still stumped.

[xsross442]

i just bought a xs1100 i did test ride it and it ran great now it is acting very not funny one time i push the start button and it fires right up then 20 minutes later i have no spark at all. it has blown 3 running lights and the headlight works usualy only 2 out of 3 tines the key is turned on i have opened just about all of the wiring looms cleaned grounds, the magnito turned the lay down switch rightv side up tested 1 relay bt the coils under the tank if i leave the bike alone for 2 days she fires right up runs fine after i shut it off it most likely will not start agin. are there any common failures you can think of. please help

[mro]

Check/clean both fuse boxes and connections on back, and maybe starter button and kill switch. (engine will turn over w/kill switch on, but not start)

I'd check voltage out put at idle, 3K and 5K too.

Need to look at all electrial connections, including light sockets.
Head light should only come on after engine has been cranked.
Several electrical connectors in head light bucket too.


mro
btw
welcome to XS Land xsross442

will help to post your year/model too

[xsross442]

i should have noted

sorry i did not want the post to be to long but let me throw another issue in the mix a prior owner had bypassed the fuse block with inline fuses and the red white stripped lead to the kill switch is jumped i know it sounds bad and it is . i picked it up for 500 bucks and figued i was going to be wrenching on it is it possible for this to be cdi issues? when it runs it rocks. also i found a lock under the seat that looks like it just grounds out any ideas its not the hemet lock thank you for the ideas i will retest kill switch contact. the headlight comes on when key is turned on is that not correct?

[xsross442]

it is a 1978 1100s

[mro]

cdi issues?

Not cdi, "TCI" (transistor controlled ignition)
Might check both connector plugs on TCI for corrosion.

Sounds like your head light has been rewired. I'd add a switch so you can start engine with it turned off.

TCi needs min 10 or 10.5 volts to fire.

Week battery? Starter will draw more power to crank engine when its warm/hot so with light on too may not have enough juice?!

Lock under seat??? not for helmet, haven’t got a clue



mro

[mro]

sorry i did not want the post to be to long

go for it.

more info on a problem the better I can screw up the answer



mro

btw
guru's here are darn good. Have learned more in short time reading Tech Tips and posts here than checking the manual.

[xsross442]

it has a factory headlight switch that does function sometimes. is the clymer manual any good? i wish i could post a pic. of the lock it is very odd it looks factory it has a pivoting plastic cover on it i think i need some good wiring diagrams thank you for your help ido appreiciate it

[mro]

Left side facing forward???

To lock/unlock side cover.

As per manuals, there are a few "mistakes" in the clymer but over all it's helped me OK.

Theres a thread started by TC, which talks about some of the Clymer mistakes.



mro

[xsross442]

yes that is it i could now see it there is a piece broken off of the cover thank you.

[TopCatGr58]

WELCOME!

Hey there XSRoss442,

Welcome to XS11 Electrical gremlins hell!! As was said, someone bypassed the headlight relay or even the RLU(Reserve Lighting Unit). You'll want to get a RELAY and wire in an on/off switch for the headlight. The XS11 has an ALTERNATOR, not a magneto. The headlight relay would sense a current from the alternator once the bike would start which would latch it and turn on the headlight!

With it not wanting to start when warmed up, would help us to know MORE. Will it turn over but not fire, or would it not even turn over?! The 78 has a ballast resistor which could be faulty, and spreading breaking contact when warmed preventing fire. Have you checked to see if you are getting spark at the plugs when it won't start? The TCI usually bypasses the ballast resistor when starting to send more voltage to the coils for easier starting, then routes it thru the resistor once started so as not to burn up the coils!

Also, you said the Kill Switch was jumped, so it's out of the equation. You might want to pull the main ignition switch, you can take it apart and check and clean corrosion from it! Also check to ensure all wires are soldered solidly.

Are the inline fuses GLASS? If so you'll want to replace with the plastic solid style! IF you want a real fuse block, I still have a few available, see the tech tip!

There are some large white connectors behind the fuseblock area, follow the wires from the ALT. up to the loom, pull those and check and clean, and then check your charging system, voltmeter across the battery, at idle and then at 2500 rpm, should go from ~12 to 14.3 volts at high rpm!

Don't worry about the length of your posts as you can see by the length of this reply!!! More Info=BETTER!
T.C.

[xsross442]

the bike always crank very well i just spent 4 hours going through all of the wiring from the key switch down also reconnected the kill switch that is good i dont know why it was bypassed. i cleaned every connector behind the headlight including for marker lamps now all of the lights work perfectly but still no spark. the spark issue is now a constant problem it has not given spark since saturday. there are red and white wires going to the coils under the tank getting 12 v. 1 has an orange also 12 v. other has grey also 12 v. is this correct? could these coils be bad? ive never seen one go bad. thank you for the help

[xsross442]

where is the ballast resistor could this be the problem? i also found a relay not firing right over the coils i moved this by hand with no improvement

[TopCatGr58]

The search continues!

The Relay you removed that was in front of the cross beam over the coils was the headlight relay! The one behind the cross beam is the tipover emergency cutoff which you had stated you had checked and positioned right side up!

The ballast resistor is mounted to the frame just below the tank, the left rubber tank mount, it's a ~2" long piece with 2 red/white wires going thru it!

12 volts to the red/white wires is correct for starting, but IF you have a ballast resistor(PO might have also bypassed it), and you might NOT have OEM coils with 2H7 model #, but might have later year 4RO model from 81 which uses the 12 volts, directly, has ~3ohm primary resistance instead of 1.5 ohm! But, IF you've got 12 volts at the coils, then it should at least start, providing the TCI and pickup coils are working. IF it would start and keep running only as long as you held the starter button in, then the ballast resistor could be suspect, but no start from beginning leads us to other possibilities!

The TCI's have been known to develop problems, mainly cold soldered joints on the board, you can't remove the board, but you can pull the cover and inspect and resolder if needed, see Randy's TCI repair tip/link!

But you also need to check the pickup coil wires for breaks, there's a tech tip on that as well!

Keep digging, you'll find it!
T.C.

[skids]

Re: help me im stumped

The blowing of running light filiments generally means that charging is too high. How many volts is that thing charging at? Did it boil away battery water? Volt regulators can stick on or off!

Originally posted by xsross442
i just bought a xs1100 i did test ride it and it ran great now it is acting very not funny one time i push the start button and it fires right up then 20 minutes later i have no spark at all. it has blown 3 running lights and the headlight works usualy only 2 out of 3 tines the key is turned on i have opened just about all of the wiring looms cleaned grounds, the magnito turned the lay down switch rightv side up tested 1 relay bt the coils under the tank if i leave the bike alone for 2 days she fires right up runs fine after i shut it off it most likely will not start agin. are there any common failures you can think of. please help

[skids]

One thing to check is that there is good frame contact for ground at the voltage regulator. I am not an electrical engineer, but I suspect that a poor ground at the VR will make it act irratically.