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Title: I pushed it for miles
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dutch105
 Author    



From: Canada
Registered: 10/28/2009
Time spent: 0 hours

(Date Posted:10/31/2009 06:42:38)

HI folks,

hailing from newfoundland, canada here.  I have got myself a 1981 xl500s in cherry shape.

The fellow who had it was only the 2nd owner and he never used the bike much in the last years.  I took it for a test ride and it all seemed fine so I took the papers from him and loaded this fine old thumper in to my truck. 
Once home, I unloaded it, and kicked it, vroom vroom....went for a ride, its a great old girl,  just pulling strong and sounding fine,   came back the driveway about 20 minutes later and it died going up my hill to my shed...like it was not getting fuel.

kicked it about 20 times...no restart... looked all around the bike for obvious trouble and found the decompression cable snapped.  I fiddled with both ends of the cable connection levers and kicked it again...vroom vroom..  back up the hill to the shed I go.

I cleaned the carb, changed the oil, swapped the gas.   Tinkered a bit more and found the battery down on charge.  Charged it and removed the de-compression cable.  kicked it again and vroom vroom, off for another ride...stronger than before and just purring.. 

Left it for the day and went to bed.. next day I went for another ride.  got 10 miles away from home, and it died gearing down to first.  This time it would not come to life and after 30 minutes of kicking and screaming I started pushing it.  Every time I came to a hill I started it rolling and hopped on and popped the clutch.... and each time it would give a sign of life.

After about 10 of these attemps it roared back to life and left me the proud owner of a nasty wheely.. lol...laid it back down and I made it the rest of the way home no issue.  Came back to the shed running strong.

Before I tear it down to the frame can anyone suggest what might be doing this?  and can anyone tell me where I can download a manual on the free....  I keep finding the german version.

thanks.

--------------------------------------------------------------
I have the right to remain silent, what I lack is the capacity..

350s
1# 



Rank:none
Score:381
Posts:381
Registered:01/04/2007
Time spent: 0 hours

Re:I pushed it for miles
(Date Posted:10/31/2009 09:25:50)

Make sure your gas cap is venting[letting air in so gas can come out]. Is the spring still on the decompression lever so it can't accidentaly get on the exhaust valves? Don't sound like the problem but check the ignition ground to the frame. Pat Orman.
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dutch105
2# 



From: Canada
Registered:10/28/2009
Time spent: 0 hours

Re:I pushed it for miles
(Date Posted:11/01/2009 19:16:35)

thank you for the response,...ok,  so another ride and another mess...  gas cap is venting.  Decompression is 100% let go.

This time I was on a big hill and when it died,  I just kept jumping on it and popping the clutch, only because the hill was there.

each jump it would grab only a little and it was full throttle just pupping and snapping and not giving me any response on the throttle.  It would do it for about 5-6 seconds before it would lock the tire and each time it would not actually get started. 

At the last jump attempt it finally let off some loud snaps and bangs like I was back fired right in to the carb..again it never started.

oh, and this time, it only took about 5 minutes of ride time for it to die.  I think thats because I was gearing down and lowering the rpm where as the last long ride I never did that till I got to a spot to turn around.  

 It makes no sense..I wonder could the petcock be fouling and messing with me.?   I could sit in the yard all day with this thing and no issue...however if i start a ride and gear down to low rpm .... pooof....it dies...

--------------------------------------------------------------
I have the right to remain silent, what I lack is the capacity..

350s
3# 



Rank:none
Score:381
Posts:381
Registered:01/04/2007
Time spent: 0 hours

Re:I pushed it for miles
(Date Posted:11/01/2009 21:33:07)

Check the wires coming out of right side cover[pulse generator]sometimes they will get frayed and one little strand will stick into other wire and short out. Could be bouncing around when you ride. Sounds more like fuel delivery problem but could be electrical. Pat.
350s
4# 



Rank:none
Score:381
Posts:381
Registered:01/04/2007
Time spent: 0 hours

Re:I pushed it for miles
(Date Posted:11/01/2009 21:50:32)

There is a float bowl drain on those[I think]and when it quits you can open that to see if there is gas in the bowl or not. Do it quick so a "slow" petcock can't get it refilled from setting. Pat.  
beardothebeardo
5# 



From: USA
Registered:02/27/2009
Time spent: 0 hours

RE:I pushed it for miles
(Date Posted:11/03/2009 08:16:05)

I always wonder how someone proceded when they say 'I cleaned the carbs'. Do you mean you just sprayed them down real quick while the carbs are  on the bike or did you actually take the carbs off, strip them down, and let them soak in a vat of actual carburetor cleaner overnight.

Im not trying to bust your balls. But it needs clearified. There is a huge difference in procedure, and ultimately, the outcome. I would do the same for the petcock as well.

BTW, for a bike that 'never got used much in the last few years' I would go through the bike completely before riding it anymore.

Rather be safe, than stranded......
dutch105
6# 



From: Canada
Registered:10/28/2009
Time spent: 0 hours

Re:I pushed it for miles
(Date Posted:11/03/2009 09:56:19)

called on to man up to what I said I would have to say  bust away my friend..  :)    lol.

the carb now appears to be puking fuel so clearly I did a half baked job.  I took it off the bike, used carb cleaner, sprayed the heck out of it and every nook and cranny but never did a 100% dismantle.  I did drop the bowl and cleaned it well but I never took it down to the sum of the parts.  Once sparyed down I let it sit for a few minutes and then cleaned what I could see by hand and air hose.  I was afraid to go any further for fear of letting the adjustments get away from me on such an old weapon.

do you think bowl off and sitting in a vat will clean it good, or will it have to come to a total dismantle? 

I'm now of the mind that it and the bike gets a total tear down..  I have the idea that I want to convert it to 12 and flat black it...later tonight I am going to strip it down in the shed and the move it in to the basement for a winter project.  A carb scares me but the rest don't.

life teaches us that the fast answer is never the right answer...  thanks for the input guys...  I will make some updated posts I'm sure as I restore this steed to its glory.


--------------------------------------------------------------
I have the right to remain silent, what I lack is the capacity..

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sliderule
7# 



From: Canada
Registered:02/17/2009
Time spent: 4341 hours

Re:I pushed it for miles
(Date Posted:11/14/2009 09:33:53)

WOW, i have had a similar problem with my 79xl500. it rides fine for the most part but when im gearing down to 1st it backfires through the carb and dies. generally it starts right away with a kick or two and rides away. i tor my bike down to the frame, rebuilt the engine, and fully restored it but it still does this. i have asked every helmet head i have come across and they have varied responses but i have come up with an theory myself, and that is that my intake valve is sticking when the RPM is low. i say this as i also have found that i have a bad valve seal on the intake side as i get a puff of smoke when i start it. if you come up with a solution to this dilemma please post it. if i fix the problem i will do the same.  i have a parts bike with a working carb, when i put it on my good bike i still had the same problem, so i have ruled out the carb.

dave
Victoria, BC
dutch105
8# 



From: Canada
Registered:10/28/2009
Time spent: 0 hours

RE:I pushed it for miles
(Date Posted:11/14/2009 11:50:53)

Well, based on that, I'm pretty sure I have a black hole bought. 

--------------------------------------------------------------
I have the right to remain silent, what I lack is the capacity..

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