XS400 Brat: First Project

[16VGTIDave]

You could use threaded inserts from the top into your base before the foam is glued on. Then screws or bolts up from the bottom, if you will be able to access them easily. Keep in mind that you may one day need to replace a fuse at the side of the road, at 2am, in the rain. You don't want to make it difficult to remove the seat to do this...

 

[auhenry]

So just got my frame loop and cross sections welded on. From here the seat attachment should be pretty simple (I'm just going to screw into my cutting board base).
[/ATTACH]
Right after the welding project I got the bike running to play around with the tuning and listen to her purr. As soon as I turned the bike off the right carb flooded and started leaking out of one of the jet holes on the face.

Left carb sits just fine so I don't know if it is a float issue or something else (haven't synced the carbs but I don't think that should do anything while they're sitting). It'll leek on the Reserve and the On Position for the petcock.
Any suggestions?

 

[willem]

good progress

your float valves aren't sealing or are stuck. Open up the carbs and check that.

Also if your petcock allows flow with the bike off in the ON and/or RES position, that is faulty as well. Check and possibly rebuild it, too.

Basically both the petcock and the float valves should prevent overflowing of the carbs. The leaking float valves are more critical to fix as they regulate fuel flow (whereas the petcock itself is either fully open or fully shut).

 

[auhenry]

Thanks for the advise, after cleaning the petcock it is still a little leaky but adjusting the float level solved the problem well enough.
I've fitted the seat to my frame and fastened the voltage regulator, rectifier, and ignition box to the bottom of my seat.

The seat foam is glued down and now all there is left to do on the seat build is staple down my seat fabric.

Now to painting the frame. Any tips tricks or techniques you guys have on painting the frame where the existing factory paint meets my bare metal frame loop or sections I have grinded off. I don't really want to sand the whole thing down if I don't have to.

 

[Norman1950]

On Painting I found that Roll Bar/Chassis Paint from the automotive store worked for me. A trick too is to us aluminium foil to wrap around part you don't want to get paint on. It works better then using paper as you can conform it to any shape you want it it pretty much stays.

 

[auhenry]

Haven't been on for a while but I've come quite a ways on the project.



Past what you see there, I still have some work to do with the electrical I have hooked under the seat. I am also going to switch from the current (larger) guages to some Dime city pieces that lay flat. I am also going to get all of those loose cables taken car of and get some rubber boots for the forks.
With the guage swap, does anyone know the ratio that the tachometer runs on for the XS400 (1:4, 1:5, 1:7)? I haven't gotten a confirmed answer from anyone yet.

 

[Requiem]

Looking good! nice work

 

[levdir]

I believe it's 60:2240, which also appears to be H-D's ratio, if the eBay aftermarket is anything to go by.

 

[xschris]

http://www.xs400.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12362&highlight=tach+ratio Here ya go

 

[levdir]

Buh, thanks Chris. I'm spreading lies and misinformation, ignore me.

 

[xschris]

You are correct for the speedo. It was the tach he was looking for also