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If you're looking, for an easy way to fit an oil cooler, why not use the oil feed on the back of the cylinders as a start? It secures just like a banjo bolt on either end. It wouldn't be hard to actually use banjo bolts with barbed fittings, and oil cooler hose. Then you're feeding cool oil directly where it needs to go.
Well, I look at it like this; as long as there's no air in the lines, the volume of oil being pumped isn't going to change. Plus, any pressure lost through the larger ID of a rubber line will just step back up when it goes through the banjo at the other end. And fluid doesn't compress. I may be wrong, but it's not going to stop me from trying it myself.
Research how the pro fitted oil coolers to these things.Oil in coolers can often cool to the point where it slows the flow to vital parts.Just run good synthetic MC oil in it and it should be fine.
DO NOT RUN A SYNTHETIC IN THIS BIKE! the clutch plates will slip.. the friction modiers in synthetic will cause sub clutch plates to slip... seen it over and over... rotella in any bike 95 and below
And the right choice is the proper oil for the job. If you're clutch is oil bath....and it is in this bike, DO NOT run synthetic or semi-synth. Your clutch will fail. And running synthetic to address a known heat issue is patently silly. You gain nothing and cause all manner of trouble with clutches and seals that aren't designed for it.
Give sound advice not anecdotal or give it a rest.
Yes, synthetic oil is far superior to dinosaur juice but..........only in a system that's designed for it. This engine was not and your original "advice" is still stupid. Synthetic oil is not a good or even slightly useful (or even slightly effective) way to drop engine temps which is what leads the early XS500 heads to crack. Seriously, if you can't give good advice just give it a break.
to the OP: Ask a trained tech what he says and do that, not what some guy(myself or anyone else) on the internet says. Bet I know what that trained tech is gonna tell you though.
Swivel, i am glad to hear you have had goodl luck with synthetic on submerse clutch bikes... i have built around 15 or so now and any time i run synthic in one or semi (cause i have the oil laying around the shop) i get clutch slip... bad... i have had prob 50 customers bikes come though the shop (we are one of the only shop in the area that will touch 70's and 80's bikes... come in for "new clutch" i swap the oil in them... let them sit with a zip tie around the clutch lever to open up the plates for a night in rotella, and boom... issue goes away! I am glad you have had good luck but the friction moddiers that are in syntheic oils create issues with clutches that use engine oil. It is not a opinion or any BS, it is simply a fact... you are able to use a semi some how, that is awesome... however it completely goes against everythign that i have seen come though my shop doors... but then again, there is an exception to every rule... for the record... i only run synthetic in my harleys or V twin customer bikes.. hell i even do a 20oz additive of treatment (lucas) to get rid of valve train noise... works far better than dyno oil...
Thanks. I am proud to say I took her for a really long spin this weekend and she reached a milestone of 70 mph and kept pulling hard. Got smoother the faster I went.
The best part about it is that the engine cylinder temp maintained around 250F. Perfect!
SgtBear;
What an excellent thread. I just bought a similar bike, although I doubt I can build anything nearly as nice as yours.
Thank you for sharing the build with us.
SgtBear;
What an excellent thread. I just bought a similar bike, although I doubt I can build anything nearly as nice as yours.
Thank you for sharing the build with us.
Thanks! It really wasn't that challanging. Just time consuming. If I can do it, you can do it. Just use your imagination and problem solve. Where there is a will there is a way!
Hey Joe, Believe it or not that 2-1 pipe came with the bike. I hunted down strait pipe headers and almost sold these before I realized how much the better the bike runs with the 2-1 setup.
Thanks, if I could make some recommendations I would avoid chroming the engine not only due to cost but also far ventilation. The chrome plating retains heat. Also, check your compression per cylinder. Make sure they are within service manual spec. If not, do a top end rebuild with new piston rings. It might seem like alot of work but it will save headaches in the future. Good luck!
I finished this bike a long time ago but have always having a little bit of problems with getting the engine to run just right. After two years of building my beauty and two years of trying to figure out why it's not running right I think i finally found the answer. It all started when I realized the idle was off from the Aftermarket to OEM tac ratio. Also pulled out the air mixture screws and found gunk behind them. From there this is what I did:
1.) Compression Test L: 140psi, R: 145 psi
2.) Rejet - 50 slow jet, 120 main with pods and 2-1 exhaust
3.) Hook up old tac and set idle at 1200 rpms
4.) Synced carbs to both run at 20cfHg vacuum pressure according to manual spec 15-20 required.
5.) play with air mixture screw until idle sounded at it's best
I took her for a quick spin and the power band was nearly smooth as glass. I realized at some point prior i put shims on the needle so I am going to go back and take those out and hopefully everything should be perfect. I had also let it idle for a long time 20-30 minutes and it was getting a little hot but a 20-30 minute idle probably would never occur while riding. So once I go through the needle i'll take it for a real spin and test drive and post a video!
Heres a video of what I did and how I did it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fc30ABUB6Ps
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