Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Need help bike won't run

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Need help bike won't run

    I have 1980 XS1100 special ,
    Problem is this.
    Bike I bought this bike 2 months ago it had just over 25,000 miles on it. I have since put over 2000 miles on this bike. The bike had been owned by an older gentlermen who had a bad experince on it and laid it down. nothing bad , but enough to scare him. He gave the bike to his son , who it appears him and his freinds rode it hard and never did any kind of maintence on it. This was what was wrong with the bike when I got it.

    Rear tire was bald
    Clutches slips a bit
    Front fork seals leaking
    brakes pulsate at low speed
    the exhaust on the right side is broke into where the header meet the muffler
    The tach jumps around sometimes for no audible reason
    cam cover leaking a bit at higher rpm's
    Starting was usually very good a few times it would take about three times as long to get it to fire over and when this happened
    the rpm's were slow to come up. but seem to clear right up no problem.


    Now this is where I'm at today,
    Iwent out for a ride on Sunday . It rode fine from the house to the gas station (about 9miles). I filled up with gas. I was about 5-6 miles down the rode and the bike acted as if it was running out of gas when cruisuing. So checked both petcocks they were on. Yes. I then gas the hell out of it stumbled for breif second then seem to run out fairly good. But everytime I would return to slower crusing speed it would actup again after a few minutes. I then stopped to eat when I came out to take off the bike started but sounded a miss. I tried give throtle only to have it sputer crackle and back fire . I could not git the rpm's to come up. Because if I gave it to much throtle to quick or if I didn't feather throtle it would die.
    Now my first though was bad gas. Or clogged fuel filter or petcock.
    So I turned the petcocks back and forth through out there settings to perhapse clear something out a bit . Nothing. I keep Starting it and and could finally feather the throtle to mid to high rpms at some points but when I would lower the rpms the bike would not allow me to throtle back up without feathering the gas again. After about 45-1 hr of this, it start to seem to clean out abit. So got on it finally able to get it to move under it's own power , while still feathering the throtle. When it finally acted like it wanted to come on. I rode it hard to try and blast anything out of the fuel system I could. It seem to clean out quite nice so I continued on with my day. I went straight to the gas station and put in some carb cleaner . But when I started to cruise at low speeds agin it started sputering again. So I took it back out on the highway a ran for 30 miles at about 90 plus . It seem to be running fine so I went home.
    Then Monday morning I got on the bike to go to work it wouldn't stay running at all except on full choke and the not very smooth.
    No matter how long I let it run it would not allow me to gain any rpm's , then died and wouldn't run at all except.
    If you turn the bike off left the choke open full then wait for about 1minute and then try to start it, it would start run smooth for 5 seconds sputer cackle and die. This continued for over 1 1/2 hours. Never did run.

    Today I took of the tank drained it checked for any blockage but petcocks ran free in every position.
    Then I checked the diaphram to make sure it was working , it checked out.
    When I went to put the hose back on inside carb I noticed there were two fittings one on the carb, one near the cyclinder on the carb holder both were unused. I tried to figure out why when I noticed all the carb holders had one near the cyclinder , all with caps, So figured these must be for adjustment, So placed the hose on the fiiting coming from the carb and capped off the other.
    Reconnected all the fuel lines making sure none where kinked. Then reinstalled the tank. Put in fresh gas. Tried starting the bike and it still it would only stay running only at low rpms , but finally with enough working the throtle I got the rpms to come up and stay. Ran it at high rpms for a minute or two . Then let it Idle down, it would rev fine so i decide to go for a ride.
    I rode it up to the highway and gave it hell after getting up to top speed and staying there for 3 miles. It seemed everything was great slowed down still running hard then slow down then hard again seemed great.
    So headed home as I was coming up to the house when it started acting up again so i took it back to the highway. Ran ****ty to begin with then ran on out. I stopped get something to drink leaving the bike running. When I left the bike started really acting up. I finally managed to limp it out onto the street and get ther rpms up I keep the rpms up as I shifted gears for about a mile then all of a sudden it just acted as if it ran out of gas.
    It would only start and run for a short time under full choke and that was it. And thats where things stand now.
    So anyboby got any help.
    I'm not your weekend warrior I ride everyday if I can and I'm a member of BACA (Bikers Against Child Abuse) and need my bike todo the rides for the kids and be there when one needs us. So please anybody that can help thanks.

