Trash to Tracker, Xl350 UPDATED!

2strokeTRush

New Member
Whats up guys, My names Tyler Ill start off with a little back story and then get right to it. I have been into the Vintage motorcycle scene since I was 17, building and restoring a few SOHC4 Hondas, and thus got familiar with them. Im now 23 and haven't had a bike since I sold mine to pay my way through trade school. Im a Marine Mechanic in Baltimore. I just bought my first house a year ago and my wife and I are expecting a child mid July. Since boat mechanics Don't work during the winter i picked up a little project to keep me busy. Something different from what I am used to, but familiar enough not to be in the dark completely.

Even though its been 2 years since I sold off my bikes Im always looking online and a few weeks back I found a posting listed with a 1974 Honda Xl350. No title, non running, but complete and very close to me. I think I did ok on it, 300$. I am a big outdoorsmen love to camp,offroad, fish and hunt, so having a bike that i Could take with me on some off road adventures seemed right. yet still be able to drive around town and work.

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In the past I have done mild restorations, full restorations and just ridden bikes with factory " Patina " so naturally building a bike with a little custom touch of my own fit the bill just right. I would like to take this bike to a tracker/scrambler. Keeping the original lines of the bike, just adding a few touches of my own. Thinking of something like a Woods Tracker, something I can cruise on a friday afternoon around town, and then take with me camping for the weekend and ride a few dirt roads somewhere.

When I got it home the motor was locked up and the battery hadn't been touched since the 80's. Odometer shows around 6K miles and the bike seems fairly clean for being outside when the PO found it. Right away I poured some Marvels Mystery Oil in the plug hole and soaked some steel wool down to get off some light oxidation. right away the tank cleaned up, side covers looked better and rims started to shine, all good signs. I took the seat ( With no rips ) inside and got the material hot with a heat gun and used some Armor All on it and it cleaned up great. Im going to be building her in my shed the next few months.

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The exhaust is trash, rusted through at the muffler, Im thinking a pipe from XLint Performance with a upswept pipe would look good. Didn't really like the stock exhaust anyway. Didn't get a key with the sale, but one of my spare keys I kept from other hondas fit and works! The tank is dent free and beautiful, besides rust under the clear coat. Not sure what I'm going to do. the blue is flawless. The side covers are in good shape, no cracks, original decals with just a little paint chipping on one.

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I have just began stripping it down and collecting parts, I did get the motor free, and kicks over fine, showing 110 Psi compression, but I haven't adjusted the valves yet. Bike has spark, but carb is trash. Going to have it rebuilt soon and see what the motor needs. If I can get it running it should show wether it needs ti be rebuild or not. I ordered a repair manual should be here soon.

I bought a new battery and everything is working besides the head light and taillight. I have not invested this just yet. Ill have more time when I get laid off the end of the month. The tank has rust inside so its soaking in Vinegar now.

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I starting learning to work on cb350s, 500s. 550s. and a few 750s when I was 17 and those forums helped me so much, so I hope some people here might be interested and follow along and give me a hand here and there!
 
Re: Trash to Tracker, Xl350

tyler

i have a bunch of these so whatever stock parts you take off please let me know i could probably use them

thanks will get a chair and watch
 
Re: Trash to Tracker, Xl350

I'm in......I like these XL's too
 
Re: Trash to Tracker, Xl350

cxman said:
tyler

i have a bunch of these so whatever stock parts you take off please let me know i could probably use them

thanks will get a chair and watch

Sure will, I know i will be ditching the rear taillight, all turn signals, switches and handle bars if ya need any of that. Im sure ill have more once I dive into it hard. Got my Shop Manual from XLint today so I got some homework reading to do...
 
Re: Trash to Tracker, Xl350

make sure if you take the engine apart you put a new clutch seal you have to pull the case apart to change it

and if you dont it leaks right on to the exhaust
 
Re: Trash to Tracker, Xl350

pm me i will send you my phone number so can figure out pricing and shipping of what you will have left over

i iwll take it all pretty much
 
Re: Trash to Tracker, Xl350

So last night I had a few hours to spare and started looking at the electrical system. Everything was working besides the tail light and head light, tail light turned out to be a bad ground. Easy fix. The headlight was a major pain. Once I figured out the wiring of the resistor an the high beam indicator I got the light to turn on when I jumped the 6V supply from the battery and a shunt I made. I found inside the headlight a cluster of brown wires that indicated and looses power upon moving the headlight switch. Only problem is the headlight was un[plugged when I went inside and It appears the feed to the light should be a blue wire. But my Wiring diagram isn't matching what I am seeing inside. I can always make a juper from the brown switched wire, to the blue power going to the headlight.

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The exhaust pipe was rotted at the muffler, but I was able to save a little bit of the header, may use this for test firing before I get a new pipe.

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I set the points dead at .014 and now have a good blue spark. The carb should be finished being rebuilt by Monday and Ill try to test fire her next week sometime.

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Also saw a few guys were posting pictures of there work spaces, well heres mine. Not much but does the job.

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And had a few guys ask me about my previous bikes so Ill go ahead and post a few Pictures for ya guys.

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Re: Trash to Tracker, Xl350

i know photo bucket has changed their settings, Now I can only see one picture as well. ANYone have a idea?
 
Re: Trash to Tracker, Xl350

I can see them all, because I'm using Chrome with the Chrome extension that fixes it.
 
Re: Trash to Tracker, Xl350

All but one.

Also using Chrome.
 
Re: Trash to Tracker, Xl350

Hosting pictures on Imgur now so hopefully everyone can see them. Changed the oil in the case and I got the rebuilt carb installed as well as the header pipe with a new gasket, Adjusted the timing, fresh fuel from my auxiliary tank, with a few kicks she fired up! I couldn't believe it. Not smoking and throttle response is good. Never realized the choke cable is seized so I was using some wire to hold it shut. Anyone know where I can get one? Not having much luck online. Motor sounds healthy soI don't think a rebuild is needed. No leaks. Decided to take it for a spin around the block and all gears in the trans are there and the clutch is working smoothly. Uploaded a short video to youtube so you guys could see it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FjCBaP3JoU
 
Re: Trash to Tracker, Xl350

I can see almost all of them now. Its usually my work computer that wont let me view them.
What do they expect me to do while I am here?? Work ? ;D
 
Re: Trash to Tracker, Xl350

Started the tear down and pulled the motor, wow what a easy job compared to the SOHC4 bikes I'm used to, tried to label the wiring harness as best as possible since I'm replacing the handle bar switches with one switch for a cleaner look.

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Trash to Tracker, Xl350

Thanks. Fun bike, tracking down an ignition issue at the moment but should have it out and about for the spring.


Sent from my iPhone using DO THE TON
 
Re: Trash to Tracker, Xl350

advCo said:
Thanks. Fun bike, tracking down an ignition issue at the moment but should have it out and about for the spring.


Sent from my iPhone using DO THE TON

Yeah you got plenty of time to figure that out! Do you have any idea of where I can pickup a choke cable? not having much luck finding one.
 
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