TheMainMuel
Cycle Junkie
Still have a lot to do, but I finally finished the wheels and tires. These Firestones are so huge compared to the old tires. The chain barely clears the rear tire. Looks like I will need bigger rear shocks as well.
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xs400 build - Double Aught Apparel shop bike
- Thread starter TheMainMuel
- Start date
MrStubb
XS400 Addict
That Rear skin makes it look almost like an old Big Wheel. You know I think it was Yamaha's fat tire dirt bike I think it's called the TW 200. My nephew had one a few years ago. I'm digging the look with those huge vintage Firestones and the naked look but I think I'd still like at least a small front fender. Seems it would help keep crap from clogging the cooling fins and protect from thrown stones. Also think I'd put black Gaitors on the fork legs keeping with the bare bones no frills look. I think your head & tail light's are the bomb. Way to go Now I've got the wanta's in a bad way. Wanta drive my bike getting tired of getting little or nothing because I'm so stumped over these CRAPPY carbs.
TheMainMuel
Cycle Junkie
Thanks a lot man.
TheMainMuel
Cycle Junkie
I have a three day ride coming up in a week (Run 4 Your Life) and I still haven't been able to start the bike this season. The bike ran fine when I parked it two seasons ago. I cleaned out the fuel system and rebuilt the carbs. But now the bike won't start. For some reason I no longer have spark or a headlight and the starter switch isn't working. I have to jump the relay to get it to turn over, but of course without spark it still won't fire up.
I replaced the starter switch and am getting a new battery tomorrow. Could be a corroded connection somewhere.
Open to suggestions though.
I replaced the starter switch and am getting a new battery tomorrow. Could be a corroded connection somewhere.
Open to suggestions though.
Robsteeler66
XS400 Addict
I assume you've checked the fuses?
MrStubb
XS400 Addict
Not sure what year your bike is but if it's an 80 or later you might look at your ignition control box. Not to be a turd in your punch bowl but that & coils are the thing that I fear most likely go bad. Hope that's not it. Good luck and drive safe. 
Robsteeler66
XS400 Addict
Coils shouldn't affect the headlight.
MrStubb
XS400 Addict
Crap forgot about the headlight. But isn't there a relay that operates the headlight when the engine is running? I'm not positive on this.
corruptmind
XS400 Addict
Theres a relay that gets its power from one of the 3 white wire coming from the alt. There is also a diode along the route. If it goes bad (which seems to happen more than youd think) itll stop the relay from getting power.
TheMainMuel
Cycle Junkie
Thanks for all the input guys!
Yep, checked the fuses then started testing for voltage at the coils and worked back. It turns out to be the key switch. 99 times out of 100 the only thing that was getting power was the taillights, but just that one time I turned the key and everything worked. So I disconnected the switch at the plug and used a wire to jump it (essentially hotwiring) and the bike fired right up.
I still have adjustments to make, but at least I have a chance at making this ride.
Yep, checked the fuses then started testing for voltage at the coils and worked back. It turns out to be the key switch. 99 times out of 100 the only thing that was getting power was the taillights, but just that one time I turned the key and everything worked. So I disconnected the switch at the plug and used a wire to jump it (essentially hotwiring) and the bike fired right up.
I still have adjustments to make, but at least I have a chance at making this ride.
corruptmind
XS400 Addict
Good thing is the switches for these arent hard to come by
TheMainMuel
Cycle Junkie
Wow, I can't believe I haven't updated since last summer. The ride went great last year. I have a 1,000 mile ride planned this year. This will be the farthest I have ever ridden this bike in one shot.
I think the only changes I have made since last summer are: o-ring chain, new rear shocks, and stripped the paint. I made a short video too, but have not yet been able to upload it. Here are a couple of recent pics
I think the only changes I have made since last summer are: o-ring chain, new rear shocks, and stripped the paint. I made a short video too, but have not yet been able to upload it. Here are a couple of recent pics
TheMainMuel
Cycle Junkie
Thanks Chris
TheMainMuel
Cycle Junkie
TheMainMuel
Cycle Junkie
In the 4+ years I have been riding this bike, I have never had it running properly, until now. It finally runs the way it should and it is almost like getting a new bike. It's exciting all over again. I thought I'd share in case it benefits someone else.
