'80 xs 11 special/ stumped

[scalded dog]

Have taken the clutch apart, and put it back together again, a couple times, but the release mechanism, won't work, even pushed it buy hand carefully pried on it so to put enough pressure on it, can't figure it out, also, after 3-4 mins, the exhaust gets extremely hot, after 5 mins, the pipes start turning red, all four, but motor sounds good, except for some popping, give me a hand guys, any ideas. Thanks "Dog

[81xsproject]

We need more info. I am not even sure what you are talking about. Hot from idling? While riding? Clutch won't engage or disengage? What ever the issue, if it is getting that hot, you could be doing serious damage. We need some history, what you've done so far, any mods to the bike, etc...

[scalded dog]

Thanks, clutch lever inside the right cover that the cable hooks to, won't budge, the clutch boss is set completely on bottom, in perfect mesh with the oil pump gear and the prime drive gear, as for heating up quick had it sitting on the center stand, idling/ reving a little, just don't have a clue, the motor has been setting for a few years, may have been a little seized, going to squirt some lube in the cylinder tommorrow. Thanks 'Dog

[XSPastor]

Hey Dog,

These bikes are air-cooled. They shouldn't be run sitting still without a fan. That is probabaly part of the problem if you are not using a fan. I blow two fans on mine while I'm synching the carbs and I still try to work quickly. On the clutch thing... Sounds like you may not have assembled the clutch realease mechanism correctly. I'll let others chime in on that. Check the manual if you have one. Just rebuilt mine with no problem but paid close attention to the order and position of the parts.

Tim

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Scalded,

While you had the clutch cover off, did you check the mechanism for movement, and the presence of the 3 ball bearings that CAN FALL out if the lever it rotated before it's put into place??

Was there a thrust washer down inside the basket between the clutch boss assembly and the basket assembly, as well as under the basket where it mounts onto the clutch shaft??

Did you actually take the clutch basket apart??

Have you checked the carbs, is the jetting right?? You need to put a fan blowing across the engine when you run/idle it for more than a few minutes, but sounds like it is a bit lean!?
T.C.

[79XS11F]

I must chime in here and say that I am very confused about this don't idle the engine without a fan on it thingee. I a closed garage with no air moving whatsoever .. yes I would recommend a fan on the engine ... but ... What happens when we get stick in traffic on hot, humid windless days. Yes the engine fades but it still runs. If you think about it to say that you can't idle the engine without a fan on it is like saying this bike can only be used on windy days or when there is little risk of becoming stuck in Traffic or there's a risk of engine damage. It just doesn't make sense.
OK .. you can all take to blasting me now and get it over with :-)
Rob

[scalded dog]

Thanks guys, hope I can figure this out, I did move the mechanism back and forth while I had the cover off, didn't notice any bearings falling out, and the lever seems to work properly when turning it with the cover off, can see the "push plate", don't know what it;s called, but I can see it rise and fall, as it should to push the pressure plate to release the clutch, but it won't budge when I have the cover on. I have a clymer manual, and followed it to the letter, one washer has the dome side, which the manual said should face out, it is between the lock washer, and the clutch basket/boss, the other washer is in between the basket and the clutch plates, have had it completely apart, always putting it back together the same way, the entire clutch is off another bike, an 81 midnight special, motor was bad, and am putting this '80 special together, as for the heating up, I still have my standard, and have sit in traffic longer than what I run the special today, and know it should not get this hot from running it a few minutes, but have not checked the jetting, also I did put a four in to one,mac exhaust on it, which I bought new a couple years ago, but only ran it on a '78 standard for about a year, it ran great without rejetting, but then went back to 4 in to 2. Thanks 'Dog

[trbig]

With the clutch cover on, this clutch arm should not be able to be moved by hand.. There are some ridges under the arm on the cover itself. I use one of these and a stout screwdriver to pry up on the lever counter clockwise to get the cable connected back to it. You have to over-ride all 6 compressed springs under that star plate to get the plate pushed in.


Tod

[TopCatGr58]

Stupid question, but it does have a star plate doesn't it???

