myleskilloneous
XS400 Member
I purchased a 1980 xs400g a few weeks back and I just can't get it up and running for more than a day at a time with no problems. I'm about to call it quits and sell it if I can't get it running soon because it's becoming a bit too pricey and time consuming trying to just get her out the driveway. I'm losing my job soon and was planning on taking this motorcycle camping around the state until school starts but I don't even feel comfortable driving it down the street.
Initially, it wouldn't turn over and the choke was stuck "in". I purchased a new battery and sprayed some carb cleaner into the air intakes and put some seafoam in the gas and oil. After dropping in the new battery it fired up nicely and I was able to take her out around the block a few times. Whenever I pulled the choke out (with pliers) however, it would die out immediately. Weird, looks like I'll just leave the choke "in" all the time.
TRANSMISSION
When I tried taking her around my block, I realized the transmission was having issues. It had no problem going to first but I could NOT get her to second or above. It wouldn't even move past neutral. A friend and I seemed to think the problem was that the shifting lever was physically hitting the part of the engine directly above it. He insisted the lever was bent a little from when we first picked up the bike (he drove it home for me, NO issues) so we loosened the lever a bit and I was able to wiggle it a few mm's "away" from the bike. Miraculously, this (or some fiddling with it at least) seemed to do the trick and the bike was able to shift through all the gears relatively easy. I've been able to take the bike out a bit further from home and go through more gears and I feel comfortable with it about 80% of the time. Sometimes when I come to a red light, put it in neutral, and release the clutch, the bike jumps forward as if it's still in gear and stalls out. Not cool, especially because getting it started can be such a pain sometimes. I've also had it act up and get "stuck" in 1st/neutral again without being able to go back to second which is scary when I'm in traffic and unable to accelerate. There's also been times I'm shifting through lower gears and the bike suddenly displays neutral but I am clearly in gear because I can give it throttle and accelerate. I always have to pull over and go through the lower gears over and over until the bike seems to "reset' or remember where it actually is.
I was pretty happy with the way she was riding the other day and took her out for an hour before and after work. Started right up when I needed her too, shifted through no problem (only a few minor issues getting stuck in gear sometimes or unable to shift out of neutral), and I was really happy when I got home that night. I put her in the garage and went to bed.
Came out the next morning and again, the engine wont turn over. I try kickstarting her a few times (shes never been able to start by kickstart alone, but it seems to help "warm her up"). She's alllllmost there every time but doesn't seem to have what it needs to turn over that first time and get going. I put her on the trickle charger for a few hours and she seems to have a bit more energy but still has trouble getting started. I get her started a few times and by adjusting the throttle adjustment am able to idle her around 1500 to warm her up.
This morning, after not working on or riding her all day yesterday, she again didn't have enough juice to turn over and get started. Tried kicking it for a little and it was almost there again with both kickstart and battery but unable to get started. Put her on the tricklecharger, came out and with a little move and luck and praying got it started again. I decided to use some carb cleaner again and spray it in there while she was running. The first time made her die out so I stared it again and was able to get some in there while it was running and I put her into 1st and 2nd on the center stand.
I went back to my stuck choke which is bothering me and hit it with some more WD40 in attempts to free it up a bit. I grabbed my pliers and was able to pull it out a few centimeters at which point the bike started revving up to 5,000 and going crazy. I quickly jumped up and hit the kill switch and the bike backfired loudly.
I have no idea what I'm doing and although I love the bike its becoming a bit much to try to get this running to where i am comfortable riding her. I get my license this weekend and wanted to take her out for a 4 day trip next weekend but don't want to get stranded when it won't start in the middle of nowhere.
Is there anything else I could be doing at home to help diagnose the problem or find a solution? This weekend I will try giving her an oil change myself which may flush out any shit in the engine that is still sitting there. Is there anything I can do while I am changing the oil to help the engine out?
Also, what could be the reason the kickstarter won't work as well? It would be nice to have this as a backup when the electrical ignition doesn't seem to be doing the trick.
