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HONDA XR650L OWNER'S SIGN IN

couple of past iterations for me...
 

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OK friends, I need mechanical diagnostics help. Again...

I had the left crankcase over off the bike, which requires taking off the starter gear cover, and have also done a valve check. I'm certain that somewhere in this process, I manually cranked the engine backwards - clockwise. The service manual says "don't rotate clockwise" - but oops. I did. I think this somehow affects the auto-decompression?

The problem I'm facing is that, now fully re-assembled, when I push the starter button - it just goes "click" - as if the battery is dead and doesn't have the juice to make the compression stroke.

I can turn the engine over by hand with what seems like normal compression resistance. Battery is fully charged and starter spins like I'd expect if I remove one of the starter gears.

So: does it seem plausible that rotating the engine backwards at some point got this into a state that has defeated the auto-decompression valve? If auto-decompression IS broken - would the engine just not turn over with the starter motor at all? I thought some folks remove this auto-decompression stuff entirely?

What's my next diagnostic step?
 
You may have set the valves a bit off, but the click you experience seems like a dead battery. You dont need to pull side covers off to set valves if i remember. Just observe the timing mark per the literature. I think you have a dead/weak battery. If you want to backtrack, do a quick valve check, rotating the engine with the rear wheel it top gear and spark plug out. If valves check out, id get a new battery. I suppose you can check voltage on it but it seems fine unless under load. I dont know that moving the engine backwards can screw up the auto decomp, but perhaps others are more knowledgeable.
 
Wow...that issue is way over my head.

I got another issue, in that I removed the carb and cleaned it, but then I had the parts scattered for awhile. I've put it together some and it starts, it idles great but bogs down when throttle is given gas quickly, if tends to not bog down as much if gas is given slowly. So I got extra rubber lines and not sure where they go, anybody have a diagram or picture of both sides or an overview of how it should be normally put together?
 
Wow...that issue is way over my head.

I got another issue, in that I removed the carb and cleaned it, but then I had the parts scattered for awhile. I've put it together some and it starts, it idles great but bogs down when throttle is given gas quickly, if tends to not bog down as much if gas is given slowly. So I got extra rubber lines and not sure where they go, anybody have a diagram or picture of both sides or an overview of how it should be normally put together?
What happens if you warm it uo then leave choke on ? Will it rev quick. ^^^^
 
I would order new jets fro I use Rocky Mountain ATV and clean carburetor. Change out gas and new sparkplug and make sure all vacuum lines are sealed. I use a stock air cleaner. I had a foam one come apart, . Mine runs a lot better after installing the de-smog kit. You can just clean your jets but they are cheap.
Let us know what you find.
The nature of these bikes is until warm thar sputter and all have a dead spot unless thet have a pumper carb. It's easy to live with. I love my 650L
 
See if you can find a place that sells welding supplies and pick up a torch tip cleaner. A lot of auto supply stores may have them as well as hardware stores or you can order one from Amazon. They are typically less than $10 and are the best thing to clean jets with. It does sound like the carb still needs cleaning some more, even though you did it already. I run a pumper carb and not sure where all of he vacuum lines attach the the stock carb.
 
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I would order new jets fro I use Rocky Mountain ATV and clean carburetor. Change out gas and new sparkplug and make sure all vacuum lines are sealed. I use a stock air cleaner. I had a foam one come apart, . Mine runs a lot better after installing the de-smog kit. You can just clean your jets but they are cheap.
Let us know what you find.
The nature of these bikes is until warm thar sputter and all have a dead spot unless thet have a pumper carb. It's easy to live with. I love my 650L
Done all this already but The vacuum lines are what I couldn't remember how they get put back correctly, and you say they need to be sealed ? How's that? There lies my problem...need a diagram on how they supposed to go, thanks all for your advice
 
I put the de-smog kit on and it has a new diagram that shows where less lines go. I think it runs better but I know it weighs less :D
 
Well, ain't the battery...

You dont need to pull side covers off to set valves if i remember. Just observe the timing mark per the literature.

Correct, unless you can't get the nut off to turn the crank :( That's what started this all... No amount of heat, impact, solvents, banging, etc would get it off. Even once I removed the side cover, drilled holes in the cover nut thingy and applied tons of torque .. nope, fused to the case! Good thing those side case covers are cheap.

I think it's gotta be the gearing behind the starter cover - something in there must not be happy. But, the re-installation SEEMS foolproof, at least. This fool found a way to break something, though...
 
Well, ain't the battery...



Correct, unless you can't get the nut off to turn the crank :( That's what started this all... No amount of heat, impact, solvents, banging, etc would get it off. Even once I removed the side cover, drilled holes in the cover nut thingy and applied tons of torque .. nope, fused to the case! Good thing those side case covers are cheap.

I think it's gotta be the gearing behind the starter cover - something in there must not be happy. But, the re-installation SEEMS foolproof, at least. This fool found a way to break something, though...
I've never taken mine apart, but was just looking at the exploded parts diagram and noticed one of the parts was marked "Clutch, One-Way". Part #3 in the diagram. Any chance you may have this in backwards?
 
No - that part didn't come off the bike - only the top gears, shafts, spacers in that diagram. Totally confusing.

What works:
1. turning the engine over by hand. Guess I should compression test while I'm at it, but compression resistance feels "normal" to me.
2. starter motor: with the gear train removed (parts 4,5,6,7,8,9,11 in that diagram) the motor spins well when the starter button is pushed
3. starter one-way clutch: I can turn the driven gear (#1 in diagram) clockwise by hand. Can't turn it counter-clockwise - too much compression resistance. This says to me that the starter clutch is the right way in.
4. battery: brand-new and fully charged

What doesn't:
1. pushing the starter button - the rights dim due to draw on battery, the starter motor tries to turn, but is stuck by something and won't spin.

Maybe the starter motor itself went "bad" somehow? Not enough juice even with a fully charged battery? It worked perfect before all this fun, so having it die while we waited for parts these many months seems possible, though unlikely.
 
FREE FREE FREE New 5 gallon Acerbis XR650L tank. I cannot find mount brackets but should be easy to score or make your own. I have a Clarke 4 gallon on mine. This is free if you want it but no no shipping must come to Thorndale Tx. (First to post up gets it not PM.) to fetch. Will keep a month or two for pick up but then I am tossing. Really better built than my Clarke. It is huge. Roller skates are sold separate.
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You guys have any thoughts on this guy, looking over the ad? Price? I'm semi considering this, but not sure. I'd be riding forest service roads, asphalt to get there, occasional SHNF trails, and if I like the bike I'm sure I'd be commuting to work some. Thanks

 
Seems pricey for a stock 27 year old XR. Hagarty values it at $3400 and that seems generous. It is a great bike for forest roads but is heavy for the single track.
 
> new seals in the case
That's a big job. Why would it need all new seals?
 
Just a guess, but if it sat for years without being run, the seals could have dried out and started to leak.
 
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