The initial problem was that I installed pod filters and put on exhaust with only 3" baffles. So I rebuilt the carbs with a rebuild kit and installed a 6 Sigma jet kit with a 150 main and put one spacer on the slide needles. I started at factory mixture of two turns out. The bike bike seemed to be running lean. Full choke to start and kept it on middle choke to ride. If I turned the choke off it would run, but not hold an idle. It fired intermittently on the left cylinder when cold, idled rough when cold and high idle when hot. So I tinkered with it turning it out and retesting. I didn't seem to get anywhere with it, so I essentially gave up and rode it like this for the last three years.
I took the carbs apart again last month to clean and inspect them. They stay very clean because I run Seafoam in the last tank of the season so it sits in the carbs over the winter. I reinstalled them and the bike ran the same. So I took them back out, bench synced them, adjusted the valves, new spark plugs, plug wires and caps. I put the carbs back in and it still ran the same.
I got so frustrated I thought about sending Drewpy a plane ticket to help me out. I couldn't afford that option, so I started reading around this and other forums and found several articles about bikes with similar situations being fixed by leaning the carbs out. I guess I never considered this options because the bike seemed to starve for gas. I turned the mix screws to 1.5 turns out and tested it out. I had to adjust the idle screw, but the bike runs fantastic. I still use full choke to start (although that may be out of habit and not necessity), but it runs great with no choke, idles beautifully and sounds awesome.
I saw quite a few others with similar issues, so hopefully this helps someone out.
So just a quick recap with the highlights . . .
Prior problems:
Intermittent fire on left cylinder
Rough idle when cold
High idle when hot
Backfiring
Bike setup:
Pod filters
3" baffles in otherwise open exhaust
150 main jet
1 spacer on slide needles
Adjuster screws at 1.5 turns out
Valves adjusted
Carbs bench synced
Purs like a kitten.
The initial problem was that I installed pod filters and put on exhaust with only 3" baffles. So I rebuilt the carbs with a rebuild kit and installed a 6 Sigma jet kit with a 150 main and put one spacer on the slide needles. I started at factory mixture of two turns out. The bike bike seemed to be running lean. Full choke to start and kept it on middle choke to ride. If I turned the choke off it would run, but not hold an idle. It fired intermittently on the left cylinder when cold, idled rough when cold and high idle when hot. So I tinkered with it turning it out and retesting. I didn't seem to get anywhere with it, so I essentially gave up and rode it like this for the last three years.
I took the carbs apart again last month to clean and inspect them. They stay very clean because I run Seafoam in the last tank of the season so it sits in the carbs over the winter. I reinstalled them and the bike ran the same. So I took them back out, bench synced them, adjusted the valves, new spark plugs, plug wires and caps. I put the carbs back in and it still ran the same.
I got so frustrated I thought about sending Drewpy a plane ticket to help me out. I couldn't afford that option, so I started reading around this and other forums and found several articles about bikes with similar situations being fixed by leaning the carbs out. I guess I never considered this options because the bike seemed to starve for gas. I turned the mix screws to 1.5 turns out and tested it out. I had to adjust the idle screw, but the bike runs fantastic. I still use full choke to start (although that may be out of habit and not necessity), but it runs great with no choke, idles beautifully and sounds awesome.I saw quite a few others with similar issues, so hopefully this helps someone out.
So just a quick recap with the highlights . . .
Prior problems:
Intermittent fire on left cylinder
Rough idle when cold
High idle when hot
Backfiring
Bike setup:
Pod filters
3" baffles in otherwise open exhaust
150 main jet
1 spacer on slide needles
Adjuster screws at 1.5 turns out
Valves adjusted
Carbs bench synced
Purs like a kitten.
Even better running bike.
TheMainMuel
Cycle Junkie
You're right Chris, that's exactly what any rational adult would do. However, I like to make bad decisions once in a while. When I swapped out my petcock for a universal one (good decision), I no longer needed the vacuum lines so I put rubber caps on the vacuum ports on the carb boots. Well when the bike would backfire it would shoot those little rubber caps off and run like crap. So, being overdue for a bad decision, I thought best to Gorilla glue those little rubber caps on. It works great for holding them on, but now I can't use a manometer without either drilling the glue out of my vacuum ports or buying new carb boots.
The bike has been running good enough off the bench sync that I haven't been able to justify the time and energy it would take to properly sync them. Maybe when I grow up.
The bike has been running good enough off the bench sync that I haven't been able to justify the time and energy it would take to properly sync them. Maybe when I grow up.
