79 Yamaha XS400 - First ride

[@buddylove9484]

You fellas deserve a burger 🍔 and beer 🍺 for sticking with it and preserving...nice vid’.

[@skatesneakerlover]

Yup, that an XS400 for you - won't start for neither love nor money! Mine was the same till I started revving its guts out as often as I could, every chance I got. 2 good weeks of that and the starting problem went away by itself....

[@KollynJ]

Anyone else have luck with this method?

[@IrnMaiden304]

Good thing you guy's caught that before getting too far or running too long. My 82's ( I have two 1982 XS400 Maxim's ) have a vacuum operating fuel tap, on prime and res but motor needs to be turning over and vacuum applied by turning the motor over to allow the fuel to flow through the tap. I don't know per say if the older one's had the same set-up, but alot of people with many different bike's replace the vacuum operating taps with a normal tap and cap the port on the carb or manifold, they can fail and when they do fuel flows regardless what position it's in and if the floats aren't adjusted right or the needle and seat are damaged it will flow right past and out the back of the carb or into the motor or both.

[@IrnMaiden304]

Definitely check your ignition timing under the point's cover on the left side cylinder head, since you guy's went through such a hard time starting it couldn't hurt to take a look

[@OZARKSHDRIDERS]

Good to see that you guys got her running Brother 💯✌️😎

So good! just put the deposit down on my first one! so excited to finally own one!

[@jameskyle3310]

Good info, I just purchased as xs400 as a project myself!

[@aztriumphster]

Good luck!

[@roamingearth915]

Way nice! I have a xs400sj......runs, but beat on by a young'en. Needing some touch so everything helps! Very interested in reviving. Thank you for the insight. I'll need all the help I can get. :)

[@AxelWerner]

These starting problems are the reason why i sold it eventually :( since i dont do mechanics myself, it was just too damn expensive to hire a mech like 2 times a year to re-fix and tune it.

[@G3cwb]

gorgeous bike

[@davidlvann]

Did you ever solve the fuel/oil problem? I've rebuilt the petcock on mine with new rubber, rebuilt the carbs (totally stripped down into individual parts, ran through ultrasonic cleaner, replaced jets, needle, gaskets, float valve), and I still get gas in oil, blow-by (running a breather filter with the original H pipe breather inlet capped off to stop fouling plugs), and left side engine cover may have developed a slow drip... My current theory is that the bike will simply eject any excess oil beyond halfway up the sight glass. I don't get as much gas in oil as I used to, but if I had to do it again, I'd use a fully manual, non-vacuum operated petcock to hopefully eliminate one variable.

[@chrisiollich4890]

I have expiriance with this yamaha's have ,prime ,on ,resurve , prime is for cold start ,DON'T leave the petcock on prime or it will fill the crank case up with gas and blow it out of crank case vent .In my case i've got xs750 and it hot gas and oil all over my leg no damage but make shure you don't leave it on prime ,because it only takes over night to flood the crank case and can be very dangeres .I watched this becuse I just got a xs400 and it's pretty nice ,so my 750 just got a little brother. !!!! THANK'S FROM NOR-CAL!!!!

[@bc-mr1si]

hi fella .just found this vid.i have problems with the float bowl.accidentally left it on prime .nxt morning fuel coming out the filters and into the crank😬 is that not a sign the float/needles aren't set properly 🤔

[@oletoustrup-andersen9105]

Cold start problem. A classic with that bike that haunted me for four years. It starts immediately if jump started. It does not have enough amps on the battery. The starter uses too much power pushing the cold engine. Starts every time when hot. The ignition can be set so it can cold start, but it does not last. A cold start with the kick works, but only if you are willing to risk breaking a leg. You can´t kill this engine however. There must be many outthere still.

[@davidlvann]

Mine starts one kick when cold but is hard to start when hot (or maybe that's just me running the carbs dry on reserve). Assuming you ride her once a week and don't let the carbs dry out. Electric start has been stripped as long as I've had the bike...

[@bc-mr1si]

take the plugs out and heat the tips with a blow torch on them cold mornings. works good for me

[@mykahdeanwilson]

Suns out guns out!

[@senorcorte30]

What kind of exhaust did you throw in there sounds Beefy ! Let me know 🙏🏾.

[@aztriumphster]

Couple of straight pipes. No mufflers.

[@MatrixAlphaCWX]

My XS400 is still sitting in my yard not running. I want it running again, but i cant seem to find the parts anywhere.

[@aztriumphster]

What parts are you needing?

[@degenereable]

Hello, could you help her with the electrical system, I sent her to a mechanic and he destroyed the wiring I do not know in which wires the ignition system or the CDI or the coils goes, it would be very helpful, thank you

[@aztriumphster]

I do not have a wiring diagram for that bike. I recommend getting a Clymer or Haynes manual for.the bike. It will have everything you need.

[@djzorch]

Does this not have a vacuum petcock?

[@aztriumphster]

It does not

[@djzorch]

And no electric start either? Weird that my 78 xs400 does