You are mentioning a washer with the LOCK WASHER!?!? The lock washer is under the star plate. The Star plate is what the throwout rod pushes against to compress the springs and separate the plates!

The LARGE Thrust washers I was talking about were the one like you said in between the clutch basket and clutch boss/plate assembly. The other large thrust washer goes on the shaft next to the engine case before you put the basket on!

But the basket needs the star plate with its central bearing and cup that the throw out rod pushes against to be able to separate the plates!

If you go to the Yamaha Online Parts Fiche site, here's the link , then you can see an exploded view of the clutch assemblies to be sure you have all the parts in the right place. Duh....or look on page 115 of your clymer's. Sounds like you might be missing the large thrust washer next to the engine??

Hey Rob, boy your cabin fever/PMS is showing!!
Of course you can run/idle it without a fan for a while, but when you are doing things like trying to tune the carbs and such it's BETTER for the bike to have some air flow. What's the temp in YOUR garage, 40 degrees!!!!
T.C.

[scalded dog]

Thanks, didn't expect the clutch arm to be so stong, so maybe that problem may be solved, I did not hook the cable back up this time, but the first time, the cable would not pull it at all, the washer that covers the bearing aganst the engine is in place, I put everything in place that was in the manual, and nothing was missing, thanks, also will check tech tips for jet size for the carbs, instead of assuming they are right, simply because they came off the 81 special. Later 'Dog

[oldnortonrider]

You don't have to have the engine running to be able to engage and release the clutch~~to pull the arm up and down with clutch
cable (if it's workin'). Go here to see complete TopCat pictorial of clutch dis-assembly and assembly. I'm in the middle of this job, right now. Have complete tutorial/pictorial hangin' on the wall.
> http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...&threadid=9481 .

TopCat; that arm gave me a lot of trouble, while I wrestled with that cover, for a good long time, scraping the old gasket off and cleanin' it up. Finally had to zip-tie it; spring even jumped out while I was doing all this. Wonder those balls didn't get out.

[wa407mpp]

cooling fan

I have always used a couple of squirrel cage fans off a furnace to cool my bikes while working on them, you stand them in a couple 5 gal. plastic buckets, one on each side of the front wheel, and aim them where need them. Their cheep and move more air then a regular fan. So you can run your engine as long as you want, without overheating.

[scalded dog]

Hello guys, I figured out the clutch problem, the PO, screwed the clutch adjustment screw in as far as it would go, rode it down the road, some spitting and popping, couldn't get over 30-40 mph, came back checked the pick-up wires, two of the wires blue & white, were broken, repaired that, road it up the road, ran alittle smoother, but still wouldn't get up over about 45 mph, gave it more gas and it seemed to bog out but not completely, backed off ran a little smoother, any ideas would be greatly appreciated, as i am stumped again. Thanks 'Dog

[manshack_one]

my first guess would be fuel starvation. Maybe a kinked hose? Trash in the tank impeding the flow of fuel? Maybe it's horribly out of sync like mine was? what do the plugs look like? run it up to the bogging down point and kill it with the switch. coast to the shoulder and pull the plugs then report back.

[oldnortonrider]

scalded dog > glad to hear your "clutch mystery" was discovered; I was looking forward to hearing what it would amount to.
?Fuel problem > you might take all four drain plugs loose from the float bowls~~put some kind of "catch tray(s)" under the drain plug holes~~turn both petcocks to prime, and see if all the holes flow a fair stream; and they should all flow similar. I've been able to take "short cuts" to isolate fuel problem(s) or "?which carburetor(s)", on occasion, by doing this.

TopCat~~thank you, thank you~~for the clutch pictorial, that I've been eyeballin' for more than a year. The clutch plate replacement is complete. That's a nervewrackin' job. Many ways to mess it up. I was still "unsure" about "everything", until I did run it and roadtest it. The clutch does work perfect. I read recently in one of the m/c publications, where 2 different new KTMs(900cc), (that were actually known about) had two of the clutch spring bolts had backed all way off and were turning/rubbing against case cover. I can see now how that could happen. Fairly easily. That's a TEDIOUS "configuration".