engine running poorly

[calboys80]

I brought home a 1980 xs1100 special and it seems to run rough at idle and seems to clear up when reved up 2000 or more. So I started and let warm up and then pulled plug off of #1 and did not seem to have spark. So I replaced coil and now seems to have spark but still does not run well below 2000 rpm. This is my 1st real street bike and I am not sure where to start from here. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Home #530-675-9281
Thanks

[Getty]

'Clean those carbs'

I recently purchased an 80' special as well.

I had to clean my carbs. They were very bad. Make sure you do plenty of searches and read the tech tips. If you do a good job the first time. You will not have to do it a 2nd and 3rd like many of the people here. CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN. Please take your time. Do not rush this process.

[81xsproject]

530...? That is close! Where do you live? There is another XSive in Red Bluff. First, start with making sure all the connections are clean. Then Trim the spark plug wires at the plug caps to make sure you have a good connection between the cap and wire. Also, check and make sure the caps are good and that you have a connection from one end of the cap to the other. Then test the primary and secondary resistance of your coils. After all that, check to see if the plugs are firing. Schmucks sells a tester for under $10 that just plugs between the spark plug wires and the plugs and lights up when it fires. Very nice tool to have.

[prometheus578]

"Carb idle circuit plugged"

But first, as we're playing....
Swap the plug wires from #1 and #4. See if #1 runs better and #4 worse.
Put in new spark plugs.
The plug from #1... was it wet and sooty or bone dry?
Wet and sooty means it's getting fuel bu no spark. Bone dry means it's getting spark but no fuel.

I merged your threads, Calboy

[tomatao]

Woohoo, another XSive in the same area code!!! To bad that area code covers most of NorCal.

Anyway, my recent experience says start with the carbs. Mine ran poorly until I got properly cleaned and adjusted carbs on there.

These carbs can be a little testy so if this bike of yours sat for any length of time it may be best to start there.


Read the tech tips, scroll to the bottom of the main page to find the best one, not the tips at the side.

Like the others said, take your time and get everything really clean and you wont have to pull them off three or four times.

[mro]

If you were to bring it into the shop (umm... garage now)
would do as Prom says. Takes but a few minuets to check.

If you have the stock air box it takes about four hours to remove/clean/adjust and reinstall the carbs. Another half hour or so to synk carbs and adjust the pilots, then re-synk em.

Wiring (all connectors/grounds) can cause all sorts of problems if corroded.
That be another half days work to sort out.


mro