XS1100F -- Old Faithful

[3Phase]

My parts bike or a second runner; no seat; no speedometer; unknown mileage.

The image is linked to a Flickr slideshow that is not dialup friendly:-





Regards,

Scott

[GARTHXS]

looks good !

Finally some pics , needs a few parts but not bad , its funny the new tires will cost more than that bike, what are your plans Parts or project??

[3Phase]

Finally some pics , needs a few parts but not bad , its funny the new tires will cost more than that bike, what are your plans Parts or project??

I haven't decided yet. I just got back from pulling Columbo off the side of the freeway again! I may be riding Old Faithful to the rally.

Compression check across the engine 1 --> 4 was 130/112/115/125. It looks like it got a little hot and baked the middle cylinders. A little oil brought the numbers up to 165/170 on all four so it's rings. The cam chain tensioner is missing the seal and the engine looks like its little nose ran all over the front of the engine.

I'll find a gas tank somewhere <whistling innocently whilst staring at malevolently at Columbo>, a TCI and some carburetors set up and see how it goes from there.

Man, I do not want to pay the registration for a bike that hasn't been registered since 2008. Ouch....


Regards,

Scott

[81xsproject]

There are TONS of parts out there, do the world a huge favor and put another one of these magnificent bikes back on the road.

[dbeardslee]

Scott - are the carbs missing or just off the bike? Also, what's wrong with the tank?

[motoman]

That would suck, having to rescue your ride when someone else is on it. Putting a known good batt. in to get'er home.....hmmm. Could that suggest a possible issue with the reg. allowing a bit too high of a charge rate and over time having a cell (or two) short from the plates flaking material off and building up in bottom till there is a short across plates killing those cells affected from material build-up off of plates. I know on a multi-cell load testing each one individually will tell you which cell or cells contributed to the failure. Used to have to do that for the satisfaction of our anal shop foreman, but to me dead and condemmed failing a basic battery load test was dead....lol. Just kinda thinking out load here as I know my Venturer charge rate is a bit on the high side with the normal headlite and front markers on for a constant load. I know "old school" in the automotive applications an ideal charge rate is 13.8-14.2v. I have seen both my XS and my ST test loaded everything on, heated grips, etc. as high as 15.4v......eeeeek! From standards I was taught that is too high and will kill a battery eventually like having a 1-2v tickle charger on a battery and forgetting it for a couple weeks, same result with reduced life expectancy of battery. With your knowledge, I'm sure you already know a wet cell battery is only as good as how many times it has to be charged from "dead", with none being the best option for a longer life expectancy. Even "float" chargers are hard on wet cell batteries and don't own or use them for this reason. The Interstate in my Venturer is going on its sixth year with only having to charge from dead once(caused by my stupidity, so no need to ask). Battery in the ST is going on it sixth year also with not having to be charged from any absent mindedness. Just some thought so you can scratch your head a bit longer. Actually, just wanna see Columbo present at the rally with you aboard! Break out those intricate meters and start testing while running, etc......actually should be an easy solve for you!

[3Phase]

There are TONS of parts out there, do the world a huge favor and put another one of these magnificent bikes back on the road.

Yeah, I know... I'm not going to tear it up and part it out but California has gone insane with vehicle registration fees and, especially, the penalties. They're trying to fund the half-trillion-dollar State budget deficit through the DMV, something entirely outside of the DMV's lawful mandate, so someone will have to file a class action suit and bring them back to reality. Until that glorious day arrives: the bike is two years out of registration; I don't have the title, just the Bill of Sale so I'd get hit with the ~$500 maximum for a new title, back fees and current registration.

The rims are the tube-type and the rim locks are missing from the back rim so there are a couple of big holes in it. Add $200 for new tires, tubes, mount and balance plus whatever the rim locks would cost, then add another $100 for insurance and it's at least $800 to just make it legal without touching anything else on the bike like a seat. It doesn't have one of those, either.

Scott - are the carbs missing or just off the bike? Also, what's wrong with the tank?

Paul gave me three sets of carburetors with the bike.
Unfortunately, they're all in various states of disassembly and messed-up-ed-ness.

I can use the good carbs and tank from Columbo to see if the engine will run before I dive into rebuilding any of them.

The tank is dented but it's still perfectly serviceable, it's just ugly. The worst part is that it's been 'Kreemed' and the liner is coming off so the tank is full of rust and liner flakes. Yech....

That would suck, having to rescue your ride when someone else is on it.

