found WHY my XS11 was intermittently running on all cylinders

[UncleSpot]

my XS11 Special gas cap fell apart about 1½ yrs ago. I ordered another from PartsNmore.com. The price was real nice, the fit was excellent, and I took it for a ride: no problem - at first...

*IF* the gas tank was less than 1/4 full the bike would sputter, start running on 3 (or TWO) cylinders and then quit. No matter what I did it would NOT start again for almost 1/2 hr...
I exchanged 3 sets of carbs on it, changed the octopus, and checked the ign. sys. countless times...

...then one day, when it quit in rush hour traffic, I pulled to the side of the road and opened the gas cap and the bike would start again.

IF the cap was left OPEN the bike would run fine.
so, after that every time the bike was not running correctly I just unlocked the gas cap and it ran purrfectly.

SO: THIS means the cap is NOT "vented".
THIS caused me to park the bike for almost ONE year! and all the while it was just a "vapor lock" !!!
ANYbody know where I can buy a new gas cap - that's VENTED?
TIA,
Ron

[yamtom]

prolly dont need to buy another one

Why dont you search for a way to vent the one you have, an eighth inch drill should do it in some inconspicuous place. Maybe from one side of the cap to the middle somehow. Be careful of explosive fumes so you will want to take it off first.

[CatatonicBug]

Be careful of explosive fumes so you will want to take it off first.

You take all the fun out of it!

[DiverRay]

Ron,
If you need any help, run out to the coast. I'll be more than happy to give you a hand with tools, beer, etc.!

[DGXSER]

Ron, if the cap is put togethe rmuch like the original you can remove inner piece and drill it for the vent.

[LoHo]

I'm at work and don't have a manual handy, but I think the vent is a separate thing from the cap, as in a pipe/nipple that comes down at the rear of the tank and in front of the seat. See if that is clogged or kinked. I think it serves as a vent and expansion outlet. You may have done my favorite thing...created an unknown problem while solving a known one, leading to months of vain repairs. I spent a year "fixing" every known engine fix because I did the vacuum advance wire fix and switched the wires.

On the plus side, I learned a lot about the bike and it now runs great....

[LoHo]

By the way, Ron, how are you doing? I'm glad to hear you're still fooling with the bike. Can you make it to Santa Margarita in June?

[DGXSER]

LoHo,

Sounds like your referring to the standard tank. If it is the pipe I am thinking of which comesout the back bottom area behind the seat, that is a drain tube for the indent that the gas cap sits in, just to drain off water that would pool in there otherwise.

[Larrym]

Down the Drain

I second DGXSER's view of the drain tube. It's not a true vent which can equalize the air pressure in the tank which allows normal fuel flow.

BTW, if you still have the original fuel cap...I saw a post recently where a member here had disassembled the fuel cap, replaced the sealing ring, and cleared the original venting system....

Now who could that have been........??
Name began with a D, I believe....

[UncleSpot]

Ray - I may just take you up on that... if nothing more than to just hang out with you and catch up...

Larry - still kickin, but the economy has really knocked the stuffing out of everything. The XS11 is the only joy I have left

my XS is a special so there's no vent tube off of the tank cap... I assume the original caps are punched for venting... the PartsNmore.com cap is not.

[DGXSER]

Ron,

I posted a thread where I took the gas cap down completely. Look it up, it details where the vent holes are.

[LoHo]

DG, you are correct on all counts, my brother. After you posted that I recalled getting spastic with the gas nozzle and having some gas flow out of that tube.

Ron, the XS is your only joy? Have you not heard of internet porn? And please consider the rally in June. I look at as practice for homelessness, as knowing how to use a tent and sleeping bag will come in handy. I was practicing the not-bathing part, but SWMBO said I can improvise on that later....