December | 2020 | thexscafe

Well, that was a year I could have done without. Not many of us will come out the other side unscathed this time around. This has been one long down-hill mind-fuck. I’ve heard it said “What doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger” but, quite honestly, it’s just getting tedious.

These are testing times. Likely to worsen before improving. A war over spirit raging around us. No matter which way the balance swings, things will never be the same again.

I’m a firm believer in positive thinking. That we receive what we project. Be true to yourself. Have the back of those around you, you’re going to need them.

See you on the other side.

Love

ps … just noticed … we have been running now 10 years … hard to believe – that’s a lot of clicks for a small specialised blog … hope you continue to enjoy

Was trying to find the left hand engine cover for one of my XS’s the other day. Turned into a bigger problem than I expected. Strange how some parts reflect the genesis of an engine. The crank for instance has 3 versions corresponding to addition of a starter motor, cam replacement and differing stroke/piston combinations. All being interchangeable when coupled with their respective con-rods and pistons. Clutch packs, crankcase breathers, and many others all show progressive redesigns.

I was surprised, however, to find, in my fundus, at least 11 different left-hand engine covers. There are 3 main families, each including more than one modification …

A .. all have the lower bolt position to the rear – modifications include change from threaded alu adjuster cover to pressed steel sheet and the addition of MADE IN JAPAN.
B .. all have a square abutment to the engine case and includes all of those in group A. Changes within group B that do not include those within group A include, moving the lower bolt position directly beneath the clutch actuator and casting 1N2345 into the case above the gear lever. Later versions are drilled for a 10mm crankcase breather drip hose.
C .. these all have a rounded abutment to the crankcase – earlier examples were also drilled for an oil drip hose, later covers had notched clutch adjuster apertures and some were chromed.

Later B covers and all C covers are not compatible with A unless you drill the lower right screw boss out for the mounting screw and round-off the abutment for C covers.

XS1 … original cover with threaded adjustment cover (256-15411-00) and the replacement cover with a push fit adjustment cover (256-15411-01) … eng nr S650 001125

The original cover, until engine number 001125, had a threaded machined aluminium clutch adjustment cover, no Made in Japan in the top right corner, no 1N2345 above the gear lever, no notch in the clutch adjustment cover opening, a square cornered abutment to the crankcase and the lower right bolt placement was more to the rear.

interesting – this early XS1 cover with threaded adjustment cover hole has a mark where later the Made in Japan appears … is this a later casting made when the mould aleady had Made in Japan in it but was blanked-off?

#001125 on had press-fit sheet-steel clutch adjustment covers. Although the original may have had a habit of vibrating loose this followed a total redesign of the clutch actuator. The fragile 3 fluked plastic male thread became a 4 fluked metal one. The shallow metal 3 groove female block was deepened, made from plastic and given an extra groove. The casing needed deeper machining and narrower screw spacings on the inside to accomodate this. The aperture diameter was reduced. No cover threads were required.

Version 3 included Made in Japan cast into the right hand corner.

cover forward bolt hole cast into cover but not yet drilled … waiting for case modification … 306-15411-00/2

Type 4 received an extra bolt boss under the clutch adjustment cover. This was partly machined but not drilled through. The bolt placement remained toward the rear. There may have been complaints about the cover flexing when operating the clutch. In practice the coming of an estart for the XS2 meant that the rear bolt hole was not going to be available. The boss being added to the cover before the crankcase was modified to receive the new bolt placement. My version has this boss partly machined, if there is also a version out there where this boss has not yet been machined I have yet to see it.

later and early cover gaskets … lower bolt hole position change … XS2, 1972

The 5th had this new boss drilled out and the earlier one filled in, probably to make way for the estart, may also add more stability to a touchy clutch.

cover bolt hole shifted below clutch pushrod adjustment … estart transfer gears now insitu, old hole not drilled … 1972, XS2 (306-15411-00)

Generation 6 included 1N2345 cast above the gear lever.

gear-change pattern … 1973 … 306-15411-02

Number 7 has a 10mm hole drilled in the top surface of the cover to allow a tube from the crankcase breather to drip onto the front sprocket.

square and round cornered covers with breather hose holes … 1975 … 306-15411-04 from eng nr 111299

The 8^th was the same except for a now rounded corner abutting into the crankcase.

Next, 9, was the same without the 10mm hole for the crankcase breather tube.

10 received a notch under the clutch adjuster cover, presumably easing removal.

notched adjustment cover hole … parts lists show now 584-15411-00 from 1976 which later changes to 584-15411-04 … cases still carry the old nr markings 306-15411-00, -02 and -04

And #11 was chromed. This came off a 79 special. Not sure if it is original or some dealer/importer tarted up machines that weren’t selling. This isn’t the only example of this specific model I have seen with chromed left and right engine covers however. I have seen chromed examples of many of these other versions but not consistently enough to consider them as being actual purchase options.

256-15411-00	XS1		Threaded Cover
256-15411-01	XS1/XS1B	#001125>	Press-fit Cover
256-15411-09	XS1B		Made In Japan
306-15411-00	XS1B		E-start Boss (undrilled/drilled)
306-15411-04	XSB	#111299>	Round Corner
584-15411-00	XSC		Notch
584-15411-04	?

square cornered covers with repositioned lower screw … XS2/TX/TXA … XSB with 1N2345 both not drilled for breather and drilled

round corner covers .. with breather hose hole, without hole, with notched adjustment cover hole, chromed

In conjunction, the clutch actuating mechanism, fixed inside the left hand cover was altered 4 times and the clutch push-rod was modified from a single long rod to 2 rods, one short and one long.