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Just Puzzled I Am

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  • Just Puzzled I Am

    Ok guys. Here is the issue, and I need help with it before Rooster has to come and put the fire out. He happens to be with the fire department here in our newly formed City.

    I have for all intents and purposes a 79SF engine with a 2H7 TCI and the mechanical advance that is for the 79SF. I have the 3 ohm coils and there is no ballast resistor. I have the later carbs , the air box as well as the exhaust system, from an 81 MNS. I have been fighting with this thing for a very long time.

    The story starts way back in November last year when I decided to finally get it running. I purchased new carb boots from Georgefix and installed them. That is where I made my first big mistake, among the many. Georgefix provides quality products so I have no beef with him. I did not know that when I installed these fine new boots that I did this to number 3 intake boot..



    I then proceeded to triple clean the carbs, no dipping so don't go there. I set everything to factory specs for the 81MNS carbs. I went with factory recommended jets to start with. 42.5's in the pilot jets and went with 115 main jets. Set the float height to spec for the 81 carbs and tested them with the clear hose method for height and tested the needle valve for leakage. Bolted them on and tried it out.

    No vacuum to set the synch with...damn. I then went in and set the valves to spec, thinking maybe they were out of whack. So now we have all valves set to spec, and re-checked. I then bought a dial indicator to set TDC on number 1. Set that . Set the Timing to spot on at this time as well to the specs for the 79SF. All should be good right? Nope it ran like **** acting too lean.
    So I proceeded to set the carbs till the colortune said it would finally run a bit rich. 6 turns out seemed a bit much so I tore into the carbs and put in 45 pilot jets across all 4 carbs. Still needed 6 turns out. Re-jetted to 47.5's on all 4...needed 6 turns out to finally run rich.

    That is the point when I found the intake leak on number 3 carb boot.

    Fixed that up and WOW, now I have a bit of Vacuum, not a lot but enough to set the synch. Damn! Thinking that the Pilot jets had to be too rich now I set it back to the 42.5 pilot jets with the 115 main jets.

    That did not work so good as it had the hanging idle as if it was running to lean. Checked the plugs and yes it appeared lean. Rechecked for vacuum leaks....fooled me once that did..
    So I ran the idle/air jets out to when it would run rich. 5 turns now. Oh I am gaining on it right? Wrong!

    I kept changing plugs as I no longer wanted to use the colortune, thinking maybe I was not reading it correctly. I had to finally get up to 47.5 pilots and 120 mains to get the plugs to have color. I get to the point when I have a light brown plug in number 2 and 3 at three turns out on the idle/air screws. Great I think I will just have to richen up number 1 and 4 to match and I will have a runner. Wrong!

    I have to set number 1 and 4 to about 5 1/2 turns out to get any color on the plugs. Gee that just seems wrong to have such a difference to the ones on number 2 and 3 which are about 3 turns out. I think well maybe, as there is no set rule for carbs as to how far out the jets will be.

    So I throw in a new set of plugs once again and run it. This is from a cold start using the enricher circuit which acts like it is flooding the bike. Get it to half choke which also seems to be flooding the bike. Get it to normal operating range so far as heat goes and it seems to run ok once I finally get the idle to the 1050-100 rpm range. Turn on the fan to keep engine cool. Run bike for 10 minutes or more at idle. Shut it down and look at plugs. They look like this with the idle/air jets set at #1- 5 1/2 turns out, #2-2 3/4 turns out, #3- 2 7/8 turns out, #4- 5 1/4 turns out.



    So I shut the engine off and replace the plugs with new ones again. Start the warm engine with the idle screws set the same as above. Run it for ten or more minutes again at an idle. The Plugs have a very slight coloring to them, just a hint of golden brown to them. I have a pic in which i hope you can see the color. The plugs look like this.



    So I think maybe the carbs can be that far out of adjustment to each other...no big deal. I then let everything cool off for a few hours. Try to start it. Acts like it is way too rich on the enricher again. Seems too rich on half choke as well. Run it for ten or more minutes and recheck the plugs. They are identical to the last pic which is ever so slightly golden brown, more of a yellow really.