Hope I don't sound like too big of an idiot. I really do love this bike, but my recent loss of employment and knowing what it might take just to get it running is making me lose a bit of hope in riding her this summer
Initially, it wouldn't turn over and the choke was stuck "in". I purchased a new battery and sprayed some carb cleaner into the air intakes and put some seafoam in the gas and oil. After dropping in the new battery it fired up nicely and I was able to take her out around the block a few times. Whenever I pulled the choke out (with pliers) however, it would die out immediately. Weird, looks like I'll just leave the choke "in" all the time.
TRANSMISSION
When I tried taking her around my block, I realized the transmission was having issues. It had no problem going to first but I could NOT get her to second or above. It wouldn't even move past neutral. A friend and I seemed to think the problem was that the shifting lever was physically hitting the part of the engine directly above it. He insisted the lever was bent a little from when we first picked up the bike (he drove it home for me, NO issues) so we loosened the lever a bit and I was able to wiggle it a few mm's "away" from the bike. Miraculously, this (or some fiddling with it at least) seemed to do the trick and the bike was able to shift through all the gears relatively easy. I've been able to take the bike out a bit further from home and go through more gears and I feel comfortable with it about 80% of the time. Sometimes when I come to a red light, put it in neutral, and release the clutch, the bike jumps forward as if it's still in gear and stalls out. Not cool, especially because getting it started can be such a pain sometimes. I've also had it act up and get "stuck" in 1st/neutral again without being able to go back to second which is scary when I'm in traffic and unable to accelerate. There's also been times I'm shifting through lower gears and the bike suddenly displays neutral but I am clearly in gear because I can give it throttle and accelerate. I always have to pull over and go through the lower gears over and over until the bike seems to "reset' or remember where it actually is.
I was pretty happy with the way she was riding the other day and took her out for an hour before and after work. Started right up when I needed her too, shifted through no problem (only a few minor issues getting stuck in gear sometimes or unable to shift out of neutral), and I was really happy when I got home that night. I put her in the garage and went to bed.
Came out the next morning and again, the engine wont turn over. I try kickstarting her a few times (shes never been able to start by kickstart alone, but it seems to help "warm her up"). She's alllllmost there every time but doesn't seem to have what it needs to turn over that first time and get going. I put her on the trickle charger for a few hours and she seems to have a bit more energy but still has trouble getting started. I get her started a few times and by adjusting the throttle adjustment am able to idle her around 1500 to warm her up.
This morning, after not working on or riding her all day yesterday, she again didn't have enough juice to turn over and get started. Tried kicking it for a little and it was almost there again with both kickstart and battery but unable to get started. Put her on the tricklecharger, came out and with a little move and luck and praying got it started again. I decided to use some carb cleaner again and spray it in there while she was running. The first time made her die out so I stared it again and was able to get some in there while it was running and I put her into 1st and 2nd on the center stand.
I went back to my stuck choke which is bothering me and hit it with some more WD40 in attempts to free it up a bit. I grabbed my pliers and was able to pull it out a few centimeters at which point the bike started revving up to 5,000 and going crazy. I quickly jumped up and hit the kill switch and the bike backfired loudly.
I have no idea what I'm doing and although I love the bike its becoming a bit much to try to get this running to where i am comfortable riding her. I get my license this weekend and wanted to take her out for a 4 day trip next weekend but don't want to get stranded when it won't start in the middle of nowhere.
Is there anything else I could be doing at home to help diagnose the problem or find a solution? This weekend I will try giving her an oil change myself which may flush out any shit in the engine that is still sitting there. Is there anything I can do while I am changing the oil to help the engine out?
Also, what could be the reason the kickstarter won't work as well? It would be nice to have this as a backup when the electrical ignition doesn't seem to be doing the trick.
Hope I don't sound like too big of an idiot. I really do love this bike, but my recent loss of employment and knowing what it might take just to get it running is making me lose a bit of hope in riding her this summer