My XR650L conversion

[Jones]

my oem cdi on my 2001 xrl hasnt caused me a problem. over 30000 miles now

[200x Basket]

So what's the status of this bike? Reading this makes me want one.

[fabiodriven]

So what's the status of this bike? Reading this makes me want one.

This bike is cool and useful and fun, but it frustrates me. Of my four trikes, the XR650L would be the one I would sell if I were to sell one. Literally the entire time I've owned it (four or five years now) this bike has had a problem with losing spark. It will start and run great, but then once you get it hot it requires a pop start to get going. The starter works the way it should and the engine turns over, but it will not start without a bump. It's never lost spark and died, it just won't start when you shut it off.

My electric diagnosis skills are not the best, so admittedly I was flying blind while trying to fix this. The first thought I had, confirmed by the intranets, was the CDI needed to be replaced. I replaced the CDI, bike started right up without hesitation, problem solved, right? Wrong. It failed me at a critical moment, Trikefest, and I was pretty pissed about that.

On to the next part, ignition coil. In my experience, the ignition coil very rarely fails. It happens, but it's uncommon. I replaced the coil and much to my surprise the bike fired right up! It must have been the ignition coil after all, right? Wrong. It plays possum. It won't start for months at a time but then for whatever reason when you replace other parts, it starts right up and acts fixed when it's really not.

Next part; stator. I replaced the stator after being left high and dry again at Mik6's house, just before I got a chance to hand Super350 his ass on his 250R. Again I was mad, and I thought I'd run out of electrical parts to replace at that point. I was ready to sell it and would have right then if it had been an option.

Then I spoke to a guy who runs a bike shop down by Mik, and he informed me that on the right side of this engine there is a crank trigger. I had no idea. He says that's my problem and to swap that out. Problem solved... Right?

[200x Basket]

Lol, sounds like my luck. I've run across a cheap 650l and nay give it a shot.

[HairyJR]

Fabio sorry to hear your still having electrical problems. Did I understand correctly that if you bump start it will run? If this is a fact than its not the CDI, Coil or Pulse Generator which is the component your local mechanic mentioned. Early on with my high compression "L" style motor I tried installing a MSD ignition, which never panned out, found that my handle bar switch gave me problems, bad push button contact along with the toggle on/off. Also read the wiring is a mess. Its been awhile sence looking at a wiring diagram but think there's two 12v power feeds to the CDI, one from ignition switch and another from the start solenoid, believe the second wire from the solenoid is to augment power loss through ignition switch (lights) and the other unknown fact that when your starter draws current approximately 1/3 its voltage power is used to energize starter magnet circuit when the rest too rotation. The start rotation is slow even when new.

Try the Pulse Generator but I think its in the wiring...... if all else fails do as I did, install a 24volt start system. Keep us posted.

"HJ"

[Blown 331]

My cousin has 2 650L's and has had spark issues on both. I dont know the details but he took the CDI's apart and soldered some loose connections, no problems since.

[fabiodriven]

Fabio sorry to hear your still having electrical problems. Did I understand correctly that if you bump start it will run? If this is a fact than its not the CDI, Coil or Pulse Generator which is the component your local mechanic mentioned. Early on with my high compression "L" style motor I tried installing a MSD ignition, which never panned out, found that my handle bar switch gave me problems, bad push button contact along with the toggle on/off. Also read the wiring is a mess. Its been awhile sence looking at a wiring diagram but think there's two 12v power feeds to the CDI, one from ignition switch and another from the start solenoid, believe the second wire from the solenoid is to augment power loss through ignition switch (lights) and the other unknown fact that when your starter draws current approximately 1/3 its voltage power is used to energize starter magnet circuit when the rest too rotation. The start rotation is slow even when new.

Try the Pulse Generator but I think its in the wiring...... if all else fails do as I did, install a 24volt start system. Keep us posted.

"HJ"

Hairy thanks very much for posting my friend. I've always had a feeling about the crappy wiring harness being bad, but every time I examine it I can't find any issues. Both the wiring harness and the shutoff switch are surely suspect. I always mess with the kill switch (not the ignition) when it decides not to start and it's never had any effect.

It did pop start no problem but I only did that once. It was the only time I ever tried that, it was Sanchez's idea. I told him no way it would pop start and he swore it would. Well it did, he was right. He's the one who explained to me why the stator was the problem and it sounded like it made sense, but obviously that wasn't the issue.

It's disappointing to hear the crank trigger is not likely to fix the issue, now I'm not sure what to do, lol.

[3 Wheel Drive]

Lol, sounds like my luck. I've run across a cheap 650l and nay give it a shot.

You should just buy Fabio's trike. It probably just needs a new spark plug boot or a wires grounding out. Either way you both win!