    During the start ups the bike will not idle properly . The bike acts as if it is way too rich on the enricher circuit. Then after a few minutes it starts to rev higher and higher. I have to then turn the idle way down or it will run at 2500 rpm. If I set it to 1050-1100 rpm it will not start right nor run for the first 5 to 10 minutes. It seems to stumble and cough as though I was pouring fuel into the carbs.

    Now I do not know where I am at. Plugs look like a good color once warm and idling. Cold starts are totally sucking wind. Number of turns out on the screws seems whacky as does the larger size idle jets. Bike seems to run good, rev freely etc once it has ran long enough. Still way too much snow and cold here to ride it and see how it acts. New air filter, carbs cleaned and recleaned many many times, valves set, timing set, fat bright blue spark to all plugs, float heights checked, fuel level in carbs checked, new intake boots. You name it and I have tried to do something with it.

    Sorry to be so long winded but maybe me writing this out will shed some light to myself or one of you as to what I may have done wrong and why the bike wont start properly. Thanks for listening to my ramblings. Any thoughts about this are appreciated.
    Last edited by Rasputin; 03-10-2011, 09:42 PM.
    2-79 XS1100 SF
    2-78 XS1100 E Best bike Ever
    80 XS 1100 SG Big bore kit but not fully running yet.
    Couple of more parts bikes of which 2 more will live!

  • #2
    It sounds like you have not been able to get it running well enough to do a vacuum sync yet. Did you do a 'bread tie' sync to get a starting point?
    Ken Talbot

    Comment


    • #3
      carbs

      Did you say you are using 81 carbs or the originals from the 79 motor?
      mack
      79 XS 1100 SF Special
      HERMES
      original owner
      http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps6932d5df.jpg

      81 XS 1100 LH MNS
      SPICA
      http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad305/mack-055/2.jpg

      78 XS 11E
      IOTA
      https://youtu.be/wB5Jfbp6SUc
      https://youtu.be/RaI3WYHSuWA



      Have recovery trailer and shop if you breakdown in my area.
      Frankford, Ont, Canada
      613-398-6186

      Comment


      • #4
        Just pulling ideas out here.

        You have of course checked the enrichment jet in the float bowls correct? I had a heck of a time with Banshee on a set of carbs I rebuilt. Had to set the idle up high to get it to run, then once warm it idled up to almost 4k. Set the idle down and now until it warms up it would die if I let off the throttle until it warmed up.

        You have verified the coils are in spec? Only ask this because 1 and 4 share a coil, 2 and 3 share a coil. Sounds like 1 and 4 may have a weak spark. A weak spark will seem like flooding out.

        Also, you set the float height for the year of the carbs and not the year of the engine or bike if different? Verified all floats are very close in height and both sides are the same?
        Life is what happens while your planning everything else!

        When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt.

        81 XS1100 Special - Humpty Dumpty
        80 XS1100 Special - Project Resurrection


        Previously owned
        93 GSX600F
        80 XS1100 Special - Ruby
        81 XS1100 Special
        81 CB750 C
        80 CB750 C
        78 XS750

        Comment


        • #5
          When you rebuilt the carbs did you pull the rack apart and completely disassemble the carbs including the throttle shafts?

          Could have a couple of throttle shaft seals leaking....
          '79 XS11SF

          Comment


          • #6
            Thanks for the replies.
            I did do a bread tie synch before mounting the carbs. I am able to get enough vacuum to do a synch and have done so.
            The carbs are indeed the 81 carbs from a MNS. They are set to the specs in the Clymers for that year and I checked them with a clear tube to verify fluid height.
            Have not tested the coils with a meter just have noted that I have a fat bright blue almost white spark when I ground the plug to the head. I have checked all cylinders. I will test them with a meter tomorrow.
            I did in fact spray carb cleaner through all the float bowl enrichment holes. I have had the carbs apart several times so that may be something to recheck as I could have gotten something in there. It was also one of my thoughts on what may be wrong. As I had previously done that I decided not to take them apart to recheck which may have been a mistake. I will recheck that as well tomorrow.
            Thanks for the input guys. If I do not win this fight I am sure Rooster will have the fire out in a hurry as I burn it possibly saving some valuable parts.
            2-79 XS1100 SF
            2-78 XS1100 E Best bike Ever
            80 XS 1100 SG Big bore kit but not fully running yet.
            Couple of more parts bikes of which 2 more will live!

