JimR

Hi I guess the carbs are suffering from 'being made to soon' (worn) & would guess the leak is from the float bowl overflow. If so you need to check that the float still floats (put it in a container of fuel and see if it sinks) and the needle attched to it (check by adding fuel to the r/h carb via the r/h tap and GENTLEY) pushing the needle up .... to see if fuel still leeks past it. If so you have your problem sorted if not check the float height on the R/H carb. The starting problem may be linked or perhaps the ignition timming incorrect ... I would guess tho you have already set that up ! Regards Jim

Hi Bob, let us know what goes on and what you really have !!! Regards Jim

hi & you have either a broken black or yellow wire/Yellow & black wire ... cut back the loom casing around the headstock & you should find the wire. But you may also find that there is a loose connection behind the h/l cowl. Regards Jim

Hi, what's the little red waggon ? Regards Jim

Hi, I would gues the factory would just not tape wires up so this will be after market ( I must admit I read the post wrong) it would be interesting to see which wire the +12v was hooked up to and why an extra fuse was fitted . but hey ho as the Tag says I know nothing !! Regards Jim

are you on about screwing again !!! ? Regards Jim

did you read the PM ? Regards Jim

Hi When new it would take a good 10 ~ 15 secs for the oil light to come on after the engine was stopped .. if it stays on while running there are major problems there .... it should go out after a few seconds of the engine starting ! After listening to your 'sound track' I do think you need to look in the engine NOW before damage is done that will no longer be able to be fixed !!! (loss of parts that are no longer on the shelf) Regards Jim

Hi Mark, Ok if the temp is high you will need to check out the pump .... the impeller in the pump (with age) tends to break up ... this can be checked by runing the bike with the rad cap removed as the revs increase you should see a 'whirlpool' at the rad neck if not the pump will need to be striped ... The mechanical seal to the rear of the pump if gone will give you 'white gearbox oil' and over full !!. As the pump is driven off the primary gear you may be well unlucky and have that seal (crankshaft) gone too which will allow the oil to be at the correct level (or below) .... TBH give us some more info ! Regards Jim

Hi, if you have good compression on cyl#1 there will be no need realy to check the valves ... but where all 4 within about 1% of each other or was cyl #1 a little different ? if all was ok here you may need to look at the floats etc to ensure that carb #1 is not just (as you say) just supplying to much fuel. You can discount the ignition circut as if this was down cyl #3 would also act up ... Just an odd point does the bike have a YICS cylinder head ? Regards Jim

Hi Alex use [email protected] Regards Jim

Hi, in the UK the answer would be yes but your bikes may be different .... look at the coils if they appear to have a plastic 'nut' where the ht lead enters you will be able to replace the lead with std HT lead ... but if you have a wasted spark coil (2 leads from one coil) these tend to be moulded in so therefore you would have to cut at the break use the little inline connector and add a new lead ... but they dont tend to work to well ! Regards Jim

Hi Mark, it would be nice to know what bike you are thinking of .... In certain instances it could help Regards Jim

Hi, I guess I need to PM you ... and I'll give you the answers !!! Regards Jim

Well I'm glad I put the cat amongst the pigeons as you may have spent some time in a French 'sing sing' or worse had your UK license revoked through misdemeanor in another country ! Regards Jim

Great reading your post I could have some fun with it but I wont ! ( could say about riding at Cockseys Yard) but as long as the bike went sound what more do you need ! Regards Jim

Hi Drewps Sounds like a major job ... last time I heard an XS400 in the 'throws of death' it cost the owner a head, cover, cam & oil pump along with other bits that were needed as the engine was pulled (this was in 1982 and cost approx £700 to put right). so perhaps if another engine can be found it could be cheaper !! unless you want to rebuild it ! but I guess your time in the US may cost more than another engine ... but I'll do it ½ price Regards Jim

I guess the XS500 is in the bed & the wife in the garage !! Regards Jim

Hi Bob to the forum ! but as stated those DT's are totally different animals and just tend to share the same tank badge Regards Jim

Hi Alex, there is small wonder the bike is running poor with oil being supllied via a mix & the oil pump it needs to run on one or the other !!! pump/tank or premix ! both will give bad performance. If the bike siezes when running only on the tank/pump it would indicate that the pump needs to be bled (small screw with a red washer) from the pump until all air is removed. If the bike has locked up/siezed you may need to replace/bore the cylinder and piston but I would guess the cylinder head will be fine. I would guess some bits have been lost in translation ! Regards Jim

Your Hooked !!! soon the 500 will be poking it's head from under the duvet and saying "its your turn to make the cofee/tea"

Hi, dont forget the wiring loom may be the same all over the world and what's pluged in will depend on which part of the world the bike was made for .. it's not to unusual to have the odd spare connector or two ! If everything works just leave them alone ! Regards Jim

Hi Alec no problem Regards Jim

Hi, it will run with the battery on a beech on vacation .. it deoes not need the battery voltage to start ... the battery just suplies power to certain ancilary lights and also acts as a 'soak' to stop the AC light bulbs blowing ! So I guess it will start with or without a battery ! Regards Jim

Hi BS carbs are no good at all you will need VM type carbs just keep with in these types and if you go away from std more time will be taken setting them up Regards Jim