electrical gremlin

[Loch]

Hi Loch, Brant,,,,I checked the wires right next to the sensor, just barely coming out of the sensor and the one sensor had a bad, superhigh resistance, the other sensor was at the factory 730 ohms,,,,question- I cleaned the kill switch and it allows the starter to run fine in the on position and in the off position starter is shut off,,,,,,,Can the ignition circuit be shut off at the kill switch in the on position if the switch is turning over the starter just fine??? Mike in San Diego

This is not a clear question to me. If I understand the question, then, crank and shut off are separate circuits.
Your crank circuit is fine the fault may be in your ignition circuit before it splits into pairs of cylinders.

[Loch]

Socer4m, I would look again at the grounding circuit the CDI uses. A fault here would account for all the symptoms. You also need to address the pulse generator.

[Socer4m]

update,,,,checked the tci ground, was good to frame and end of wire, checked kill switch, took off and checked for continuity,,,good in on, and zero voltage in off, so switch is good,,,,,one pair of pickups reads the normal 730 ohms the other is 10000 ohms,,,,so am waiting on a pair of pickups to verify the no spark,,,,only thing left is the ignition coils, dyna 3ohms,,,checked ok for both in resistance, primary and seconday. Danmmm hope its the pickups, so thanks again for all the insight guys, xs1100, the gorilla on steroids,,,,,,will update soon,,,,,Mike in Sun Diego

[CaptStiffy]

Afternoon all. Mike, I'm glad you're getting somewhere with yours.
I've just found that my bottom pick up is shot. Reading nothing at all. It's probably a broken wire but I am no expert in the soldering area of things. So I'm going to call a motorcycle electrician out to do that. You can't find pick ups in the UK for love nor money. £150 each new from Europe. A sparky will cost me about £100. So that's the route I'll take.

The joys of older bikes eh chaps?

[Socer4m]

HI Capt. Stiffy,,,exactly same issue with mine, bottom pickup has super high resistance,,,,you might try an ohmeter and poke the probe into each wire just coming out of the pickup and see if it reads around 730 ohms,,,,if so the break is after that which is a good thing, then its just adding some new wire. IF you get stuck, there are members here in USA with extra pickups, stay on the thread and we can send some out.....I am waiting for a pair also from one of the good xs members,,,,,,,,,,,,Mike in USA San Diego

[Socer4m]

SEMI GOOD NEWS!!! I put in a pair of pickups and voila, I HAVE SPARK!! I havent fired it up yet for starting but the inline spark tester was nice and lit up,,,I almost peed my pants,,,after chasing the electrical gremlin that it was,,,,every wire, connection, device, etc..thanks to all who have had input, Capt Stiffy, Motoman, Loch, BIker PHil- a lot, Radiologsguy, Cajun31 and any I missed,,,,,so tomorrow is the firing up day and hope for the eternal flame of combustion.....Mike in San Diego

[Socer4m]

Just an update on the electrical no spark issue,,,IT IS ALIVE AND RUNNING LIKE AN ANGRY AP,Eto hours of completely checking out every fricken connection and wire it boiled down to one or more of the pickup coils, internally. Thanks to Joe, now in Iowa,,,,,he had an extra set of these,,,,,popped them in and voila. Weird that one of the pickups ohmed out perfect but no spark, the other would ohm out most of the time, so figured at least two plugs would fire, but the xs gods and electrics killed all four plugs from firing,,,,,anyway, the bike is running good,,,,am putting it up for sale, as I have too many bikes as it is, if anyone from the xs club is looking for a completely fairing, bagged 81 xs,,,all original except the exhaust pipes,,,ride it anywhere home,,,,I dont really mind the sound of the aftermarkets but the factory or Harley muffs would make me cry from the sweet sound of this good running engine, If I can figure out how to post pics, it will be done, thanks to all the xssevive owner, mechanics with the tips, help,,,,,you all rock, Mike in San Diego, part time Pa.

[bikerphil]

I'm glad you got it running Mike, good luck with the sale.