high speed miss

[otis]

I have a 1980 xs1100 midnight special. I have owned it for 2 years. It starts and idles great. Lately it has developed a high speed miss. This is intermittent. It usually happens around 5000 rpm and under acceleration. Can anybody give me any tips? Is this carburation or electrical? Thanks.

[XS1100 Newbie]

There are a couple of us working on the same problem. On mine it is boiling down to the CDI i think.

[TopCatGr58]

HEy Otis,

It could be both? Does it happen in ALL GEARS, or just the lower ones?

You say it's a miss....can you describe in more detail how it feels when it's doing the miss....is it under a strong load, or mostly if you are trying to hold it at 5k rpm?

Misses are often electrical more than carbeuration. Several things to check, battery strength, fuse conditions/connectors, spark plug conditions, spark plug caps, any corrosion where the caps connect to the wires, etc..

T.C.

PS....NEWBIE...it's a TCI...transistorized controlled ignition, not a Capacitance Discharge Ignition, very important to know IF/WHEN you decide to put on aftermarket ignition coils.

[mro]

This is intermittent.

Could be other things ... but,

I'd check the pick-up coil wires for an open.
Easy, fast to check.
Engine can run very good for months with a broken wire(s) and occasionally a couple cylinders will drop out then be OK for awhile. I had both wires broken on my first XS and rode it for about three months before I figured it out.

mro

[tw1980]

I'm gonna go with mro,if that's not it I'd check the carbs.Main jet circuits and slide diaphragms.Then the coils and the TCI unit,in that order.Also don't rule out plugs and wires including the caps.

Terry

[otis]

Thanks for the info guys. Sorry about not giving much info the first time. It happens in all gears but mostly noticed in 5th gear. It only misses when under heavy acceleration like passing or when I'm feeling my youth. When it starts missing if I let off the gas and just keep a steady throttle it runs smooth. This is my first XS and I was looking for a place to start. I just ordered the newer fuse block so will hopefully eliminate the fuse issue. I've put new plugs in it in the spring of every year.

[XS1100 Newbie]

Thanks TC. That probably saved me a pain or two on getting the unit.