Yamaha XS650 Engine Build Part 1 - The Crank and Gear Clusters

A friend of mine came across an XS650 engine that was taken apart and stored in several boxes, I have the task to put this beast back together and get her running once again, this will be in several parts as I will need to purchase missing or broken unusable parts throughout the build.

[@peters6591]

Very helpful for any beginner attempting a rebuild

[@huntersmoon9724]

Cheers for making this series. Useful.

[@dannyv5957]

Supwr helpful from southern California . Thanks man!!

[@jeremysteinart8025]

I have to say this is the most informative Yamaha video I've ever watched my beers go up to you in cheers I have a excess 650 at home I don't know if it's an 80 or 79 trying to find out through the serial numbers the engines kind of invisible I'm going to scrape it tonight

[@markmanwaring3823]

I always give the threads a LIGHT oil or smear of grease before doing up , keeps everything nice for next time ,even twenty yrs on they undo nicely . Alloy has a habit of setting tight around dry steel threads , especially black steel allen screws on clutch cover etc

[@Burritosarebetterthantacos]

Thanks for these. I estimated $2000+ in USA to get mine rebuilt in a shop. Ive decided to give it a go.

[@AAS-gw5mb]

How’d it go

[@Burritosarebetterthantacos]

@@AAS-gw5mb haha its torn apart havent even thought about rebuilding

[@xs-1b415]

@@Burritosarebetterthantacos I am about halfway through my 650 build. This was also my first engine. It can be done and isn't so bad once you get going on it!

[@trigg6874]

Really enjoying the series OB, I have bought a US import xs1b. stripped the bike and engine. cases have been vapour blasted cylinders are bored out to 2nd OS, new pistons and new valves, I have had the valves seats recut and the valves are lapped. First time doing this. watching your videos and the a couple of the guy in the US on here are a great help and inspiration. along with the great fellas on xs650.com. just waiting on the oil seal rubbers to get started. Thanks for the videos

[@OldBiker]

Thanks and good on you getting the XS1, are you doing any videos of the build?

[@trigg6874]

@@OldBiker I don't think So OB, I will leave the video making in your hands for now.

[@thubandra963]

I watched all these. Long story short. Bought a 77 XS from kinfolk in 86, 18 K miles and not running. Took a look at it. Oil strainer had a hole in it and was full of metal. Elect starter would not work. Probably where the metal came from. Stuck it back in the barn where it was buried and sat for the last 30 years till I saw your tubes. Took the better part of two days to dig it out. Turns over and has compression but the Texas wet winters and hot summers are not kind to things that don't move much. I got pictures of my old lady to prove that. So now in my 70's I guess I'll be an old biker too. Old lady says "You have five horses you never ride." Why do you need something else to throw money at your not gona ride?" I Said "You never know. "She said, "What got you started on this?" I said, "Oldbiker." She said "You don't know any old bikers!" I said, "I do now!" Loved the chopper!

[@OldBiker]

haha nice one, I'd love to get my hands on something like that to restore, in the UK they are just too hard to come by now, most of the XS's you get on eBay in the UK are imported from the states, if you say you have metal in the oil strainer, don't try and start it as the oil pump will more than likely be filled with metal and may even be cracked, whip the clutch casing off and check all the oil ways first. Love to see it. Good on ya for digging it out!

[@thubandra963]

Oldbiker, Rough does not start to cover it's condition. Can you say green chrome? nearest chrome shop is about 100miles away. If I had not have seen your site and how many parts are available for it the kids may have junked it when I croak. But the master cylinder and front caliper are seized solid. Stand pipes have rotted off the petcocks. Gas tank doesn't leak but is big time rusty. Can't make up my mind on tank sealer. Everybody has their favorite. Chain was rusted stiff. A lot of WD-40 and rocking back and forth to get it to roll. Tires did hold air but so cracked I can smell the air in em". so I'm just removing, cleaning and making notes. Be down to the engine soon. I tell ya, I like to see someone who can do it all and I believe you have a handle on it.

[@Burritosarebetterthantacos]

Im 35 and mine is in the back my garage. I imagined what it would feel like to dig it out 30 years from now. If I was in Texas id help you with yours but Im in KY.

[@TheDavey333]

Hope you tightened everything 😄

[@Shutchohole]

I've got a 77 in the garage torn down to the frame. It's not been on the road for the better part of 20 years. I'm sure this is in my relative near future. I did get it to run before I tore it down about 4 years ago. Sadly life keeps getting in the way of making any kind of quick progress.

[@OldBiker]

Love to get my hands on something like that to restore, my first restoration was the XS650SG that had been stored for 12 years and had 13 previous owners, that came to me in boxes. Make a start on it, don't let it end up rotting away!

[@Shutchohole]

I've modified the seat frame and painted and relaced the wheels and put on new tires. Now it sits.

[@bryansliwowski2805]

Looking forward to watching this series. I have a '79 I'm planning to break down and rebuild. Maybe you mention it somewhere in the videos but I'm curious what year yours is?

[@OldBiker]

Hi Bryan, the engine is from a XS650 SF 79 model, it is the European type 533 Engine, when you take yours apart have a look on the sides of the con-rods, it will be stamped either 533 or 447

[@oliverlassalle2427]

OB Thanks a lot for this series geeza !! where did you fond the endless cam chain?

[@OldBiker]

haha dont do it, I had to split the chain in the end to get it through the chain guide.

[@jadebair518]

When showing the bottom side of the cases it doesn’t look to me that you had the kick start gears and shaft in place. How did you manage to get that in there once cases were together?

[@OldBiker]

Hi Jade, the cases need to be together before inserting the kick start shaft, at 26:02 you can see a red cap from a battery terminal inserted into the hole the shaft slots into and the gear in which the kick start connects with.

[@randallridnour8954]

Can I ask whether you went to the trouble of buying a replacement 5th gear with fewer teeth for a higher top end speed at lower revs?

[@OldBiker]

Nah I never got one in the end, as the engine is going to be used in a chop I didnt really see the need for it.

[@randallridnour8954]

@@OldBiker Fair enough. Have you put one in anyone elses gearbox, and if so was the result worth it?

[@randallridnour8954]

@@OldBiker This is mine for what it is worth - kzbin.info/www/bejne/sImQXoyjZ8aVeMk

[@wolfeyes9357]

Transmission retainers????

[@OldBiker]

Retainer, there is only one on the XS transmission

[@wolfeyes9357]

@@OldBiker I thought there was more....it literally looks like a half circle...correct?

[@OldBiker]

@@wolfeyes9357 yep thats all there is in the XS just the half circle retainer.

[@wolfeyes9357]

@@OldBiker well....time for me to get working on this motor! Was going to rephrase..or just weld the pin at 360 then I thought.." Shot...what happens if I need rods???? That shot down that idea....plus, I like the xs 650 motors just how they are.

[@OldBiker]

Hey Wolf, out of the last say four engines I've rebuilt, three of them had one retainer and one had two, the one that had two had already been apart before so I'm guessing the last mechanic must have though he'd lost one and put another in! You got me thinking so I went off and checked with the Yamaha schematics of the engine and yep they show just one is needed.