            Comment


            • #7
              Don't give up yet

              See if you can raise "Bullet". Dan does this sh.t for a living and owns and has rebuild several 81 carbs. If it needs tweeking, he's the guy. Talk you right through it. Might be real busy right now but sent him a PM before you do anything drastic. If he's off channel 11 ,I have his E-mail and phone. Real good guy.
              mack
              79 XS 1100 SF Special
              HERMES
              original owner
              http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps6932d5df.jpg

              81 XS 1100 LH MNS
              SPICA
              http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad305/mack-055/2.jpg

              78 XS 11E
              IOTA
              https://youtu.be/wB5Jfbp6SUc
              https://youtu.be/RaI3WYHSuWA



              Have recovery trailer and shop if you breakdown in my area.
              Frankford, Ont, Canada
              613-398-6186

              Comment


              • #8
                if your not getting any vaccum or really low vaccum
                at idle id be looking for things that would affect that,

                did u check the cams for alignment, when u did ur valve check?
                if the camshaft is out by a tooth it could give u the results ur getting.

                also look for intake leaks which has already been suggested,
                spray some carb cleaner around the butterfly shafts, intake
                boots to head and the intake barbs.

                u said u set the float heights to specs, was that 23mm?

                also to make things a little cheaper for u, u can clean the plugs
                with bi-carb, do a search for soad blaster.

                jat, are the air jets screwed into the back of the carbs?
                using bi-carb, do a search for soda blaster.
                Last edited by petejw; 03-11-2011, 02:50 AM.
                pete


                new owner of
                08 gen2 hayabusa


                former owner
                1981 xs1100 RH (aus) (5N5)
                zrx carbs
                18mm float height
                145 main jets
                38 pilots
                slide needle shimmed .5mm washer
                fitted with v/stax and uni pod filters

                [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pA8dwxmAVA&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL[/url]

                Comment


                • #9
                  That intake boot in the first pic is leaking, no doubt about it. Looks like it suffered a few backfires, too, but that should be cured by the proper sync. Did you change the mounting screws? Many, not all of those mounting holes are blind and if your screws are too long the boots won't fully seat on the head. I know, I've done it. Run a screw in without the boot and see where it bottoms out. I had to trim my new screws to fit in order to get a good seal there.
                  Former owner, but I have NO PARTS LEFT!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I should have answered TRDRIVER's question last night but I think it posted while I was writing my reply. While I did only take the rack apart loosely enough to work on the enrichers, I did not take the throttle shafts or seals out.

                    I have sprayed around these areas with propane (torch unlit of course), WD-40 and Carb cleaner as a test for leakage at all the areas in question as Pete and the others have suggested. I found none.

                    The intake gasket in pic #1 had slipped on me and I bolted it in. I ran the bike (yes it backfired a few times) and that was when I literally had no vacuum. After I found that leak and changed it out I do have low vacuum but it is still about 10 -12 cm of HG or whatever the scale is in. The scale on my morgan carbtunes start at 8.

                    The float heights were set to 23mm and rechecked with clear hose on the bike and I forget exactly what level that was but it was where the manual said it should be.

                    I do use a soda blaster and a sand blaster to clean plugs but I used new here to eliminate any plug problems from the equation.

                    It has been a few months since I did the valve shims and I do not recollect if I checked the cam alignment at that time but pretty sure I did. I will recheck that as it is easy to do anyways.

                    I re-used the same Bolts that came off the old carb boots so unless I mixed some of them up they should be ok.

