XT600, lovin it - day 2 wheres the dirt in Kent?
 

Right so I have an 87 XT 600, in blue with manual and electric start. I caught the train to collect it , then rode it 290 miles back home.

It seemed to be happy at around 65Mph on GPS, and anything from 60-80 on the clock, I take it they are not accurate.

On one somewhat frightening section of two motorways joining I found myself doing err less than 100! For what its worth, the foot rests vibrated and rattled, and it took a nights sleep to get the rattles out of my hands. I have owned 2 BMW's a K75 and an R1150RT, both very much more sophistocated/refined than this, and both with fairings: huge huge difference.

Today I hammered it down a motorway and put on another 80 miles. I did manage to find some dirt road, but had to look hard, very uneventful, at goodwood, my 1150RT tried to kill me when i took it off the road to turn around, this preferred it.

There are some things I am not 100% sure of:
Between the front cooling fins, there have been inserted rubber disks, what are these for?

Being a Landrover man I believe that if it is mechanical and doesnt leak oil, then there is no oil in it. The bike did leak oil, and from high, under the tank, and dripping on the right side, not the left any suggestions.

Starting cold, doesnt like electric, and second/third time with foot. Starting warm, doesnt like foot but starts immediately onhe electric. Interesting.

The revs dont seem to stay down, but are erratic after slowing down, any hints?

I get the feeling this is a rebuild, as I know there will be a new clutch plate soonish (1000miles) but wanted to know if it is easy to replace top (I assume) cylinder head gasket to stop oil.

How hard to clean both carbs, and replace clutch.

Questions for competent spanner monkey with no access to garage, and does use an adjustable wrench: When i figure it out pictures will follow

Never designed for motorways!!
 

Hi,
It looks nice, but then they all do! I trust that you got it for a bargain price at this time of year.

I don't know about an '87 but no doubt the experts will be along before long to give more advice. My comments here are based on ownership of a 2001 Yam TT600R which has a somewhat similar engine, hence it is a "thumper" with the same vibration characteristics.

The rubber inserts are to reduce vibration of the engine cooling fins - dampers basically.

To find oil leak sources, first throughly clean the suspect area - the leaked oil usually looks much worse than it is because it spreads so much over any available surfaces. Some people say to spread talcum powder on the engine surfaces and spot where the oil shows; when I tracked down sources of leaking oil, I thought the powder would blow away in the slipstream too easily (it did not leak when static at tickover), so I stuck masking tape (the sort of stuff used while painting) on the engine and this stained where the oil was leaking.

Do check your oil level of course, as it is leaking right now, and I suggest that you have a look through the posts in here about workshop manuals.

Sounds as if it may warrant a servicing; for instance, sort out the cold starting on the button, clean carbs, all as you suggest.
I can't say that I would like to be doing that without somewhere to spread out the bits etc - without a garage, it looks as if it will be your household table top?!:rolleyes2: You would not be the first to keep your bike in your house!!

On the 3AJ engine there is no cyl head cover gasket; it is sealed with a silicone based goo each time you take it off, which requires the old stuff to be cleaned off before applying the new goo - bit of a pain on the second or third time of doing this!!

Hope this helps a bit,

Anti- Vibration and to a lesser extent airflow direction. i.e. helps keep the airflow directed onto the head.

Check the decompression lever and rev counter O-rings

You are almost certainly running the bike lean. Check for rubber tears and float level (fuel miniscus 5-8mm below float bowl gasket)

Symptomatic of being too lean and compensating by adjusting the idle screw (not idle jet) up too high to try and compensate. Does the bike have a surging problem when travelling at about 30mph too?


You will be a convert to the simplicity after EFI. Clutch plate replacement is simplicity itself. Either job is less than an hour if you are familiar with what you are about to do and does not involve breaking the bike into bits.

Thanks guys, Walkabout I appreciate the assistance and response.

Woahh Bruken, clearly I need to get to your level. Running the bike lean... err thats too little fuel in the mixture. So somehow the idle has been adjusted too high to compensate for lean fuel mix. Makes sense.

Ok I got that, err how to adjust the Fuel slightly richer... Not a F***in clue!

Now you said something bizarre about travelling around at 30mph? No not tried that.

I have decided to remove the rubber bits. Tomorrow I'll take off the petrol tank and have a poke around to see whats up under there.
Also screw things up. err I mean tighter!

Need___Clymer___manual___now.

Took off Petrol tank, realised I have the XT600ze, 87 model with the air filter taking up the tank space. Anyone know the useable fuel capacity?

Air filter has lots of oil in it. Cleaned the foam air filter, and noticed that a down pipe had become disconnected going into the engine/gearbox. I assume that this is where the oil comes out.
Attachment 758
Then I noticed three down outlets from the black plastic box, with only one having a pipe connected to it (Inside one is blank) and the left one sort of pinched pipe blanked off. Is this right?

Did not disassemble the carbs! Reconnected (alarm bells!) all the pipes from Air filter to the carbs and tightened up the cable ties, made a note to replace with clamps. Reduced (anti clockwise) what I take to be the idle screw, and upon starting later it was all good (ish).
Attachment 760
I have a sort of switch that I have no idea what it does. Its located on the inside of the right hand indicator mount and its sort of lame. I have a suspicion that it has to do with the electric starter, but cant figure it out it was connected to something with a nail… Being as this looked very compromising, I removed the nail. Needless to say the electric starter has not been working of late, whirling around merrily, but not firing. (Foot starter works fine)
Attachment 759
Minor Big problem, both exhaust header pipes have now sheared off it was all very spectacular and the local kids watching shat themselves at the blue flames, woo hoo!: How do I remove the seized clamps? in the UK, and soon? Croydon or Rochester anyone?
PLEASE
Then where do I buy another down pipe cheap, alternatively get this one welded nicely! at Quick-Fit

Now noticed that the oil filter plate, looks to be a dogs breakfast, clearly one of the screws has been stripped (bottom), and is glued. The second has had some sort of DIY job done on it, and looks like the corner had broken off. (top left) the third screw is fine. Saw some oil coming out of here, so may have located the leaks. Bit there still looks to be oil coming out elsewhere. I am not too perturbed at this stage as it will become a mechanical project.

Interestingly the prospect for macro photography with a bike engine is quite huge, so I will endeavour to post many pics. At this point it was only observations.

Hi again,
This sounds like a "one step at a time" job! You definitely want to get the manual for your year of bike, Clymer or Haynes.

In the meantime, you may like to read this:-

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...al-stuff-27640

If you look back at other posts in here, you will find reference to an online manual for the XT (posts by "Dakota" or "Smoking Lizard") - I don't think it will cover your year, but you might want to get some background info from it.

Cheers,