XS1100 Running Erratically

[Steve P]

Hello friends at XS11.com,

I have a 1980 XS1100SG. It's hard to start and it sputters and pops back through the carburetors. 1 and 4 exhaust get hot while 2 and 3 stay cold while warming up. If I leave the choke fully engaged and ride the machine it seems to run ok but continues to pop through the carburetors on occasion although it seems to run fairly strong. At idle, removed #2 and #3 spark plug wire and spark is evident enough to shock but looks very orange in color rather than blue. Seems weak to me. I conducted the TCI voltage checks, per the manual, results as follows.
Grey to ground: 12V
White/Red to ground: 12V
Black white to ground: 0V
Orange to ground: 12V
Red/White to ground: 12V.
Manual says black/white to ground should be 6V, mine reads 0V. Tough one to figure, machine runs fine, cruises along normally, idles normally once warmed up although pops through carburetors occasionally. Anyone have any ideas, thank you.

Steve

[DiverRay]

Steve,
Do a complete check of the ignition. Check the pickup coils, primary coils, and check all connections. I would look really close at the pickup coil wires, as it would be a good suspect. 2&3 are on the same coil, and on different fuel delivery systems, so it probably isn't carbs. ( although, if both 2&3 carbs have bad needle valves, that could be a problem....)
Ray

[Ken Talbot]

How long since our carbs were cleaned, synchronized, and color tuned?

[mro]

idles normally once warmed up although pops through carburetors occasionally.

enricher circut on 2/3 sounds clogged.

Whens the last time carbs were cleaned and sync'ed



mro
btw
useing the stock air box???