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  • Its Alive!!!!!

    On the first try no less.

    My motorcycle jack was in the way of changing the oil, so that was the first thing I did after rolling it outside. BOY was that ever the most foul, fetid stuff I've ever seen. That oil was likely 5+ years old, had gas from puking carbs before I tore it apart AND had lots of penetrating oil from my attempts to free up my stuck #2 rings. I made double darn sure to spin the engine over with no plugs to get good oil all through the engine before I fired it up.

    The other thing that really surprised me was....no house engulfing cloud of smoke. I was POSITIVE that with all the oil I've been shooting in there that I'd have a HUGE cloud of smoke.

    Nothing. Not even a puff of smoke when it started. I was a little disappointed to tell the truth.

    The carbs synched up with no problems. I checked the timing with my light and it looks like it is dead on.

    I do have a couple of issues.

    1) #2 carb fuel/air adjustment was difficult and before my pea brain decided that I could remove the reserve lighting unit to make way for the screw driver, I buggered up the screw top. Now I can only turn it one full turn. It will go from full closed to one turn open, then it sticks and I can't open it any further.

    2) I'm getting a bunch of popping (backfiring), especially from #2 as I turn it richer. When I was using the colortune, I was having problems seeing a continuous flame. The spark didn't look constant. I initially wrote it off in my mind as not knowing how it looks through this thing. However, I finally noticed that my electronic tach on my timing light was all over the place. One moment it would say that it was idling at about 1000rpm. The next moment it would say 4xxrpm, then 7xxrpm. It just bounces all over. But by ear, it was idling very nicely. No way was it dipping down to 400 range. So, I turned on the timing light and I can see the light isn't constant. Also, the backfire happens right after the light misses a step. Clipping the timing light/tach onto plug #2 shows the same thing. I'm assuming that I have the "broken ignition pickup wires" to deal with....

    Once I decided I had ignition problems, I stopped all my tuneup attempts.

    Other than that, all looks good.

    Even better, I think my stuck ring isn't anymore. When I first started it up, I was getting the light smoking from the left tail pipe like I did before I tore it apart. Later in the afternoon, I noticed that it wasn't smoking anymore. Perhaps all the penetrating oil I've been shooting in there has helped??? Anyway, I take it as a very good sign. I didn't do a compression check. I should have, but once I determined my ignition problem, I just dropped everything and rolled it back inside. I'll check it out next time I start it up again.

    Anyway, I'm very pleased with what I see overall. I was expecting to find some kind of run-time problem so I'm not surprised. I just need to replace the needle & patch the wires.

    Eric
    Eric Roellig
    1980 SG w Windjammer V & KG hard bags
    **Very first bike**
    Current condition: Running!!! Lead, follow or get the #^%# out of my way!!!!!!

  • #2
    just remember that with the wasted spark system used on these things, that your timing light tach will read twice your correct RPM
    1980 XS11 Special aka The Monster
    "My life used to be a Soap Opera, until I realized something, I own the network."
    My Photo Bucket

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by renegade_xs11g
      just remember that with the wasted spark system used on these things, that your timing light tach will read twice your correct RPM
      No it doesn't. I put it in 2-cycle mode.

      Eric
      Eric Roellig
      1980 SG w Windjammer V & KG hard bags
      **Very first bike**
      Current condition: Running!!! Lead, follow or get the #^%# out of my way!!!!!!

      Comment


      • #4
        What's the best way to....

        Whats the best way to get a mixture screw, with a buggered screw top, out of the carbs? The slot in the top is wallowed out and I can only turn it 1 turn from fully closed.

        I have a replacement on-the-way, and I need to figure out how to remove the old one without causing myself more problems than I already have....

        Thanks

        Eric
        Eric Roellig
        1980 SG w Windjammer V & KG hard bags
        **Very first bike**
        Current condition: Running!!! Lead, follow or get the #^%# out of my way!!!!!!

        Comment


        • #5
          a small enough left twist drill should work ...
          one other sugestion might help is to chuck up a screw driver bit in a drill press . that will allow a lot of leverage to try back out the screw ...

          bob
          1979 XS1100 SPECIAL (under 18,000 miles Sold 5/12/2016
          1982 XJ1100 MAXIM(PARTS BIKE??)shows 14,000 miles ??? Up for sale whole or parts

          Comment


          • #6
            You can carefully grind a new slot with a fine-point diamond burr in a dremel tool. This will get the screw out, then with a bit more clean-up and work on the slot, you can still use the screw.
            Ken Talbot

            Comment


            • #7
              Thanks for the suggestions, guys.

              Its legal now (insurance & plates) and I'm itching to GO!!!

              I still need to pick up a brain bucket, then I'M good to go

              Eric
              Eric Roellig
              1980 SG w Windjammer V & KG hard bags
              **Very first bike**
              Current condition: Running!!! Lead, follow or get the #^%# out of my way!!!!!!

              Comment


              • #8
                Well, I'm working from home today. FedEx stopped by with my replacement mixture screw early this morning. So, I choked down something quick for lunch & headed out to the garage to see how far I could get during my noon break.

                Darn if I didn't get the carbs out of the bike and get the new mixture screw in place.

                So now I just need to put the carbs back on & deal with the ignition wires, which is the only known problem at this point.

                The saga continues....
                Eric Roellig
                1980 SG w Windjammer V & KG hard bags
                **Very first bike**
                Current condition: Running!!! Lead, follow or get the #^%# out of my way!!!!!!

                Comment


                • #9
                  The Plot Thins....

