Won't start, advice please!

[XSiverider]

HELP, XS1100G turns over, and over, but will not start

Hello fellow XS'ers, I had a problem a week ago where the bike would not start, it would turn over and the n the battery, only a year old, sounded like it was dyin, replaced battery, and same thing....charged it overnight, and after shooting some starter fluid, it started, and I drove it for two days, stopped to get fuel, and same thing happened, would not start.....sat there for 8 hours sunday trying to figure it out. fuses are good, replaced spark plug caps with NGK caps, wires are in good shape, cleaned air filter(K&N) and replaced oil and filter, also replaced left side controls(turn signal) with new unit from 79 special. coils were replaced last summer. I read somewhere that the TCI unit will not send a spark unless the battery is putting out over 11.7 volts. friend told me it could be the kill switch is dirty, this is the only area I have not investigated. Prior to this, it ran perfect......Have had 4 solid days of 50-60 MPH winds here in NM, so there was a lot of dirt and dust everywhere. Tried cleaning everything but it still is coming out various places...I remember just before I turned it off at the fuel stop, that it seemed to be running higher RPM's than normal, had to tweek the handle to get it to slow down, and then it took 4 tries before it slowed down. The only place in town to get it fixed is the 4 corners Harley Dealership, which I am dreading, because of the cost!! I think it cost 100.00 dollars just for them to say hello! PLEASE help, I have an extra set of old coils that I just bought on ebay, and I also have a guy who has a starter available, and relay/solenoid if needed..........

[3Phase]

Hello fellow XS'ers,

Hello, XSivrider, welcome to the forum! I see you have a 1980 XS1100G, the same as my bike. I must say, "You have excellent taste in motorcycles!"

Relax and let's take it section by section. Try to remember to breath.

Is the battery in the bike a good battery and is it fully charged? A lot of strange things happen when the battery gets low.

I had a problem a week ago where the bike would not start, it would turn over and the n the battery, only a year old, sounded like it was dyin, replaced battery, and same thing

What made you think the battery was bad? Was the starter dragging and turning the engine over slowly? If the new battery performed exactly the same as the old battery there is something else wrong: bad wiring, connections and dirty grounds; bad brushes in the starter motor or a bad starter motor.

....charged it overnight,

How was the battery after charging overnight; same as the old one or like a new battery?

and after shooting some starter fluid, it started,

If starter fluid got it started you most likely have a fuel problem, not an electrical problem.

and I drove it for two days, stopped to get fuel, and same thing happened, would not start.....sat there for 8 hours sunday trying to figure it out.

Okay, the bike wouldn't start after you refueled so you sat at the fuel stop for 8 hours on a Sunday or you got it started or otherwise made it home, then spent 8 hours on it?

fuses are good, replaced spark plug caps with NGK caps, wires are in good shape, cleaned air filter(K&N) and replaced oil and filter, also replaced left side controls(turn signal) with new unit from 79 special. coils were replaced last summer.

That's all good. Have you checked the carburetor float bowls to see if they have dirt in them? Remove the brass bolts from the bottom of the carburetor float bowls and drain the fuel into a cup. You're trying to see if there is actually any fuel in the carburetors and to look for dirt and rust.

If no fuel comes out or if dirt or rust comes out with the fuel, remove the carburetors and clean them.

I read somewhere that the TCI unit will not send a spark unless the battery is putting out over 11.7 volts.

It's closer to 10 volts but the basic idea is that the transistors in the ignition won't transist if the voltage isn't up to potential.

friend told me it could be the kill switch is dirty, this is the only area I have not investigated.

The starter won't even turn over if the kill switch is Off or the contacts are too dirty. If the starter is working, it's not the kill switch.

Prior to this, it ran perfect......

Great!

Have had 4 solid days of 50-60 MPH winds here in NM, so there was a lot of dirt and dust everywhere. Tried cleaning everything but it still is coming out various places...

Too much dust isn't good, check for dirt in the fuel tank and in the carburetor float bowls. You didn't list cleaning the carburetors in your list of things you did last year. Have you checked the fuel tank and cleaned the carburetors?

I remember just before I turned it off at the fuel stop, that it seemed to be running higher RPM's than normal, had to tweek the handle to get it to slow down, and then it took 4 tries before it slowed down.

How much higher? Was it a couple of hundred RPMs, a thousand RPMs or a couple of thousand RPMs?

Here are a few possibilities: the throttle cable was sticking; the carburetors are out of synch; there is a vacuum leak; the carburetor slides are sticking.

The only place in town to get it fixed is the 4 corners Harley Dealership, which I am dreading, because of the cost!! I think it cost 100.00 dollars just for them to say hello!

Holy moly! If you have to go that route, keep your conversation to a minimum!

PLEASE help, I have an extra set of old coils that I just bought on ebay, and I also have a guy who has a starter available, and relay/solenoid if needed..........

I think you have a fuel delivery problem. Check the float bowls and make sure there's gas in the carburetors. Get a bottle and, one at a time, remove the fuel lines from the carburetors and turn the petcock to Prime. Make sure that clean fuel flows out of the line into the bottle.

The replacement starter motor is a good idea if the starter motor in your bike still drags when a good battery is fully charged and the connections and grounds are all clean.

It doesn't look like the ignition coils or the starter relay on your bike are bad but you can change them if you want to!


Regards,

Scott

[John]

I would next check the black (ground) wire in the handlebar switch assembly for continuity from the switch to the connector (plug). If you have continuity there, next check the black wire in the harness connector where the switch pigtail connects. Check to see if it has continuity to ground. That is how the starter button completes the circuit. The button is not grounded through the handlebars. The chassis ground for this circuit is one of the mounting screws for the voltage regulator. Have you opened the kill switch to see if it hasn't desintergrated like a lot of them have done in the past? Did you jump across the wires to the kill switch, and try cranking it like that? You say the blue/white wire has power when the key is on.
If you ground the b/w wire at the solenoid, and it doesn't crank, then the solenoid is bad. When grounding the b/w wire, test for power on the large solenoid terminal that feeds the starter. If you don't have power during this test, then the solenoid is suspect.

[John]

My above post

Pertains to the original thread. It seems XSiverider inadvertently replied to this thread instead of starting a new thread.

[drooker56]

I think it is the cylinoid. I had power yesterday at the blue/white when I posted back. i went outside and the power was gone, today no power. I am ordering a new cylinoid... Cross your fingers please.

Thanks everyone for all your help, you guys are amazing!

[GARTHXS]

wiring diagram

78--79

[drooker56]

I FIGURED IT OUT! After reading through the posts you guys sent I looked into the kill switch, when I took it apart it was corroded. My starter button was not working because I put on new handlebars that are black and the switch could not ground. I tried to tell you guys I am an electrical moron and now here is the proof.

Thanks for everything!