Yamaha XS650 Engine Build Part 4 - Clutch Casing Assembly

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.

[@keepitrunning]

Using grease on gaskets has several good points, it makes them stick to the cases enough to make putting cases on easier, stops them sticking when you come to disassemble another time and makes to them reusable. I get three or four uses from clutch cover gaskets on my CB250rs engines handy when they have to come off to clean the oil filter. Surprised at the vesrah gasket set though usually what they use is made in the same factories that make for the big 4, well used to be.

[@amberchurchill]

Great tips

[@johncooper7242]

that crankcase looks grand...better than new ....mine was the same 3 years ago but a couple of years in a cold damp garage and all my alloy corroded which was a bit of a blow.
How much of a gap have you allowed between the back of the clutch basket and the crankcase ? I didn't have enough and now the clutch is rubbing on the crankcase .
Like you I had bought my engine in a box of bits and I had a spare shim washer left over after my engine rebuild but nothing appeared to be missing. later I realised that the previous owner had put an additional 0.5mm shim washer behind the clutch basket to get additional gap between the clutch and casing. doh....
So now I have got to go back in there this Winter and put it back . Whilst I'm there I'll replace the gear selector springs and shaft circlip and hopefully I'll get 5th gear back again.
You're gonna need some heat in that garage Cliff ...

[@OldBiker]

Yeah there was a thrust washer behind the clutch basket giving plenty of clearance from the casing, I have a small gas fire and also one of those calor gas fires I could use, just need to get a refill for the bottle.