[HairyJR]

Got to appreciate Sanchez's knowledge and always there to help. I pulled him once to bump start his 500 at the Invasion, think it was flooded. OK back to your problem, the biggest condition I've found with the "L" motors is the start system turns over so slow there's not enough vacuum through the carburetor to bring fuel in as I assume it does rotate but not start. Know with the brain trust you had at TF pulled spark plug wire checking spark next time pull the plug and squirt a shoot of fuel, never know. These type of problems bug me until solved.

"HJ"

[fabiodriven]

Yeah we spent quite a bit of time messing with the spark plug wire and boot and changed the ignition coil so the cap has been off. They do seem like they turn over "too slow" to me, always have. I wonder if that's the whole problem.

[Coaltrain]

Just now reading this thread and I gotta say that I love that trike. I am jealous and I wish I had one like it. I'd love to get an xr400 0r a 650 and do the same conversion and tag it here in Florida..I'm going to add this to my growing list of things to build. I'll have squeeze it in between the scratch built airboat, the airplane, the mud bogger and my jeeps that I'm currently spreading my free time and limited resources between. My problem is that I want it all!!!! Would be absolutely killer to be able to hop on that thing and ride around town.

[HairyJR]

Fabio I know you have mechanical skills but will require a little planning and time on your part. If it doesn't start right now try using 24 volts to the starter. Believe start cable connects to a stud on the starter, VERY IMPORTANT disconnect it there or at the solenoid stud to eliminate possible 24 volt backfeed to the CDI. Connect two 12 volt batteries ( any 12v batteries, car, motorcycle or combination of ) in series, negative cable grounded to engine/frame and then touching the positive 24v cable to starter post/cable. Should gave you the speed and torque to start and doing this also eliminates the 12v OEM CDI system voltage loss during push button starting. Just another trouble shooting option.

"HJ"

[fabiodriven]

I bet that would work but I was meditating last night and some details that I forgot came back to me.

It actually has started with an extremely slow crank before. This engine, when it does run, starts on the very first revolution of the crankshaft if not the second revolution. It starts so quickly that it can actually startle you, pops right off. So if it doesn't start right away it's just not going to start.

The problem isn't fuel because we've tried ether in past which has zero effect whatsoever.

Like I said, it has started with a slow crank, like with just enough juice in the battery to rotate the crankshaft one time, and it's popped off. It's definitely losing power to the spark during cranking. Sounds like 24v might cure that either way.

[HairyJR]

Early on I had same problem, if it didn't fire up on first revolution needed to than be bump started. Remember the 24volt system is for starting only, everything runs on 12 volts, I use two batteries.

"HJ"

[fabiodriven]

It's time to get this machine going and spruced up a bit. When I left it last, it was still having hot start issues. It's had this problem as long as I've owned it. The CDI, stator, and ignition coil have all been replaced, and none have fixed the problem. The bike always acts like it's fixed though, it thinks this is funny. It won't start, parts get replaced, then it fires right up! It always ends up leaving me stranded in the end though.

This time I replaced the pulse generator. Upon reassembly of the bike, it didn't fire. I was frustrated, but I pulled the spark plug out and it threw a bright blue spark, so then I reinstalled it. The bike fired right up as it should. I don't know, I don't feel reassured, haha. Time will tell.

The two winters prior to this past winter the XR was ridden in snow storms on the road, and as such it got dosed with road salt. Also it's been subjected to Haspin clayment multiple times, and both clayment as well as road salt cause rust. The XR was starting to get crusty, specifically the head pipe and exhaust as a total, as well as the swing arm and axle and corresponding drive and brake components.

The swing arm was painted at the very end of 2014 hastily with no primer and tossed on the bike barely in time for Icefest 2015, so the paint was roached. The axle was never tightened properly, as the Gforce 300EX axle has been known to come up short and never tighten fully without the addition of a spacer. The axles were at one time being machined wrong, and mine is one of those axles. As such, we threw it together at the end of 2014 and I said I'd get to it later. Well it's later now, haha. That's what I initially took this machine apart for, then I realized I couldn't leave the bike so crusty. That's when I took the exhaust off as well as the swing arm.

I stripped, primed, and painted the swing arm and rear brake hub and rotor today, but it was barely warm enough outside to do so. The exhaust system was stripped and is inside the house right now because the temperature outside has dropped. I'm painting it with black Eastwood exhaust coating using a brush. I'll also be replacing the head pipe nuts with stainless as well as the brake hub nuts which were chewed and gross. I'll toss a new chain on it as well.

I've started using my GoPro like product finally, so I'm looking forward to making some videos bombing around the roads. The bike will be back together really soon but it's not currently registered. I'll be registering it this week.