Need Help from the Colortune Gurues

[XJ Rob]

Just for S&Gs the other day, I pulled the plugs out to check to see how they were burning. I thought the bike was running great but I just wanted to know.

After pulling all the plugs I found that all of them looked pretty clean. Not even Tan. #2 looked brand new. No soot, nothing. When I first set the carbs up months ago, I wasn't able to see a difference in the burn using my colortune. So I set all the mixture screws at 2.5 turns out and syced and let it fly. Like I said the bike ran great. I had good throttle response a ton of power and I was happy.

The other day I decided to give the colortune another try. Maybe I was just in a hurry the first time to start riding. NOT maybe. I was in a hurry. Anyway..I set up the colortune and started adjusting. When I got to #2, I had blue with a lot of "White" flashes and then eventually it wasn't burning anything at all.I would just see the spark. I rev it, I get blue with a FEW white flashes and then back to blue with more white flashes at idle. I adjusted the screw out little by little until I would see a slight orange and stop, and start turning it back in. As soon as the orange would be gone. I would start seeing white flashes again. So it seems I have more than just an idle mixture problem.

Any Thoughts??

I didn't resync after the last colortune. My carb sticks are at my dad's house where I last used them on his Venture.

While sitting here typing this "post" A light bulb came on. I did NOT have the YICS Eliminator installed THIS time. I know I need it for the sync but how important is it for the idle mixture?? Should I do it again with the Eliminator installed?
I'm hoping I don't have to pull the rack....AGAIN
Thanks

[dbeardslee]

If you can't adjust through the whole range of color with a colortune (yellow, bunson blue, white-blue) it's generally an indication of incorrect jetting. The way I use mine, I adjust the mixture screws out until the color is completely yellow. Then I go in until it's all bunson blue, and I go 1/2 turn in from there. Just off the top of my head from what you describe, it sounds like you're lean. I see from your profile that you're all stock. When's the last time the carbs were cleaned? Also, have you checked the voltages with a DMM, and the quality of your spark? Can't help you with the YICS.

[Silent]

I'd think you'd want the YICS Eliminator installed for the ColorTune. When I adjust mine, I do it in the evening and mostly in the dark so I can see the color changes. I run cobalt blue then increase until I have just a hint of orange and thats where I let her run. I also have my mercury stick attached and adjusted.
I had an issue with 2 of the carbs not colortuning once, turned out my idle ports were partially clogged, and a good cleaning brought them around.

[XJ Rob]

Also, have you checked the voltages with a DMM, and the quality of your spark?

Honestly no.I Didn't think much about spark.The bike ran good at the time and still does. Maybe not 100% but I wouldn't know because I am new to the 1100.

I first noticed it while waiting for a drawbridge to go up and come down and the bike had a slight "miss" after a few minutes. But it went away after I "bipped" the throttle. It wasn't a big concern at the time. The bike normally doesn't idle long. Most of my riding is done on two lane country roads. It doesn't have a chance to idle for more than a normal 30 second traffic light or stop sign. So I don't notice it.

Are you talking about spark voltage at the plug? Not to sound stupid but....How would I do that? I do have a digital multimeter. But I just assumed I was looking at a fuel problem. Lean or rich. Yellow being too rich and white being too lean.

The carbs were last cleaned 3 times in April or May this year when I first got it running. I installed inline filters. What a PITA!!

I guess I'll make the 40 mile trip for my sticks. I wish they didn't have mercury in them. I'd take the bike.

[Silent]

Somewhere around here there's an article on ColorTuning your bike. I can't seem to find it at the moment, but I do remember that it said to run just a hint of yellow since these bikes don't run well in the Cobalt area. You may be running just a tad leaner than you should at idle which may be causing the problems your experiencing. Just a stray thought.

Edit: I do believe this is the article I was looking for Clicky

[dbeardslee]

Gotta disagree, Silent. My experience with colortune is that they tend to get you a little rich if you do it by the book. The thing you have to remember is that the color you're seeing isn't from the actual plug you run, so depending on your plug type and coils YMMV. Best way to make sure is to check your plugs after a couple hundred miles and see what your getting there.

Project - I was referring to the voltages at the TCI. You should probably check your resistance readings there to (plenty of threads that deal with both). It probably is the carbs, but I've seen electrical problems that act like carb problems. The 'flashing' inside the cylinders is what made me think it might be a good idea to check.

[Ken Talbot]

Sure sounds like dirty low-speed passage(s) or orifice(s), even if the carbs were cleaned three times last spring. When you're looking down the colortune and the spark is still there but the fire goes out, the fuel has stopped flowing. Make sure you do your colortuning at no more than 800 rpm or so, so you are actually only working on the low speed circuits.

[81xsproject]

Gotta disagree, Silent. My experience with colortune is that they tend to get you a little rich ...

My experience with colortune is that they get you WAY rich. It seemed okay after using the CT, but once I got the O2 sensor/gauge, I saw just how badly the CT worked. It's a novel idea, but your better off tuning by ear and feel. 2.5-3 turns seemed to be the sweet spot for mine.

[Wildkat]

Something else about the Colortune that some of us have found, is that it works much better for those with the high performance coils... not so well for those of us with the stock coils...

[Axel]

3 tests

Remember there a 3 tests to do when colortuning . The idle test (which I set half way between orange and when the fuel stops altogether) , the slow throttle turn test which should show little or no orange(basically the same color as the idle) and the blip test when you quickly turn the throttle and you should see some orange here.
Of course the plugs are the true indicator . After a while with your new settings see what the plugs look like and adjust accordingly .
If a plug is white and new looking I adjust for more fuel and if they are sooty - less fuel . I seem to end up with a grey looking plug more often than not and it runs great .
A colortune without a sync is like going to town in your underwear .

[Yahman]

Install the YICS Eliminator and leave it there...

That's why I invented it, it's impossible to adjust the carbs or get an accurate reading from the plugs without it. If you still want to remove it, you can do so after you get it properly adjusted. I think that after some riding the carbs tend to settle in and when they do, things change a little. So a re-sync after 300 or so miles and keeping an eye on the plugs is good practice to get things right. If you want another method of determining the burn, measure the temps of the exhaust pipes right at the port. I can't remember what the numbers should be and the air temp does affect it, but as long as they are all about the same and the plug color is good.

Remember the YICS system is just a controlled vacuum leak and without it you simply have a regular XS1100, it's a good thing.

Larry

[Silent]

Gotta disagree, Silent.

Just quoting channel 11's tech tips. It's linked in my earlier post. I've been running just the high side of cobolt with the high output coils, and my plugs look just fine. I might try true Colbalt awhile and see what the plugs look like anyway since peeps are saying the bike runs ok there.