79 1100 special wont stay running

[ksissom]

I just rebuilt may carbs, did the phosphoric acic clean job on the tank, rebuilt the petcocks, new fuel lines, filters, repainted and it runs pretty damn good as long as I'm holding down the start switch then the engine totally dies as soon as I take my thumb off the start switch. Had some really bad backfires a few times. Any ideas why won't it stay running?

[Dragonrider]

Check the ballast resistor connections, make sure they are connected and not shorted to the tank. They are under the tank on the left side mounted on the frame.

[Lord Grizzlon]

I have a simular prob. She starts w/ startin fluid, but wont stay runnin after. I redid the coil wires but still wont start on her own.

[Dragonrider]

That sounds more like fuel delivery . . . vacuum operated petcocks (standard) or octopus (specials) not opening . . . or dirty/clogged carbs.

[ksissom]

mine ended up being the ballast resistor, I accidently unplugged it putting the tank on & off.

[Lord Grizzlon]

I WAS UP TIL 345 AM. CLEANED CARBS. TAPED OFF THE CONNECTORS SO IT DOSENT TOUCH FRAME. STARTER WIRES WERE REDONE LST WK. VACCUME AND OCTOPUS WRK...(VAC SEEMS TO BE IN DECENT WRKIN ORDER, AND I REDID FUEL LINES) STILL WONT CRANK W/ STARTER FLUID. SOMBODY PLEASE HELP B4 I GO INSANEAND REROUTE FUEL TANK TO FEED STARTER FLUID DIRECTLY BEHIND AIR FILTERS

[Lord Grizzlon]

FOR THE LOVE OF XS11, PLEASE SOMEBODY HELP ME!!!
I EVEN TRIED BYPASSING THE OCTOPUS AND USED THE T- FITTINGS TO PLUMB THE GAS DIRECT TO THE CARBS. SHE WONT START W/ O STARTER FLUID. IM TRYIN MY BEST NOT TO HAVE HER TOWED INTO THE CLOSEST BIKE SHOP. I BEG OF ALL MY BRETHEREN TO HELP!

[Jerry]

Uh, you may have checked this, but maybe I missed it....

For one thing, use WD-40 or something other than starter fluid. The arosol in WD-40 works just as well and gives you a minimum amount of lubrication, something straight starter fluid does not do. I use a small 'squirt bottle' that once contained lotion of some type. I fill the bottle with regular gasoline and squirt a small amount into each carb. Works for me.

Second, your problem is still in fuel delivery system. One thing you might not have checked is blocked petcocks. Make sure you put them back together correctly, including the 'valve' plate behind the petcock handle. You should get fuel flow when the petcocks are in the PRI (Prime) setting. This bypasses the vacuum controls in the fuel system and feeds gas directly to the carbs.

There are bowl drains on each carb; open these up a bit and make sure each carb is getting gas into the bowl. If gas comes out when you open them, OK. If not, you are not getting gas or the drains are clogged with crud.

Check the bowl vent tubes for blockage. The bowls are vented to let air in and out to compensate for gas entering and leaving the carbs. If the vents are blocked, gas may not be entering the bowls as the air in them has no escape route. These lines are rubber, and deteriorate, and should be replaced when you re-do the other fuel lines.

You are sure you have enough gas in the tank, above reserve? (Just asking...sometimes we miss the obvious....)

Thats all that comes to mind at the moment...with petcocks on PRI you should have gas in the carb bowls and it should run without starter fluid.

[Lord Grizzlon]

ok, i put everything back to normal, checked the drain plugs again
and added more gas. adjusted thoe little knobs on the back of the carbs...the plastic covered ones. now she starts but now only 3 and 4 are runnin.

[Dragonrider]

Does you bike still have the octopus? Check (via the manual) and make sure it is all hooked up correctly and you actually have fuel to all 4 carbs...

[Lord Grizzlon]

i am chargin the battery again...long story. gonna try 2 new plugs. octopus in wrkin order. carb 2 has gas, 1 has it smetimes. dont kno why. wish me luck!

[Lord Grizzlon]

sorry if i turned this thread into my own update board.....

but....

she on and runnin gas to all carbs. purr (kind of) out of both pipes, however pipes 3 and 4 get real hot (burned my fingerprints off) while 1 and 2 are real cool, damn near cold

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there Lord G.,

It still sounds like fuel starvation on your left bank of carbs. You said that #1 sometimes gets fuel, that's not good enough! You'll get air pumping out of the pipes whether you're burning fuel or not, cause the engine and valves and pistons will still pump the stuff thru cylinders 1 and 2 even though they are not getting combusted,hence the cool pipes!!! You're essentially running the engine on only 2 cylinders.

Pull the fuel line going to the "T" inbetween 1 and 2, and turn the petcock on that side to Prime, you should get fuel pouring out that line, if not, then your Octopus and or your hose lines are not connected properly. Also, make sure fuel comes out the Petcock when on Prime. But you may have also switched the hoses for that petcock when you put it back together, so that the hose that should connect to the "Prime flowing" outlet is going to the vacuum controlled line of the Octy setup and vice versa.

A best way would be to find the outlet from each petcock that flows when on PRime, and run 1 hose just from that to each carb "T" bypassing the Octy, close off the other petcock nipple. then put it on Prime, and start the bike and test the pipes, by spraying a little water from a squirt bottle onto each one after a few minutes of running to see if they are getting hot. If so, then you will know that "SOMEWHERE" you had the Octy hoses and pipes run wrong!?!?! Just a suggestion.!!

Finally, I think you stated in an earlier post that you had checked your carbs and had found fuel in the bowls, but you could still have a stuck float, needle valve keeping the fuel from getting into the carbs after it runs a short while, running the fuel out of the bowls, and then not flowing in fast enough to replace it or keep it running. Well, I hope you get it figured out!!

T.C.

[Lord Grizzlon]

first of all, im an idiot. i did have left side hoses mixed up. hut still no gas to carb 1. Carb 2 has gas in float bowl, but pipes dont get as warm a 3 and 4. 1 get warmer...eventualy

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there L.G.,

I doubt that you're an idiot, but we've all had our "Ignorant" moments. Sounds like you may need to pull the carbs again, check the float and needle valve on #1 to make sure it moving and opening allowing fuel into the carb. When you said you cleaned your carbs, how thorough were you? Did you actually disassemble them, or just clean out the bowls and spray a little carb cleaner in it??? What condition were the vacuum diaphragms, were there any holes in them??? Are you sure your Idle circuit is clear?? The screen underneath the needle valve assembly, did you pull it and clean it, it might be clogged with sludge. You can try attaching the fuel hose to the "T" between 1 and 2, and with the carbs off the bike and bowl off, turn on the petcock and see if fuel will flow in past the needle valve, if not, then you need to do a bit more cleaning!!!!!

Good luck! T.C.