Cylinders 1&3 not firing

[Blackdog]

Times like this I wish I was smart.

[Larrym]

Follow the Leaders

Don't always assume that the guy at the bike repair shop is any smarter than you are at this very moment. If you took your bike to him he would likely get out the repair manual, read up a bit on the bike, and then start wrenchin' away. (You'd be charged about $75 an hour for this...)

On this website the tech tips are written by owners who have figured out all the ways (hopefully) things should be done. You've got access to all that and it can put you way farther ahead than the bike repair shop guy.

Now that's smart.

You've read the tech tips for cleaning the carbs, right?

[Blackdog]

Air box

Is it absolutely necessary to have the air box on when just testing to see whether carbs are working or not? I realize that to tune them you would have to have it on, but will the bike at least run without it? Also o rings on air-fuel needles were shot, replaced them with the smallest o rings I could find 1/4x1/8x1/6. They are a little bit larger than stock, but it hard to tell because the stock ones were mashed to nothing. So the question is are the stock o rings proprietary or will off the shelf rings work? Also would lack of these rings affect running, as in air leak?

[Larrym]

AirBox off/on

You got it right about the airbox. Not needed until you do the final synch. In fact with the airbox off you can get your face up close to the carbs and take a look-see to make sure all the carbs are behaving like the one next to it. The airbox does serve as sort of a minor protection in case the engine backfires. (Just don't get too close: backfires could burn your eyebrows off.)

Look at this posted by member/owner TC:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR63vrfhwr8

If you're using o-rings just make sure that they are the type that don't dissolve in gasoline or melt when the temperature goes up. If you got the o-rings at an auto parts store instead of a hardware store then you should be ok.

I'm not sure myself if the o-rings have to be specifically OEM or what the results are when using something other than what came with the bike. I'm sure that if someone had anything bad to say about using the o-rings you installed that they'll give a shout here..

[Blackdog]

Hope!

Finally got it running and idling on all 4, albeit with an occasional spitback at 1500 rpm. I think that when I put the air box on and tune the carbs I should be alright, I hope. Air adjustment screws don't seem to respond. Questions: does the original air cleaner consist of a foam cleaner with hair on the inside, no paper? Looks to be washable. What happens to unipods when it sits in the rain and gets soaked? Does it just start up and run the water through? Some idiot [me] lost some of the hardware when he took it apart. I need to make a list of needed parts to post in "parts needed" section of page. Mostly metal hardware for air cleaner box, tank bolt, etc. Thanks to everybody involved in getting me this far.

[Larrym]

Lab Work

My air cleaner/filter is a rectangular wire mesh with a rubber gasket surface on the top and bottom of the mesh. I use a KN foam which resembles the foam used in a Shop-Vac. This foam "sock" fits inside the rectangular mesh and then extends up and over the rubber gaskets to meet its opposite ends on the outside of the mesh.

The foam is washable with ordinary dishwashing liquid but after drying it out the foam needs to be re-oiled to actually catch the fine dust particles. (Ever used a shop-vac to pick up fine dust: the stuff isn't caught by the filter and just blows through...) I use the KN filter spray available at motorcycle shops.

In a regular car air cleaner (old round thing sitting on top of the carb) the air flows from the outside of the filter in towards the center where the carb is. On the XS the dirty air enters in the airbox and flows from the center of the filter to the outside of the filter.

Those folks with pods might just ring in with the answer to you "pod/water" question. Looks like they would be in the "suck rain" position IMHO.

Idle mixture screws are last part of carb synch process and they do respond but not with a great dramatic change. Very subtle response but absolutely necessary to get that perfect flame going on inside the motor at idle speeds.

Thanks for posting the results of your activities. Congrats on graduating "Carb Cleaning 101".

[Blackdog]

Pods

Was considering pod air filters, went to K&N site. $200.00 for set, don't think so.

[Larrym]

D'oh!

I forgot to mention that the pre-mentioned filter in my former post is a replacement for the stock one that goes inside the original factory airbox.

I'm not a pod person.......yet!

[TopCatGr58]

Was considering pod air filters, went to K&N site. $200.00 for set, don't think so.

Try some generic CLONES from MikesXS!?

54mm. XS performance Pod Filters
54mm. XS performance Pod Filter - Tapered Oval style with Chrome end cap.


Pod is an improved replica (Dyno & flow bench developed) of the most popular
brand on the market. Features molded in internal stack, no step rubber mount
flange and Chrome end cap. Filter is supplied dry but washable filtration
material may be oiled for improved dust filtration . Filter body is 71mm.
(2.8") deep x 74mm. (2.91") wide x 101mm. (4") high (at base).

Fits: 1980-84 stock Mikuni BS34 CV Carbs + some Mikuni TM aftermarket carbs. Part #15-0035 $16.00 USD Ea

[Blackdog]

Pods

Now that I can deal with, still would like to know what happens when they get rained on. Also would like to know about jetting ramifications. I am running Kerker 4 into 1, and have 110 mains across the board. From what I have gather I should have re jetted just for that. But I put many miles of flawless performance, didn't seem to need change. Would the pods necessitate re jetting? The reason I ask is the only way I know to check main jet is to run wide open and kill ignition. Problem is that the only straight section of road around here suitable is the interstate. They take speeding seriously here, you will get a harsher punishment for going 100 mph than if you get caught with pot.

[Larrym]

Jetting Q&A?

Doug,

"Now that I can deal with, still would like to know what happens when they get rained on. Also would like to know about jetting ramifications. I am running Kerker 4 into 1, and have 110 mains across the board. From what I have gather I should have re jetted just for that."

Now this sounds like an opportunity for another thread to be started on the forum. I mean...Cylinders 1&3 are firing now right? (I assume it was carb related instead of ignition or mechanical...)

Just for the sake of keeping similar subjects grouped together for those who use the site's "search" function....

have you seen this:

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=382

[Ivan]

Yeah, we need another thread about what pods do in the rain.

Just be sure to put it in the hot button topics right next to the tire and oil threads.