Starts when sunny but don't when cloudy.

[alan36]

I have an 1980 XS1100sg I have noticed that when it is sunny out the bike will start, but if it is cloudy or a little chilly it will not fire. Can anyone help me with this problem.
Thanks Alan

[Giggity]

Move to Florida as I did from Dubuque years ago

[DGXSER]

Sounds like an enricher (choke) problem. Colder usually needs enriching the mixture.

[oldyam80sg]

If you could describe your problem with a little more detail,it might help in knowing what you might have done/not have done.Are you pulling out the choke? does it start eventually when you play with it?Is there fresh gas in the tank?What do the plugs look like?Have you cleaned the carbs?

[oldyam80sg]

Sounds like an enricher (choke) problem. Colder usually needs enriching the mixture. Hey i don't know about you but i need the choke to start my bike even if it is cold or not.Usually don't need the choke after it has been running but that initial start of the bike requires it.It could be 75 degrees out if i start the bike to ride to work i need the choke.

[alan36]

The bike has new plugs and new gas.
I rode the bike one night then went out the next day to start it but there was no spark to the plugs. It was cloudy about 57deg. out. Went out the next day it was sunny and about 62deg. the bike started without the choke. If it is warm out the bike will start without the
choke. Never had a problem until about a week ago. I was thinking it may be in the Ignition switch or the coils. I have done some more research and it talks about the pick-up coils.

[DGXSER]

Old Yam is right, it SHOULD take some "choke" to get it started in those temps for sure. So it sounds like you might have a rich running condition to start with. Are the plugs looking black or fouled at all?

Yep, the pick-up coils are under the timing cover on the left side, front of the bike as you sit on it. The wires to the pick ups tend to get stretched out and break inside the insulation. So you would only see it by lightly pulling on the wire and looking for the insulation to at a break. Have not YET had that problem (knock on all the wood handy!!!) so I am relaying the wisdom I have read about. I think there is a tech tip on it as well. Problem can be very intermittent as the wires may stay in contact except when the advance kicks in heavy.

[The Lorax]

pick up coils would be a good place to look although I've never heard of them failing in that way, but hey, stranger things have happened. you might check your ballast resistor when the bike is cold, resistors can be odd creatures. also you may have a "cold solder joint in the TCI box. you might consider checking all the grounds and make sure they are clean ( bad grounds can cause a whole mess of strange problems, seemingly unrelated to each other), check the electrical connectors, clean and dielectric grease them, and check the fuse box, if it hasn't been converted to blade style fuses, that can be another source of significant despair. hope this helps some, have a nice day and ride safe

[ELDR]

Your weather looks cool and wet, bet you are getting dew in the mornings. I would suspect ignition wires or plug caps are old and holding moisture. The high voltage is leaking off reducing your spark.

An easy test is to hold and spark plug wire after the motor starts. If you jump, the wires need replacing. Good wires wouldn't give you a shock.

New plug caps and wires may be needed. Sometimes you can bring a little more life to the old wires and caps with a silicone spray.

Cleaning the spark plug porcelain when you spray the wires and plug caps should help as well.

[DGXSER]

Is that really true?? Good wires won't give you a jump??

Man, I still remmeber my dad trying to start an old push mower and having so much trouble, so he had me hold the spark plug wire close to the end of the plug so he could see the spark jump. Only thing that jumped was me about three feet into the air and my arm and shoulder hurt for two days!!

I don't care who says what, I don't hold the wire anymore!! RUbber coated handle on good pliers will hold it just fine thank you.

[TopCatGr58]

Also no one has mentioned or asked about the age of you battery. IF it's a regular acid battery and close to 3 years old, it could be on it's last legs. Cold temps cause them to not generate as much power as when it's warm. Have you checked your voltage on your battery? Just another thing to check!
T.C.

[ELDR]

I'll bet your dad laughed.

Yep, if the spark wire is not connected to the spark plug or the plug is in really bad shape, even hanging on to a good wire will give you a jump.

[renegade_xs11g]

Is that really true?? Good wires won't give you a jump??

Man, I still remmeber my dad trying to start an old push mower and having so much trouble, so he had me hold the spark plug wire close to the end of the plug so he could see the spark jump. Only thing that jumped was me about three feet into the air and my arm and shoulder hurt for two days!!

I don't care who says what, I don't hold the wire anymore!! RUbber coated handle on good pliers will hold it just fine thank you.

I'll bet your dad laughed.

Yep, if the spark wire is not connected to the spark plug or the plug is in really bad shape, even hanging on to a good wire will give you a jump.

That's Howmy dad decided whether or not to keep pulling the rope
Never figured that one out, at least not until he took one right to the bench, when I DIDN'T jump

Now, on our bikes, with the caps, You SHOULD not get a jolt, as long as you don't touch the plug, or the bike, or the ground,
BUT I STILL USE PLIERS, to many suppressed memories to take a chance

[alan36]

The battery is only a year old.
I know about jumping, my uncle had me push down on the coil wire of my mother's car when she cranked it. Got a nice jolt from it.

[renegade_xs11g]

Battery is only a year, probably OK, water level?
but could be weak, gotta have ~10.5 to fire the TCI

Have you checked the TCI itself? The solder connections, couldn't hurt to sweat 'em a little

Good Luck, John