exess4

Greetings. If you've at all perused this site you will notice a bit of intro and hello is a friendly gesture for a friendly answer Adjust the clutch cable. When did you switch to synthetic?

ANYway. . . . . . . . decided to use available resources and 4ott steel wool grabbed nicely onto brass gun brushes, and some brown rubbing compound. Partway there, could be better and prob thousand ways to clean between fins. Vapour blast would be best! Still wondering what detailing thread i saw with that pic of forementioned bike. Earlier and now.

I owe you guys an apology, I was CERTAIN i saw that thread on YOC because I would spend so much time here. I found the gun brush cleaning method and it's not even a Yamaha http://www.motorcycleforum.com/showthread.php?t=97579 I'm still not convinced that is a great idea.

Wonder if electric toothbrush would fit between fins, I brush the manual way I just took the head off and am going to try out some kind of brush using the drill. About now I guess I should have a dremel. I have a dozen pack of bronze bristle gun cleaning brushes but not so sure I want to try that and would have to get in the fins to more finely polish the scratches out anyway.

I was doing a search trying to find a post that had great info on engine cleaning tips. Particularly getting between the fins. I recall one guy said he used gun cleaning brushes but that seems a bit harsh! In XS400 forum I found the one with Houghmades bike pic http://www.xs400.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4783&highlight=polishing (seen that on YOC as well) and this from Hough: "What didn't I use....Carb cleaner, brake cleaner, Simple Green, Comet, Aluminum Polish. Fish tank brushes helped to get between the fins. The scrubbing cleaned up the jugs to a nice "as cast" look. Lot of wet sanding and then hand polishing for the side covers." I have the valve cover shined to feaux chrome finish and it's beautiful but it will look really odd to leave it at that and have a shiny bald-look motor, HA. Does someone know where that post is or better yet good advice on best method of getting entire engine to look as new as my valve covers now do. Best method to get between the cooling fins and that. THaNKs!

AHA! That is right, I never did get directly from 2nd to 1st without hitting neutral. Good to know that is how it is supposed to work. My first experience with a "vintage" , or maybe it's a Yamaha thing. But happy to hear that.

From the less than 2 miles I've put on mine so far it seems that way. Going from 2nd down to first I had to intently weight it down to not get neutral. Other shifting also seemed to have to give it some conscious leverage. BUT I assumed it is just a takes-gettiing-used-to thing since it is from 30+ years ago.

This time I will not doubt. Call it good as done THANKS and to all at YOC as always!

i saw once that someone had to ask what that was - as i wouldve - must have been Americano. Yes I am in love! The shortest but sweetest of a ride

After some anguish and then some focused deliberate brooding and dwelling over the issue of possible crankcase pressure I decided to remove the breather cover gasket as pictured. I am wondering the necessity of putting it back in place or just leaving it removed. Is it's function really that important, does it prevent droplets of splashing oil from making it up to the breather tube and intake?

Once again to gazing affectionately, admiringly upon my 'new' bike I like it with the little bit of mud-splash on it! Yea!! Thanks for the help as always YOC.

not only that the cam seal didn't seem to be leaking, for sure not as much. tho it will be replaced. And learned electrics to headlight good, light is burned out, a good day

I wanted to reply earlier but didn't get the chance. WHY DID I EVER DOUBT. After so much idling and 3-4k reving, i thought that would suffice as a good run! I thought long and hard on that reply about crankcase pressure. I decided to take out the gasket under the breather cover. Started it and much the same. Today it was a crazy 60 degrees (f) day in MN. Just to see if it would at least shift through the gears (got to 4th in a short alley), and if not then no reason to worry about burning oil anyway, i went a mere tenth of a mile down alley staying in 2nd. Turned around and got to 4th gear and hard on the brakes (nothing to lose). (drum pads are quite worn and just more $ into the thing, ha). So it shifts beautifully. . . .AND. . . back in the garage it WAS NOT BURNING OIL! Started it several hours later and ALL GOOD. Just a good run! All .2 miles of a good run. Why did I even doubt the advice? Only I just don't quite understand it. Hmmmm. Idling and revving for an hour with continuous oil-burning smoke. Then a 1 minute semi-hard ride and I'm back to manically happy. The whole experience has been manic! And I rode my bike!!!

Oil level is just slightly below the mark and probably from burning off. So what i'm understanding from that Drewpy is that possible blowby gas and increased pressure in the crankcase. The mist is an oil mist at top end and too much oil being forced up to cams? Also that the blowby would cause gas in oil. That's what I understand from that. Here is the short answer to my question (picture). Right now still in denial but not looking at the thing so affectionately as a day ago. Yes I am an ASS. Needless to say I didn't start it this evening. short-lived jubilation. Exhaust was still smoking when shut it off and it was running for 40-50 minutes (2 videos i have are 55 minutes apart). Not sure but not in a hurry anymore. Brand new spark plugs. 1 hour, 0 miles on them.

When I removed it nearly 2 yrs ago now, I knew I was possibly looking at an ALL original bike, HA