I checked the hang and they're within spec.
Continuing on...the handlebars are crooked. They're new bars. I tried loosening the forks and twisting to get them straight, but I don't think that worked.
Finally, I synched the carbs after checking the valve clearance. Of I'm doing the valves right (pretty sure I am) they're right. I got a dual vacuum gauge from mikesxs. I found I had to synch over 4000rpm bc at idle the needles were bouncing halfway around the gauge. Is this normal? What could it indicate?
This is a long one...
I only took it down the road and back, but I got it to 4th gear and about 40 mph.
Now, for the problems... The clutch is very on/off. I adjusted it at the chain cover, tightened the screw until it reaists, then back off 1/2 turn, and it still is very on/off. Could it just need broken in after sitting for 30 years?
Also, after going down the block and back, it doesn't want to run off choke, and on choke revs high. I checked for leaks, and didn't find any. The idle screws are set at 2.5 turns as the main jets are rich enough to start without the choke. I did notice before riding it that the right air cleaner boot was wet. Usually this would indicate a sticky float...I've been fighting these Damn floats literally for 9 months. When you flip the carbs, they're loose enough to bounce. I checked the hang and they're within spec.
Continuing on...the handlebars are crooked. They're new bars. I tried loosening the forks and twisting to get them straight, but I don't think that worked.
Finally, I synched the carbs after checking the valve clearance. Of I'm doing the valves right (pretty sure I am) they're right. I got a dual vacuum gauge from mikesxs. I found I had to synch over 4000rpm bc at idle the needles were bouncing halfway around the gauge. Is this normal? What could it indicate?