                    I am going to run it today and do leak tests again. Then I will recheck what I need to, remove the boots again and install again, Cam adjustment check, Test the coils, check the air screws in the back of the carbs, etc.

                    I thank everyone again and will report back what I find.
                    2-79 XS1100 SF
                    2-78 XS1100 E Best bike Ever
                    80 XS 1100 SG Big bore kit but not fully running yet.
                    Couple of more parts bikes of which 2 more will live!

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Red flag to me

                      No vacuum to set the synch with...damn. I then went in and set the valves to spec, thinking maybe they were out of whack. So now we have all valves set to spec, and re-checked. I then bought a dial indicator to set TDC on number 1. Set that . Set the Timing to spot on at this time as well to the specs for the 79SF. All should be good right? Nope it ran like **** acting too lean.
                      So I proceeded to set the carbs till the colortune said it would finally run a bit rich. 6 turns out seemed a bit much so I tore into the carbs and put in 45 pilot jets across all 4 carbs. Still needed 6 turns out. Re-jetted to 47.5's on all 4...needed 6 turns out to finally run rich.
                      I have an F with some fairly open pipes mine would not idle and backing out the idle screws to the last thread and still could not get it rich on the color tune.
                      Replaced the pilots to the 45's and 1 to 1-1/2 turns out and last plug check I did 2,3,4 are running a little rich so something seems a little suspicious here.
                      I'll give it some thought and get back to you.
                      How is you compression?

                      Rick
                      XS1100F TKAT fork brace Stock suspension. Vetter Fairing. Pingel Petcocks. Geezer voltage regulator
                      http://s910.photobucket.com/albums/a...t=DSCF3026.jpg
                      650SF
                      http://s910.photobucket.com/albums/a...t=DSCF2647.jpg
                      XS1100SG Project bike
                      http://s910.photobucket.com/albums/a...t=DSCF3034.jpg

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Compression shows 150psi across the lot within 2-3 pounds. Have a leak down tester but have not done that yet. Next leak down test I do will be my first
                        2-79 XS1100 SF
                        2-78 XS1100 E Best bike Ever
                        80 XS 1100 SG Big bore kit but not fully running yet.
                        Couple of more parts bikes of which 2 more will live!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Sounds like

                          The same kind of problems I was experiencing until I found that the butterfly shaft seals were leaking. This is hard to find even with the propane torch method. Mine tested good but after sync and everything equal and level it all went to s**t as soon as the throttle was opened up any at all and the engine started running rough. I could get a good synch and smooth idle and it would stay in synch until I touched the throttle and they then went all out of synch.
                          You can't stay young forever, but you can be immature for the rest of your life...

                          '78E "Pathfinder" Show bike...
                          Lovingly restored by Dave Delzell
                          Drilled airbox
                          Tkat fork brace
                          Hardly mufflers
                          late model carbs
                          Newer style fuses
                          Oil pressure guage
                          Custom security system
                          Stainless braid brake lines

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Seems to run and rev fine without any stumble or wierd stuff. Just the acting like it is flooding and up and down revs while idling until warm. Am out in the garage now and have to carbs off again. Doing some tests that have been presented here and will see what that brings.
                            2-79 XS1100 SF
                            2-78 XS1100 E Best bike Ever
                            80 XS 1100 SG Big bore kit but not fully running yet.
                            Couple of more parts bikes of which 2 more will live!

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Coils test as:
                              1+4 primary is 3.0 ohms secondary is 12.06 K ohms with plug ends removed.
                              2+3 primary is 3.0 ohms secondary is 11.36 K ohms with plug ends removed.
                              Plug wire ends are NGK with 5 K ohm resistors in them.
                              I am using both BP6ES and BPR6ES plugs during my testing as I have sets of each.
                              Thanks for staying interested!
                              2-79 XS1100 SF
                              2-78 XS1100 E Best bike Ever
                              80 XS 1100 SG Big bore kit but not fully running yet.
                              Couple of more parts bikes of which 2 more will live!

                              Comment

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