                  I used the "Ignition Problem" tech tip to verify that the ignition pickup coil leads were my problem....except that they tested out good.

                  I saw the same 600 ohms on each one as the tip mentions. Moved the advance & wiggled wires. Nothing. Solid as can be.

                  Ok. So I tested the coils from the ignition module plug. I tested 3.5 ohms for each coil. I was expecting 2.5 as the perfect case. I assume that 3.5 is OK???

                  Testing between the two plug caps on each coil (expecting 15,000 ohms):

                  Coil 1 & 4: 120,000 ohms
                  Coil 2 & 3: 22,000 ohms

                  So, I would assume that new coils would be a good thing here. But would this account for bad ignition on both sets of plugs?

                  I took the cover off the iggy, but didn't see any obvious solder issue. Didn't take the electronics out of the case to look at that side of the board.

                  I don't think that following the advanced tests in the tip would help me since the plugs on both coils are having intermittent spark. Swapping wires won't tell me anything.


                  So, do I point to the coils and exclaim "Ah Ha!!!", or is there something else I should check? (Besides making sure the connections are clean....)

                  Thanks

                  Eric
                  Eric Roellig
                  1980 SG w Windjammer V & KG hard bags
                  **Very first bike**
                  Current condition: Running!!! Lead, follow or get the #^%# out of my way!!!!!!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    in my case it was the caps....no more popping...xs smooth now
                    82 XJ1100 Maxim
                    80 XS1100 engine and parts doner
                    Awsome machine.....love going on rides.....
                    black on black

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Fredjohny
                      in my case it was the caps....no more popping...xs smooth now
                      That actually helps make sense out of what I've been seeing. I've been trying to figure out why #2 pops >>SO<< bad, but #3 doesn't.

                      I think I'll trim the wire ends on #2 & put my old cap back on & see if that helps in the mean time. Actually, perhaps I'll swap a couple of the caps & see if the problem follows the cap.

                      Thanks for the suggestion.

                      Eric
                      Eric Roellig
                      1980 SG w Windjammer V & KG hard bags
                      **Very first bike**
                      Current condition: Running!!! Lead, follow or get the #^%# out of my way!!!!!!

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Entire ignition high voltage side is corrupt.

                        Well, now I have positive proof that the caps are at least contributing to my ignition woes. I trimmed the end of the plug wires so make sure I didn't have any corrosion problems there. When I screwed the caps back on, I check between the pairs on the same coil to make sure I had connectivity. One cap is now definitely intermittent. With the cap screwed off, I can put it on my ohm meter & tap it lightly. It will conduct, then not conduct... When they all conduct, they ohm out to 5K like they are supposed to.

                        With the caps off, my coil for #1 & #4 is still 100K ohms (instead of 15k with the plugs on) so the coils are also shot.

                        I'm definitely replacing the entire high voltage side of my ignition system. (yet another order to MikesXS....) I think this is my 3rd order to them in as many weeks.

                        I also noticed that I have 3 different styles of caps on this engine. Must not be the first time this has happened....

                        Eric
                        Last edited by eroellig; 07-03-2007, 04:53 PM.
                        Eric Roellig
                        1980 SG w Windjammer V & KG hard bags
                        **Very first bike**
                        Current condition: Running!!! Lead, follow or get the #^%# out of my way!!!!!!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Ready for another &quot;tune up&quot; session

                          Well, my latest order from MikesXS came today. The new coils, wires & plugs are in place. These coils bolted right into place on my '80SG. No reaming required of the mounting holes.

                          I pulled a plug from each coil & spun the engine. Both coils are producing spark. Ignition should be good-to-go.

                          The carbs are back in place and the fuel lines are also in place with the in-line filters.

                          So, I'm ready to roll it back outside again & fire it up. Except that today we have severe thunderstorms rolling through the area. I'll wait till tomorrow. However, I did a cold engine compression test. #2 compression has definitely recovered as I suspected from the lack of smoking during idle. It is testing out at the same compression levels as the other 3 (cold values vary from 110psi to 115psi.) I'll check them again after the engine is warmed up from tuning. But it seems like I have no ring issue. That was my only real worry during the past 18 months.

                          I'm targeting no later than this weekend to get out on the road. It's so close now that I can taste it!!

                          Eric
                          Eric Roellig
                          1980 SG w Windjammer V & KG hard bags
                          **Very first bike**
                          Current condition: Running!!! Lead, follow or get the #^%# out of my way!!!!!!

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            The day has come.

                            The past 18 months have been spent nursing my neglected steed.

                            With the XSelent and generous help of so many here on this forum, She and I have gotten to know each other. I've healed Her wounds and restored Her spirit. The time spent with Her has also helped to restore myself. Simple days with a wrench in hand after hard days labor for others, where I can look back at what I've accomplished by days end.

                            She has been made whole.

                            Now, it is time for Her to begin to teach me the ways of Her kind.

                            There is just one thing left to install.....
                            Eric Roellig
                            1980 SG w Windjammer V & KG hard bags
                            **Very first bike**
                            Current condition: Running!!! Lead, follow or get the #^%# out of my way!!!!!!

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: The day has come.

                              Let me guess...your butt onto the seat?

                              Originally posted by eroellig


                              Now, it is time for Her to begin to teach me the ways of Her kind.

                              There is just one thing left to install.....
                              Skids (Sid Hansen)

                              Down to one 1978 E. Stock air box with K&N filter, 81H pipes and carbs, 8500 feet elevation.

                              Comment

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