Yep, you got it. What was supposed to be a nice present for the two of them turned into a nightmare for everyone. It died at the top of an onramp right next to the 15 foot high block wall sound barrier with almost no shoulder -- like sitting inside the end of the barrel of a very large gun.

Putting a known good batt. in to get'er home.....hmmm. Could that suggest a possible issue with the reg. allowing a bit too high of a charge rate ...

I think the bike would have stayed running if it was overcharging and destroyed the battery.

If it's a blown rectifier section I'll go to Radio Shack and buy or make a high-current rectifier bridge and put it in the Yamaha heat sink, then pick up a Chrysler adjustable solid state voltage regulator from a wrecking yard or Autozone. If they go bad I can find the parts almost anywhere on the planet and be done with this stupid charging problem.

The voltage regulator was bad when I got the bike but I didn't know it. It was stuck 'high', no regulation, just max output all the time. That destroyed a new Walmart battery and almost every diode on the bike but I haven't had a single problem for two years and ~15,000 miles with the AGM battery (can't check the water or individual cells in those) or the replacement regulator/rectifier.

I brought a spare regulator with me but it didn't work. I had battery voltage but no charging, so I hopped on and scooted for home ASAP. I just took the battery off the charger after leaving it on all night, now I have to go out and check and see just what in Sam Hill is going on.

Actually, just wanna see Columbo present at the rally with you aboard! Break out those intricate meters and start testing while running, etc......actually should be an easy solve for you!

I'm on my way when I finish catching up on the forum. I'm just loafing and trying to keep images of a certain BFH applied to certain strategic areas of the bike out of my mind while I mull it over in my head.


Regards,

Scott

[soccer4m]

Gas tank

HOwdy Scott, I have a nice special gas tank, one patched but usable standard tank, one disassembled engine, front forks, the famous "Wiz" left when he moved to Carolina. Its burgundy, small dent but very clean, Tom-bro inlaw, has a parts bike, and Garth has a parts bike also,,,maybe scavenge some parts off each and build a new "Columbo". So,,,holler loud if you are in the area and need some "XS stuff for a new project". See you in a month or so at the rally

[skids]

I think the bike would have stayed running if it was overcharging and destroyed the battery.

If it's a blown rectifier section I'll go to Radio Shack and buy or make a high-current rectifier bridge and put it in the Yamaha heat sink, then pick up a Chrysler adjustable solid state voltage regulator from a wrecking yard or Autozone. If they go bad I can find the parts almost anywhere on the planet and be done with this stupid charging problem.

The voltage regulator was bad when I got the bike but I didn't know it. It was stuck 'high', no regulation, just max output all the time. That destroyed a new Walmart battery and almost every diode on the bike but I haven't had a single problem for two years and ~15,000 miles with the AGM battery (can't check the water or individual cells in those) or the replacement regulator/rectifier.

I brought a spare regulator with me but it didn't work. I had battery voltage but no charging, so I hopped on and scooted for home ASAP. I just took the battery off the charger after leaving it on all night, now I have to go out and check and see just what in Sam Hill is going on.

Really, for the time and money, you should go with either OEM or Geezers regulator. I tried the rectifier bridge route and it was not robust enough for the bike. I did find a generic regulator/rectifier from Autozone and it works but the headlight pulses. I know that some of the older volkswagon regulators work (I have two of those). You should first make sure that you have good contact at the frame mount for the existing one because that is where it obtains ground (You might be scraping off corrosion and/or paint). One more thing...make sure that the electrical connections from the stator behind the right-side cover plate are good. This is a common failure that causes arcing and plastic melt-down!

[3Phase]

See you in a month or so at the rally

Thanks, Mike! I did the math and I can't afford to fix Old Faithful, yet. It'll be mighty close to a thousand dollars to make it legal and running.

I fixed the charging problem so I might be making a run down south next weekend. If you and Tom are free let me know and we'll go see if any moks are running!

I did find a generic regulator/rectifier from Autozone and it works but the headlight pulses.

[...]

One more thing...make sure that the electrical connections from the stator behind the right-side cover plate are good. This is a common failure that causes arcing and plastic melt-down!

Thanks for the heads up about the regulator pulsing the lights, Skids! I was going to snag a rectifier bridge out of a Chevy alternator. They need a good heat sink or they'll fail but they can carry 60 to 100 Amps.

I did the stator resistance check at the rectifier plug this afternoon and two of the readings were identical. You know what that means: the alternator stator connector was melted and two of the wires were touching each other -- short circuit; no output. I fixed it and made a pictorial post in a new thread.


Regards,

Scott