Just picked up a yamaha....what is it?

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ray08pv

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hi everyone, i just picked up my first road legal bike, an 82 yamaha.....something. I traded it for my old Yamaha 225DX 3 wheeler, so i think i got a fine deal. Its been in storage since 2002, so it'll need some TLC to get it back on the road. According to the previous owner it was running before it was put in storage, so first order of business is to drain the tank, pull and clean the carbs, and get a new battery for it (once i figure out how the seat comes off).

the title makes no mention of displacement or model, but i've narrowed it down to one of the XS models, i'm hoping someone here will be able to shed some light on my newest project. its definately a far cry from my dirt bikes and quads thats for sure!


I know there were PDF manuals available for a few of the dirt bikes i've had before, i was wondering if i would be able to find owners/service manuals, or atleast basic maintainance information for it.

IMG_2545.jpg
 
look behind the headlight and behind the kickstart lever on the motor,there should be a 3 digit section of the vin#
should read 4R4... 4R5...14V something like that...I just put a post on the model numbers up for a cross reference...ought to help you out.
I'm going to say 82 XS 400 SJ heritage special......key should go under left side(?) of the seat and unlock it.
 
thank you, i wasnt sure where to look for the numbers, the vin begins with 14V, so looks like you were right, xs400 it is, thank you very much. i'll probably be prowling the forums quite a bit as i get more familiar with the bike. i'd like to eventually turn it into a bobber, whenever i get the spare cash.
 
something strange about the bike, the yamaha logo key works on the helmet latch and the gas tank but i cant get it to turn in the ignition, i'm probably overlooking something stupid, but i figured i'd ask
 
ray08pv said:
something strange about the bike, the yamaha logo key works on the helmet latch and the gas tank but i cant get it to turn in the ignition, i'm probably overlooking something stupid, but i figured i'd ask
Click to expand...
Welcome to the site!

I'm not sure if the ignition uses the same key as the locks and tank, but I had a similiar problem with mine when I first got it. My ignition key wouldn't turn the tank, and the tank key wouldn't turn the ignition. Neither of the keys would turn the lock on the neck!!

My bike got turned into a bobber pretty fast, so maybe someone here with a stock bike can clue you in on the key situation.
 
i've still got to go to the guy's office (he's a local notary) to transfer the title i'll ask him about the key situation. couldnt get down to his office with the snow today. there were 2 keys on the ring, one yamaha which worked with the tank/helmet lock, and one which was a hardware store copy, not sure if it fits the ignition cylinder, it doesnt seem as though it would, but i'll give it another shot.

any common issues i should be concerned about with this model bike? i've read there are charging system issues, anything else?
 
A new key and ignition set is $30. Search "xs400 ignition" on Ebay. I just bought one a month ago and it works fine.

If you dont have the cash or desire to do that, there is a cheap plan...

You can remove the ignition set by accessing it from behind the head light bucket. You will need to take off the chrome headlight "face" to access the plug.

Once you have the ignition set unplugged and out, you can should be able to remove the locking cylinder. Look for some strategically placed small screws.

This will leave you with a "well" where the cylinder was. At the bottom of the well will be a perfect slot that you can use a screwdriver or any long key to turn. Put it back on the bike and ride!
 
I got the other key for the bike now, previous owner found it behind the toolbox in his garage. I drove home from college today and tore into the bike, pulled the seat, tank, carbs, battery and air filters to check everything out.

The tank was full and had to be drained of all the stale gas, but the gas seems to have kept the rust away for the most part, just the underside of the lid looks a little rusty.

The carbs were immaculate on the top side, but under the bowl, they were a nightmare, everything was coated with caked sediment and a thick layer of brown varnish. I used a whole can of carb cleaner and an old toothbrush to clean them to the best of my ability.

The battery is charging downstairs, not sure if its any good or not, but i topped off the electrolyte levels before i put it on the charger

i did hook a 12v supply up to the bike to check the lights, and noticed that my turn signals dont blink, not sure what would be causing it though, any ideas?
 
ray08pv said:
something strange about the bike, the yamaha logo key works on the helmet latch and the gas tank but i cant get it to turn in the ignition, i'm probably overlooking something stupid, but i figured i'd ask
Click to expand...

I have 1 key for ignition, 1key for seat/helmet lock and 1 screwdriver for the gas tank.

I am pretty sure there is a manual for the '82 on this forum.

Welcome to the forum mate.
 
ray08pv said:
i did hook a 12v supply up to the bike to check the lights, and noticed that my turn signals dont blink, not sure what would be causing it though, any ideas?
Click to expand...

without knowing what kind of 12v supply you have it may have the voltage but not the current to work the flasher or if it's a battery charger the tranformer may not be rectifing the voltage to a clean enough 12v to be usable, don't sweat it until you get a charged good battery into it
 
i've got the battery charging overnight, i was using a spare battery charger to test the system, good to know it might go away with a fresh battery charge.

i also drained the oil, it was pretty murky looking, i'm going tomorrow to get oil and maybe a new battery if this one doesnt hold a charge.

Another thing i've heard is that if there are rust bubbles on the outside of the tank, the tank has rusted through, but mine doesnt seem all that rusty on the inside, im worried it may be in a spot i cant see, but could this be just something that happened to the outside surface while sitting in unheated storage?
 
looking at the condition of the finish on the tank in the above pictures...I'd say that the rust is very possible to be exterior due to lack of upkeep.

I painted a tank a few years back...the top of the tank was completely missing paint and primer....totally rusted off from years of sitting outside in the sun and elements.
I stripped it down with a sander and primed/painted it,etc,.. and it was like new.

Best thing to do is strip the existing paint off of the tank,clean any areas that have rust pitting...if its not leaking...then use a rust inhibitor to treat any stubborn spots if they still exist after sanding...then use some lightwieght filler from a body supply store to fill any imperfections...prime with a 2k urethane primer...wet sand with 400 until its butter smooth...and paint with your choice of colors....you can even use a rattle can to paint it as long as you use quality stuff from an auto body supply store...buy a rattle can of their good clear and topcoat it....tell the auto body rep what your doing and they should get you hooked up.
shoot me a pm when/if you're ready to do it that way...and I'll help where I can.
 
ray08pv,
Welcome to the forum and XS400 ownership! You don't say where you are located so my oil recommendation is conditional. The best oil, in general, for these older engines is diesel grade 15W40 in any name brand. This oil is also specified for older, hard working gas engines. It has more anti-wear additive than found in most all gas engine oils. If you use synthetic, as some do, there is increased risk of oil leaks. If the bike is kept outside and used in very cold weather, you may have to use a lower viscosity. Here in the U.S. we don't have standard diesel grade in lower than 15W40 (at least not in my area) so you may have to use a 10W40 auto or cycle oil. Be careful with auto oils as they may cause clutch probs.
 
I'm from north east pennsylvania, the bike is being kept in sort of a porch room, so its out of the elements but not away from the cold completely, i just roll it into the basement to work on it and roll it back out when i'm done, atleast until i'm able to get my own place this summer.

i just put 15w40 diesel in the bike today, similar motorcycle oils were running 2-3 dollars a quart more, so thats a nice break. The battery didnt take the charge, so i'm going to replace it this week sometime. with any luck i'll be able to start it once thats done.
 

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