i need help bad

[trevonxs11]

hey readers, i need help so bad, i have a 78 xs1100e that wont start. Last summer i had to replace the wire harness i got it on and it turns over, its getting fuel in the combustion chamber, has a spark and as it turns over it smokes a little and backfires and blows puffs of air out the air box when i give a little gas to help it start. thats what the bike does when the starter is turning the motor. i was told it is the flywheel key. i have the clymer manual,read it all done all the test and my only leads are the flywheel key. is this really my problem? thanks for any help email me for info or message me, i dont know how this site works, im new on here . Thanks

[Snow]

That sounds incredibly similar to a situation I had that I just posted about in another thread...

Check that your ignition coils and pickup coils are connected to the proper wires. In my case, the ignition coil input wires were swapped, making it fire 90 degrees off...wanting to fire yet only backfiring and blowing smoke. Swapped the wires and she fired right up.

[mro]

i need help bad

bad help need i

Hi ya trevonxs11

If you spend a little time checking thru the tech tips can find a load of info that may save you headaches now and in the future.

Very good info, main page and scroll down a bit to maintenance and repairs. Link below is in this section under "Other"

Also helps to know a little history of the bike. Been sitting (how long), last time was running, what service/repairs have been done etc..

click me >>http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...=&threadid=769


mro
btw, welcome to XS land,
got any pics of your ride???

[prometheus578]

See, now MRO...
Instead of mocking the man by twisting his words around, it would have been kinder to point out that it's not "He needs help bad", but rather, "He needs help badly." Good grammer and proper motorcycle maintenence go hand in hand.
That being said... Seeing how the wiring harness was replaced, I'm in total agreement with Snow's assessment of the problem.
A sheared flywheel key is a rarity.
Pull the plugs, make sure they're dry, switch the wires from coil to coil and try again.
Write back with the results.

Another question: When did you replace the harness... last year?
Did you replace it last year and the bike ran until now, or did you just now replace the harness and the bike won't fire?

[trevonxs11]

To start from the beginning, the bike ran great last year just idled a little slow. When i was ridding the bike it bogged down and died, i got it home checked out the bike found out i fried the harness from the main switch to the main fuse. so it set for a couple of months. i bought a new harness and main switch, and they gave me one for a special ( i didnt know till i got home, and the store offered no returns, that was a smack in the face) so i wasnt gonna let a hundred $ go to wast, so i used all the wires and connectors and made my own harness. i found a wiring diagram showing where each wire goes in each connector,big help. and the wires you guys are talkin about i was confused and guessed on connecting them, so that probably is my problem. i cant wait till morning to switch the wires around and hopefully ride it. thanks guys

[mro]

twisting his words around

i need help so bad

"He needs help badly."

Instead of mocking the man

I mock not.....just help bad (er...badly)


Wiring harnesses have differences between years too.


mro

[trevonxs11]

ya thats why i had to make my own, the harness was different, so i had 2 harnesses , i used all the good wires and connectors from the old and new harnesses and i have checked out the bike to make sure ALL wires were connected to the right places, and they are except for the white wires you guys are talkin about, ever since that was brought to my attention, i see that it most likely is my problem. i am about to go outside and see, im crossing my fingers. trevonxs11 btw i need to learn how to put pictures on this site, info on that would be great thanks

[trevonxs11]

hey i just got back in from the project, i hooked them up 2 different ways, it did a little better but i had to take a break because mother nature like to give us pop up storms, its over now so im gonna go get back to it. ill keep you posted

[underdog57]

pictures

For pictures
Use a host site like www.photobucket.com
load the picures , and click on the bottom choice to copy and past in this forum ....
there is more detailed info if you need it....

Bob

[trevonxs11]

problems again

i hooked them up in as many possible ways i could, and nothing changed, except it back fire more. in the process i found that #2 & #3 cylinders are not firing , so i am going to re check my ignition system

[oldyam80sg]

Get yourself a multimeter and read the clymer manual and check the plug wires and their caps.Also on this site, check out Randys TCI test.I had a similar problem a while ago.After replacing a set of coils, i narrowed it down to the TCI unit.The TCI unit was bad,but you could spend alot of money before you pinpoint the problem.Read the manual carefully.Also the coils, have you checked to see if the coil wires are crossed.Just because the wire is closest to that cylinder doesnt mean that they go to that cylinder.Good luck and write back!

[trevonxs11]

OMG

went out there to try to start the bike, it didnt work, but i just found out that for some reason i had fuel dripping out my air box, so i took off the carbs and air box only to find fuel now pouring out the air box ( i am ready to pull all my hair out)

[underdog57]

float valves and petcocks leaking .
I put an inline valve plus inline filters off one petcock ....and manually shut the fuel off ..

you have metal float needles that should be fine if you make sure they are clean ...
A tip is to put a cue tip in a drill to clean the float needle seats ...
you also a metal floats that possibly leak gas and dont float all the way up .
If you have original carbs ,
I set my floats to 27MM , they are upside down and resting on the float valve as you measure ...
Keep your hair on !!
Bob

[thewiz]

Mock not, lest ye not be mocked ...

...... Good grammer and proper motorcycle maintenence go hand in hand .....

Oh, really? .... does "spelling" fit in there somewhere? .... along with GRAMMER and MAINTENENCE? (We can save syntax and punctuation for another thread though.)

The good news: ... ya' got 'motorcycle' right .... the ... uhhh .... other news .... 'Grammar' and 'Maintenance', I believe, would be more acceptable, wouldn't it?

[prometheus578]

"Gee Whiz, Wiz..."

Tired eyes, fingers and the late hour ganged up on me again.
I thank you for the correction.