1976–1979 Yamaha XS500 Service & Repair Manual (P/N LIT-11616-00-08, LIT-11616-00-77)

• Covers Yamaha XS500 DOHC parallel-twin engine removal, cylinder-head disassembly, valve-guide replacement, valve-seat cutting and lapping, and cam-chain timing.
• Details wet multi-plate clutch repair, five-speed transmission assembly, shifter adjustment, and balancer-chain assembly and adjustment.
• Carburetor procedures address Mikuni BS38 and BS34 constant-vacuum units, including float-level checks, vacuum-gauge synchronization, and idle-speed adjustment.
• Chassis work includes front and rear disc-brake overhaul and bleeding, wheel-bearing replacement, and front-fork disassembly and seal replacement.
• Electrical diagnosis covers contact-breaker ignition, charging-system checks, starter-motor inspection, and self-canceling turn signals.
• Contains three full-motorcycle wiring diagrams, plus separate ignition and charging circuits, mechanical exploded views, and cable-routing drawings.

These Yamaha service publications were written for dealer service personnel; the XS500C supplement specifically calls for qualified mechanics with prior product knowledge. The base manual presents English, French, and German in parallel columns, while both supplements are in English.

Included Manuals and Model Identification

The set totals 369 pages across three PDFs, including covers and repeated scans.

The supplements are the February 1976 C edition (LIT-11616-00-08) and May 1977 E edition (LIT-11616-00-77).

Both supplements specify the XS500B service manual as their companion reference; the E supplement also requires the C supplement. The base volume included here identifies the 1H2 XS500.

The base scan has missing pages in several repair sequences, affecting clutch adjustment and portions of crankcase, oil-pump, piston-ring, steering-head, and swingarm work.

Engine Overhaul and Fuel-System Differences

Engine troubleshooting charts address hard starting, rough idle, loss of power, overheating, and white exhaust. Checks are grouped by ignition, fuel, compression, and lubrication faults.

Internal engine repair data covers cylinder and piston measurements, crankshaft runout, and main- and connecting-rod bearing selection by stamped component codes. The bearing tables warn that incorrect inserts can cause seizure. Cam-chain installation notes identify the risk of bent valves from incorrect intake-cam timing.

The Schematic Diagram of Oil Route traces the wet sump’s separate feed and scavenging circuits. The transmission layout and clutch exploded view show shaft, gear, plate, and spacer relationships for assembly checks.

The C supplement includes exhaust-CO mixture adjustment. The E supplement introduces vacuum-operated fuel petcocks and a two-position starter circuit, and identifies its idle mixture as a factory setting dealers should not alter.

Chassis Variants and Factory Specifications

The cast aluminum wheels are specified for use with tubes. The E brake update removes the caliper shim and changes the pad springs to a one-piece design.

Factory specifications provide cylinder-head fastener torque tables, intake and exhaust valve clearances, front-fork oil capacities, and component wear limits. Special-tool references identify clutch holder 90890-01024, rotor puller 90890-01080, and vacuum gauge 90890-03048.

The charging-system wiring diagram supports field- and stator-coil tests, rectifier checks, and Hitachi IC-regulator diagnosis. Regulator data distinguishes TR1Z-17 in the base manual from TR1Z-31 in the supplements. The E supplement’s Electrical Circuit Diagram and Cable Routing Diagram add the fuse layout, wire color codes, and harness routing needed for electrical repair.

When working on vintage motorcycles, always verify local workshop safety standards and ensure the machine is securely mounted before beginning any inspection to prevent accidental tipping.