Hard to Start - All Cleaned

[scott0757]

I have a 1980 XS1100SG and it is a bear to get started.
I just had all 4 carbs apart, cleaned and replaced my main jets due to a new MAC 4 X2 header and muffler system. OEM had (4) 110 mains that I bumped to 120 (cyls. 1 &4 ) and 125 (cyls. 2 &3). I popped the pilot screw caps so I could remnove and clean them out, blown clear and reset to 1.75 turns.

Bike runs great once it starts. Idle seems to increase from rough 1000RPM to almost 2000 RPM as the bike warms.

Cold starts make me nervous that it will ever start. Full enricher/no throttle and I get chugs and sputters, but never s start. Half enricher /no throttle I get less chugs, but never a start. I end up having let it chugh away with full enrichment, turn it off totally and turn the throttle about a 1/8 to 1/4 turn while cranking to catch and then eventually get a clean running idle.

I plan to back out the pilot screw another 1/4 top 1/2 turn and see what happens. Is there e technique i need to learn to get a cold bike started? Once it's warm, I stay away from the enrichers to restart and normally fires right up.

Suggestions welcomed! Thanks guys!

[pggg]

Revs rising higher and higher when warming equals too lean on the idle/pilot circuit, crank those mix screws out another turn or so, but it still sounds like the starter jets/circuit are gummed up...

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Scott,

IT shows that you've been reading and trying to apply the info you've found here, but looks like you may have missed the one posted about the small starter jets that are in the bottom of the float bowls. There's a tunnel in the bowl as well, and the fuel needs to flow thru that jet and up that tunnel into the matching tube on the carb body. Make sure those jets and tunnels are clear and you can spray cleaner thru them....Eye Protection PLEASE! Sometimes requires use of a small wire to poke into that jet to clear the varnish/gum!?
T.C.

[mitch]

enricher circut

Pull the bottom off your carbs , look at them and you will see a circut there, Take a piece of haywire and clean it out then spray carb cleaner thru it. Reinstall carb bottoms then start her up sounds like a bench sync will help also .
Doug

[mitch]

Carb Facts

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...=&threadid=867
http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=88
http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=39
http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=38
check out these threads
Doug

[81XS1100-2006]

make sure you're battery is fully charged too!

[scott0757]

Been through all the posted articles and cleaned/blew out every pore and pinhole I could find on the carbs and jets. Not sure about a circuit in the float bowl itself as except for the drain plugs, I see no holes to be probed and cleaned. I wish I had taken a picture of the bowl when it was off..

For now I'll open the pilot screws another 1/2 turn ans see what it does. If still no good, dissection time again. I am getting faster at removing and replacing the carb bank, but I don't look at that as a good thing...

Thanks (and stay tuned...no pun intended)

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Scott,

I finally found the fine photo that Ken Talbot had posted showing the little jet down in the tunnel of the float bowl, see below!


If it was full of crud, you might have missed seeing it!? T.C.

[Hired_Goon]

Scott, After an unsuccessful start, try pulling the plugs and see if they are wet. My second bike had a habit of flooding so I had to hold the throttle open while cranking to let some air in.

Hopefully fixed it (haven't tested yet) by lowering the float levels. They were all over the place.

[scott0757]

Thanks for the pic and advice. Was not able to take anything apart today but did try opening the pilot screws 1/2 turn. Was slightly improved, but not by as much as I expected. As cracking the throttle drops the richening circuit vacuum, I've been waiting for lots of chugs with full enrichment before I crack the throttle and then it eventually starts.

I really don't remember this vent being in my float bowls so will look tomorrow night on # 1 or 4 that I can get to without a full carb bank removal. Was this present in the 1980 SG's? (Old carb/intake boots are getting fragile....but coated with high temp RTV until the get replaced.)

Also as 81XS1100 says, the battery is new and well charged as no kick starter on this baby!

[Ken Talbot]

Originally posted by scott0757
I really don't remember this vent being in my float bowls so will look tomorrow night on # 1 or 4 that I can get to without a full carb bank removal. Was this present in the 1980 SG's?

That little, troublesome orifice is on all models of XS11 carbs. If you don't remember cleaning it, it probably needs it.

[wingnut]

Gaskets

If you replaced the bowl gaskets make sure you have punched out the chads so that there is a clear passage from the bowl to the carb body for the enricher. DAHIKT

[scott0757]

That Was It! I was so focused on the carb jets and passageways, I totally missed this float bowl jet. None of the 4 passed any carb cleaner I sprayed into the holes, so I had to clear them with a wire feeler gage until the ran clear.

Start up was instant on full and then half enricher settings. It seems to even idle better, probably as the vent tube is now more effective at getting atmospheric pressure into the bowl. Could have also contributed to the general lean running condition.

Thanks guys for this tip! This forum is outstanding!