Official Call For Help

[BigDick]

I'm about the same distance away as Ivan, I'd be willing to help as well.

I can help you. really, I can. I just need to get some free time to get up that way.

What you are describing should be fairly easy to fix, and not take that much time.

There is a possibility of me heading there after work friday, which would get me to KC about 8. We could wrench on it in to the night, and I can grab a room and work on it until about noon, when I'll have to run, due to previous commitments, namely a cambodian baby shower, which involves lots of food and booze. Maybe we can get Vince and Harry there and I'd even spring for some hot wings, or BBQ. I hear there might be a good place to get BBQ in KC, but it might be a stretch.

Just maintain, and we WILL get it running at some point. Time is the barrier. We all hate waiting, but usually it is rewarded.

Ivan

[dbeardslee]

The specials have a little gizmo called an octopus that the petcocks run into. Inside the octopus is a little vacuum activated diaphram that starts and stops the flow of fuel. If that diaphram isn't working properly, it will allow gas to continue to flow to the carbs even when there is no vacuum present. If the needle and seats in your carbs aren't working properly you'll wind up with gas dribbling out of your carbs. The other thing that happens in this situation is the gas goes the other way as well - into the combustion chamber where it can leak past your rings and into the oil. This thins the oil out and can really cause problems, like a spun bearing if you run it with a load that way.

Lots of members simply get rid of the octopus and use the fuel taps for 'on' and 'off', or you can get rebuild kits for the octopus. It's easy enough to tell if the octopus is leaking. Pull the fuel line off between the octopus and the carbs. Turn the taps to 'on', and if fuel comes out of the line with no vacuum present it indicates that it isn't working properly.

Once you have the leak stopped, change the oil and filter so as to get rid of the contaminated stuff.

When you ordered your rebuild kits, did you verify that they were for a special? Also, in your personal profile it would be a good idea to list all the particulars for your machine - specifically modifications. Aftermarket exhaust, drilled airbox, etc. can affect the jetting requirements. More information would be helpful.

[Wolfpaws]

I don't know if anything has been modified on the bike at all - I have no way of telling and just got it - the person I got it from didn't really know either.

I do plan on getting the oil changed out when I do the carbs, just in case stuff did leak into the oil. I guess when I get everything pulled apart to start working on the carbs, we'll find out if the octopus thingie is or isn't working either.

[DGXSER]

First let me clear up that I do see your in Oklahoma and not in Marion Indiana, sorry for the confusion on your location.

As to the mods, if you look at your exhaust, is there a muffler on each side of the bike with two cylinders headers going into each one? That is a 4-2 exhaust system, if all four headers go into one collector and out one muffler on one side of the bike, that is a 4-1 exhaust. These bikes came stock with an "air box" which is usually a chrome thing sitting behind the carbs where your air filter lives. Some remove it and put individual filters on each carb, "POD" filters. Some also keep the air box but drill holes in the bottom to let it breath easier.

Those are typical mods you can visually identify. Also it is VERY helpful if you edit your signature to indicate what year and model your bike is. We all assume it is an XS1100, but is it a "standard" or a "Special" or even a "Midnight Special" which you probably stated back in a thread somewhere, but if it is in your signature we dont have to look back to find that info and it does make a difference as to what the answer would be on some items.

[Wolfpaws]

I made the appropriate changes to my signature file.

I'm actually located in Kansas City, Missouri - is it not showing on my profile? I see it when I look at the details...

[dbeardslee]

Wolfy - When you look at the exhaust, take a look underneath and see if there is a cross-over (pipe connecting the left and right sides). If you've got 4/2 with the cross-over it's stock. If you have 4/2 without the cross-over it's aftermarket. Makes a difference when computing your jetting requirements. Also, if you take the bottom of the airbox off, look in and see if there are any holes drilled inside the 'ring' created by the filter element - also affects jetting. Some have drilled their airboxes outside the 'ring', which is improper and results in unfiltered air going into the carbs. It's bass-ackwards from the way you would think it works.

Pictures are always helpful if you have a digital camera. To add pictures you need to setup an account on photobucket (or something similar). Photobucket works great and it's free. You upload the pictures to photobucket, and then link to picture using the "insert image" icon in your message.

[DGXSER]

It is showing, I just need to get my readin specs out I suppose. Or lay off the caffiene for today!!

[Rasputin]

Wolfy - When you look at the exhaust, take a look underneath and see if there is a cross-over (pipe connecting the left and right sides). If you've got 4/2 with the cross-over it's stock. If you have 4/2 without the cross-over it's aftermarket.

This is not always the case. I have the Jardine spaghetti headers with turnouts on my 79SF and it has a crossover pipe. In most cases what you say is true but not in all.

[Bigfoot]

I didn't look for a crossover when I was there but I do believe that it is an aftermarket exhaust, a nice one at that. The bike was running well prior to his accident. I think that the problem with the carbs started after he installed the "new" tank. Seems to me that he may have had some junk in the tank that fouled the carbs and caused a float to start sticking. Hopefully the carb kits get here this week and we can get you back on the road.

Ivan,
Beer, BBQ, and wrenching on a bike sound like an excellent time. Hope you can make it up.

[Ivan]

i hope I can make it as well. They just found a softball size cyst in my wife. I may be spending the weekend at the bedside keeping vigil over her.

Of course the doctor says it will be an out patient surgery, but on something the size of a softball? dont sound right to me.

[DGXSER]

Probably will be, it is an Ovarian I assume?

MY sister had one of those when she was about 16 YO. Doctors kept telling her to come clean that she was pregnant. She kept telling them if it is they can name him Jesus and change her name to Mary. After about two or three months of this, they finally did a scan. Wound up pulling out an ovarian cyst the size of a basketball. Literally took two of em with both hands on it to pull it out..30 lbs. That was NOT outpatient surgery. Interesting thing was, they told her she would never have kids....My nephew is now 11 years old.

[fredintoon]

i hope I can make it as well. They just found a softball size cyst in my wife. I may be spending the weekend at the bedside keeping vigil over her.
Of course the doctor says it will be an out patient surgery, but on something the size of a softball? dont sound right to me.

Hi Ivan,
my best hopes for your wife's full and speedy recovery.
Don't sweat the outpatient thing, surgical techniques are getting better.
In the 1960s my first wife had a gallstone operation. 2 weeks in hospital and a scar you'd be proud of if you'd gotten it in a bar fight.
In 2001 my second wife also had a gallstone operation. 2 days in hospital and a scar you can hardly see.

[thewiz]

Latex ...

we must brothers from a different mother cuz .....

Eat the elephant one bite at a time.......

my dad said the same thing.

[Ivan]

My dad used to say women are like elephants, fun to look at but you'd never want to own one.

[oseaghdha]

My dad used to say women are like elephants, fun to look at but you'd never want to own one.

A wise man once said:
If it Floats, Flys, or F$%@s; Rent, don't buy!