  • #2
    fuel taps ok, then pilot circuit in the carbs likely blocked, sounds like lean as, too rich and it'll smoke and belch fumes, what a nightmare, runs best at 90mph, heh heh, check the jets etc.. then electrics, ouch, coils and wires, sounds like carbs, but new sparkplugs all round and see if they all spark

    Comment


    • #3
      It's carbs, plain and simple. Only able to run with the choke on is the best clue.... idle circuit is plugged. Time for a good cleaning. May only be running on three (or less)cylinders at idle, which is why you have to feather it to higher RPM so the other fuel circuits kick in.
      Get a spray bottle, put some water in it, and spray your header pipes when it's idling. I'll bet you have one or two of them that will barely sizzle.
      "Damn it Jim, I'm a doctor, not a mechanic!' ('Bones' McCoy)

      Comment


      • #4
        "It's carbs plain and simple" Damn, that means it IS electrics..

        Comment


        • #5
          Do you have a manual?

          This thrread shows petcock hose routing for a special
          http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...=&threadid=713

          Vacuum port on #2 carb is for the vac advance hose(hose originates out of the left round side cover)

          I have a couple of specials but not running and have not got around to em yet, so not sure how/where octopus vac line hooks to.

          After cleaning carbs, setting floats and syncing em and problem still exists may want to check "pick up coil" wires as a place to start.


          mro

          Comment


          • #6
            Its the carbs.......blocked pilot circuit......time for the TRIPLE clean....and new plugs.........dont play with any electrics till you have clean the carbs and I'd put $$$ on it that it will be fine after that...

            Cheers
            1982 XS1100R
            1982 XJ650
            1983 VT400
            1990 XVS Shadow
            1983 Z1100

            -I just love the look on their faces when you leave them standing in the dust after they've lined you up on your XS.

            Comment


            • #7
              Ditto on previous answers. Sounds like a carb issue. There is lotsa info here on how to do it right. FOLLOW all the instructions and ya might not hafta be a member of the "triple clean club". This refers to all of us that have had em off three times to get it right. You still get the merit badge even if you only have to do it once.
              When a 10 isn't enough, get a 11. 80g Hardbagger

              Comment


              • #8
                Octy vac line source is ...

                from the 'pus' to direct manifold vacuum ... the port on #2 intake boot is convienent.
                80G Mini-bagger
                VM33 Smooth bores, Pods, 4/1 Supertrapp, SS brake lines, fork brace

                Past XS11s

                79F Stone stocker and former daily driver, sold May '10 now converting for N.O. to cafe style
                79SF eventually dismantled for parts
                79F Bought almost new in 80, sold for a house
                79F The Ernie bike sold to a Navy dude summer 08
                79SF Squared-off Special, Vetter/Bates tour pkg., Mikes XS coils, G rear fender and tail light. Sold June 09

                Comment


                • #9
                  Thanks for all the help

                  I found that the plugs were carbon fouled and then once i cleaned them I ran sea foam through the carbs. That was the ticket. I still need to replace the plugs and rebuild the carbs. But the carbs will have to wait til end of fall, but the plugs I will do right away. Also can anyone tell me whats the best coils and wires to run on the 1980 xs1100 special?
                  I also had a question about gearing. I know the xs1100 is designed for low to mid range power but is there anyway of changing the gearing so the bike isn't running at 5000 rpm at 65-70 mph?
                  Don't get me wrong I love the performance it's just with gas prices like they are if I could change the ratio a bit since the trans is such close ratio I figured there has got to be something that can be done. Any thoughts?
                  Also Do they make a front fork brace for these? I have found ones for the standard but not the special.
                  Also why would my tach be jumping eractly when the bike doesn't seem to be running eractly?
                  Thanks again for all your help.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    search for 750 FD mod and Tkat's fork brace
                    United States Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, NY
                    If I can do it at 18 yrs old, anyone can
                    "You know something, You can't polish a turd"
                    "What are you rebelling against", "Well, what do you got?"
                    Acta Non Verba

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Hey Dozz, the coils and wires are most likely perfectly O.K. A set of shiny new plugs is fine, but don't replace expensive stuff that ain't broke! The carbs are the No1 culprit to deal with first.

                      Comment

                      Working...
                      X