xs1100 special

[xsbobber817]

hi ive been arounf\d for a while ut havnt posted, i got what i was told is an 78 xs 1100 special for free from my shop teacher, wellits locked up on cylinders 1 and 3 but what i was wondering is ive read every where cylinder 1 and 4 and 2 and 3 are in sync with eachother, mine is 1 and 3 2 and 4 is there something wrong with the bike, it has a 4 into 1 exhaust, and what i mean isdo u guys think it spun the crank? and also what is a good way to free up my cylinders the syleders and exhaust ports are just full of a powder like carbon or dried up gas, im not sure which but im thinking thats why it locked? adn my name is ricky i am in the chscc which stads fir caledonia high school chopper club, we took our bike to the donnie smith bike show and got second in moddified metric bobbers and thats how i got into bobbers, any helo is apprecited is it even worth fixing is it an xs or is it an xj and i know its an 1100 and a yamaha so i have no idea thanks guys

[nate]

Pics would help a great deal in telling you what it is.

[DGXSER]

Welcome Ricky,

A 78 is an XS1100, Xj was made in 82 and later in Canada. No Special model was made in 78 though. Pictures are always a big help.

The way the XS11 cylinders are linked is through the electronics, and the fuel systems. 1 nad 4 get spark from the same coil, and 2 and 3 also get spark form the same coil, so they are linked in that way electronically. So if you have issues with cylinders 2 and 3 not firing, then it is most likely electrical. Cylinders 1 and 2 get fed from one petcock, and 3 and 4 get fed from the other. So, if you are having issues with 1 and 2 not firing, it is most likely fuel related.

As to the stuck cylinders, before trying any more to turn the engine over, try putting some AT fluid, or Marvel Mystery Oil in each cylinder and let them sit for a couple days. When the bike was left to sit, a couple valves were open so moist air got into the cylinders and probably rusted the rings in place. The oil will loosen them up, and may let it turn over with out much effort as in pulling the head and cylinders off or a complete tear down.

[xsbobber817]

the bike is not together so i have not tried to start it but its locked up and i think i may have spun the crank or broke the rod, its to dark to get pics rite now but what i was wondering is why 1 and 3 ar linked and 2 and4 are linked on mine, its not supposed to be that way but always has been, i found a used crank cylender and pistons on ebay and it is cheap so i will probably but that to get this thing running. thanks for the welcome

[gareth]

Doncha just luv newbie mobile fone thumbspeak
.dam I cud jis keep on goin with thes fingerz til ynow ..rplies happenz

[xsbobber817]

im sorry if im typing wierd i am not trying too im tired and so on so forth, and i am on a laptop with a smaller keyboard so thats wht i am making alot of errors sorry and i just went out and looked at the bike and the electrical is wired for 1 and 4 to fire on the same hit and for 2and 4 but the thing i am wonderi8ng is why my 1 and 3 piston are inline and why 2 and 4 are inline? thank you

[gareth]

And Jesus wept....

[fredintoon]

i got what i was told is an 78 xs 1100 special - - - its locked up on cylinders 1 and 3 - - -

Hi Ricky and welcome,
they didn't make XS11 Specials until '79 so either the year or the model is different.
Either the engine will turn over or it won't so how can you tell what's locked up?
BTW you don't say if the engine is in the bike or not, or if it's partially dismantled or if it's still in one piece.
Like the man said, post photos (gotta use photobucket or other public site to do that) so we can get a better idea of what you are up against.

[CaptonZap]

Amen!.......

[xsbobber817]

im sorry but please dont post usless crap in my thread all i am trying to do is get some info on my xs, so far from you i have not gotten any information. and i have not done anything to make you mad at me or anything like that so there is no reason for you to do this, if it were me most members would want to help out other people not just push them away, and thats all your doing, and the quote newbies, could eventually become supporting members and make this site better than it already is.

[xsbobber817]

the motor is together but what i mean is there is no tank seat etc so trying to see what it is from that would be harder, i dont really care if its a special or not, i got the thing for free, i know how to post pictures but i have none and cant get any right now esther considering it is past 11 pm here, i know it is locked up in the 1 and 3 cylinders, i know how to test it because i have built many racing quads and bikes. i am not a newb when it comes to bikes or motors for that matter i just dont know if there was a different moddel that had 1 and 3 firing and 2 and 4 firing on the same rotation. and this thread is usless now because i already figured out what i am doing with it thanks for the help for those of you who gave it

[fredintoon]

- - - i just went out and looked at the bike and the electrical is wired for 1 and 4 to fire on the same hit and for 2 and 4 but the thing i am wondering is why my 1 and 3 piston are inline and why 2 and 4 are inline? thank you

Hi again Ricky,
what should be happening is that 1 & 4 go up and down together with the camshafts set so their firing strokes are at 360º from each other. Same deal with 2 & 3.
Each coil fires it's two plugs every revolution so you can swap 1 & 4 plug wires (or 2 & 3) and the engine won't notice.
Are you sure that your observations are correct?
BTW, cylinders are numbered 1, 2, 3 & 4 left to right across the frame.

[bikerphil]

Sitting on the bike, cylinders go from left to right: 1,2,3,4. 1 and 4 move together and 2 and 3 move together. If it is for sure an XS1100 and it's any other way, somthing is broken. What you are saying is pretty much impossible, the 1+3, 2+4 thing moving together.

[xsbobber817]

yea i got that now i was doing more reaserch and i knew some of it. i am guessing from my experiamce that it is a spun crank or broken rods and the cylenders are locked so i found a good deal on a crank and top end minus the heads so i am going to reabuild it in the next month or so, just have to order the parts, i will do a full thread on how to rebuild the motor thank you for the help

[rpgoerlich]

What makes you think it's locked up? And why 1 & 3?

If it's late year 78 on the steering neck it's probably a '79, need to put up a pic of it.

Ignition fires 1 & 4 at the same time and 2 & 3 at the same time. It's called wasted spark.

Need to find you a manual...