My Trimmed Up XS650 Left Engine Cover

I spent a little time working on a left engine cover I plan on using yesterday.  First step was to pop off the cover and small cap and remove the worm gear clutch cable holder and spring.  Next I soaked this thing in gunk/engine degreaser for 40 minutes while I got lunch.  After lunch, I used a scotch brite and a smaller size platic brush to get the grease and dirt out.  Once it was cleaned up I marked off the area to cut with a sharpy and trimmed it up with an angle grinder.  It had some sharp edges, so I spent a little while filing them down to clean them up also.  Then I hit this cover with some 600 grit wet dry sand paper and followed that up with some steel whool.  Finally, it was time for the Mother's Aluminum polish and bench grinder polishing wheel.  I like the older motorcycle brushed aluminum look.  This took a little while but is well worth it.        

XS650 Valve and Points Covers swap

 

Winter sucks, but it's a good time to do stuff like this.  Here is a before (top) and after (bottum) shot of my valve and points covers I swapped out yesterday.  I had an extra set I had picked up at a swap meet or somewhere.  I just wanted to clean them up and get them back to respectable.  After removing the gaskets with a tiny nail, I used a green scotch bright pad and some degreaser under some water to get them clean.  Next step was some 600 grit wet dry sand paper to get them relatively smooth.  Then I followed that up with some steel wool.  Finally I used some Mother's Aluminum polish and polishing wheel on my bench grinder.  This only took a couple of hours and it looks all right.         



Winter is a good time for...

beard growing, getting fat, and polishing up some aluminum...yup...