"NEW" XR400

Hi folks,
just got a XR400 to share with my teenage son. Need some advise.

1. The oils a bit dirty so the first job is to do an oil change.
a) Sounds basic but how much oil does the bike take (including filter change)?
b) Is there two drain plugs? 1 for the crankcase and 1 for the oil tank (frame). Any more?

2. Starting the bike when cold is a bit difficult. I understand that this might be due to the valve clearnaces needing done. What are the valve clearance figures (1999 model).

3. I note that you can get workshop manuals (on CD) from ebay. Are they any good?

Been out playing in the local quarry today. Bike feels great.

thanks in anticipation

new toy....

Oil capacities:

At draining 1.7 litres
At disassembly 2.2. litres
At oil filter change 1.8 litres

Only two drain plugs - base of the front downtube and bottom of crankcase. There is a mesh screen filter if you are feeling particularly keen.......

Valve gaps:
.10mm plus or minus .02 inlet
.12mm plus or ,minus .02 exhaust

Search in google for XR manuals, there are a couple of dead links but one of them is live (sorry forgotten which one) - its on one of the thumper type forums. You can then download a 'free' works manual. Its about 16 meg and takes a while but well worth it.

Starting is a bit of a knack and a bit of a hassle. Top tips are to leave the throttle alone when kicking to start and to keep spinning it over with the decompressor applied.

The longer they are left, the longer they take to start which makes me think the carb is set very lean or something.

Stick the chke on and kick it about ten times with the decompressor pulled and no throttle. Then find TDC, add a couple of inches more on the kickstrt and give it a good kick from the top of its swing. Repeat this two or three times and it should be going.

If its been left a while, might be worth tunring it over on decompressor with a full throttel to get some gas in there - that seems to be the rpoblem with starting them. Once hot just follow the first technique.

Apparently the cure is a Mikuni carb at £239, but there are rumours of a Denso iridium plug helping a bit - they are about £11 though. PM me if you want more info.

LC

This is the 'live' link to the manual.

Download and save - takes ages even with broadband but wel worth the wait

http://www.theventuragroup.com/pics/xr400/1996-2004%20XR400R.pdf

LC

Lou,
Thanks very much for the info. Much appreciated.

Can you tell me if you use your local Honda dealer for parts or are there any "specialist" dealer who you would recommend?

Keith

Hi Kaycee

I have only had to buy a couple of service bits and have used ebay for those (plugs, filters etc.). Gaskets are a quarter of the price in the US to the UK, including shipping - £33 for a full set recently. The local price is over £70

For genuine bits I use Kestrel Honda in Coventry - they are listed as an off road dealer. Otherwise its independents all the way.

Try some of these:

http://www.xrstuff.co.uk/

http://www.uktrailrides.co.uk/

http://www.lm-spares.co.uk/

http://www.dirtbikestore.co.uk/

http://www.dirtbikebitz.com/

http://www.dpsracing.co.uk/

These guys do the Denso Iridium plug (£15 delivered!!) - its the IXG24 if you want one.

http://www.spark-plugs.co.uk/pages/pricing/denso_iridium.htm


This has been useful too........

http://www.4strokes.com/tech/honda/


Let me know if you come across any others, always handy to have resources on tap

LC

Hi Keith
Try this,it make's a difference to the fork's.
At the top of the fork legs just under your bars you will see 2 screws,the one that is off centre is the one that we need to slowly unscrew,just enough to let the air that is trapped in the tube's escape,you will hear the hiss.
I change my Oil and filter every 1000 miles.
I have found the best way to start my XR from cold if stood for a few weeks is...
Turn the fuel on ,then with the kill button in the off position kick the bike over 3 times with full throttle.
Then turn the kill button to on .Lift the choke arm to the top, then slowly get the kick start to full compression then pull the decompresser and just push down on the kick start enough to take it just over top dead centre.
Then release the decompresser ,let the kick start back to the top,Then kick with no throttle.
I have found it always starts this way. Before if the bike was stood for 2 weeks it would take about 15 kicks to start,by which time I was to Knackerd to go for a ride....I think you will find a way that suit's you and your bike best.

More info on XR's here.
http://www.xrv.org.uk/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=20

Enjoy Dazzer

In addition to the good advise above re starting after being stood more than a week or so, I found draining the float bowl first and refilling with fresh from the tank always helped.

Starting

On mine I was the idle speed adjustment was made via a large black plastic adjuster near the choke.
I was told it was this large for a reason......
When cold turn the idle speed ajdjuster clockwise half a turn (to speed it up). It should then start quite easily and once warm just drop the idle speed back to normal. The guy at XR STUFF gave me that tip

the idle mixture screw can be prone to moving, so once set put a blob of silicone on it.

PIGGLET said:

On mine I was the idle speed adjustment was made via a large black plastic adjuster near the choke.
I was told it was this large for a reason......
When cold turn the idle speed ajdjuster clockwise half a turn (to speed it up). It should then start quite easily and once warm just drop the idle speed back to normal. The guy at XR STUFF gave me that tip

Click to expand...

I beleive that the black knob only screew's on to the wheel that hold's the throttle cables,so doing this would be the same as opening the throttle a little bit....

Yeah I think your right. I'm a ham fisted git though and found that way more controlled than "opening the throttle a little bit". I used to open it too far which resulted in my 600 trying to lob my scrawny 10.5 stone body over the bars