Carb adjusting 78 xs11. Pods, 4into1. HELP.

[Diskman01]

What pilot jets are you running? Do you have the pilot jet cover screws in place as Cy mentioned? What position are your needle jets at?

Stock pilot jets. 45s.

Yep, the cover screws are in place with the washers.

Main needles are in the MIDDLE slot. They WERE up one when I got the bike. Was waaay lean. Top end is OK now. Just bottom end is very rich.

[Diskman01]

And where are your idle mixture screws set to? Those set the idle mixture not the idle speed. It sounds like you need to do a proper carb sync, part of which is a proper idle mixture adjustment as it sounds like the idle mixture is off, maybe way off, which affects the low to mid range throttle settings.

I set the mixture screws at 1.5 turns out this afternoon when I checked the floats again. After much popping and spitting thru the carbs at idle, I got the idle to actually work.

Now the motor just loads up with gas at 2000 RPM or 30-40 MPH.

[cywelchjr]

It shouldn't be popping and spitting through the carbs at idle. That points to something wrong. You may want to check the ignition pickup wires, as it sounds like it's missing, which can cause the plugs to foul as well, and can be RPM specific. Many have tried to troubleshoot carb troubles that ended up being the ignition pickup wires being bad. But popping and spitting through the carbs is certainly not normal, and barring something wrong with the ignition says that SOMETHING ain't right with the way things are setup. If it's bogging at 2000 RPM it may be because it's not firing properly and reliably.

[TopCatGr58]

Just another aside, what Brand are the Pilot jets, did you buy them or were they already in the carbs when you got it? K&L sold kits for these, and folks sometimes got the wrong pilot jets, and they made them run horribly at low rpms...way too rich! They were the VM series pilot jets with the metering hole near the threads, but these carbs use the BS series with the metering narrow section at the nipple/tip end! See below diagram! From MikesXS.net!



With a good magnifier you can see the difference between the two.

But also, even though folks talk about running these bikes at that low of an rpm, it really does put it at the LUGGING rpm, and would suggest keeping it closer to 3k and above, but it shouldn't foul the plugs anyways....except again that at that low rpm, you can also be getting less power to the ignition spark plug coils, less/weaker spark since charging system isn't fully kicked in till 2500 rpm and above!
T.C.

[yamahansolo]

I disagree with the pos naysayers.
If you get tge right ones. Yes emgos are a bitch. The MIKES pods are awesome. Didnr do anything to my jetting with tge stock carbs. Mine was a weird 79 built in april 78. It came with 140 mains also 1 size bigger pilots I can't recall rge number. But oddly ut had a quite different airjet. Can't remember which was atock and which was mine byt onw was 210 and the other 190 ill have to look whwn I get a xhance. And in love you airbox nazis. But I wull have to say in 1978 and that time frame airboxes weren't engineered for power.that came later

[Diskman01]

Just another aside, what Brand are the Pilot jets, did you buy them or were they already in the carbs when you got it? K&L sold kits for these, and folks sometimes got the wrong pilot jets, and they made them run horribly at low rpms...way too rich! They were the VM series pilot jets with the metering hole near the threads, but these carbs use the BS series with the metering narrow section at the nipple/tip end! See below diagram! From MikesXS.net!



With a good magnifier you can see the difference between the two.

But also, even though folks talk about running these bikes at that low of an rpm, it really does put it at the LUGGING rpm, and would suggest keeping it closer to 3k and above, but it shouldn't foul the plugs anyways....except again that at that low rpm, you can also be getting less power to the ignition spark plug coils, less/weaker spark since charging system isn't fully kicked in till 2500 rpm and above!
T.C.

Pilot jets are original. 45s.

Looking into a colortune and a carb sync. Fiddling with the screws between the carb and engine helped but more fiddling is needed and its dark now.

Lol

[yamahansolo]

Sorry .. stupid droid phone. My first line should say pod naysayers not pos... phew! Sorry for the cinfusion haha

[cywelchjr]

Sorry .. stupid droid phone. My first line should say pod naysayers not pos... phew! Sorry for the cinfusion haha

There's a site about that, it's called "damn you autocorrect" (or something to that affect) and is all about autocorrect on smartphones. iPhones have the same problem.

[Diskman01]

Ok, finally got her to lean out a bit at low speed. But, now my idle is at 3000 RPM for about 10 seconds then drops to 1000. Makes stoplights and intersections really enoyable.

sigh

[cywelchjr]

Ok, finally got her to lean out a bit at low speed. But, now my idle is at 3000 RPM for about 10 seconds then drops to 1000. Makes stoplights and intersections really enoyable.

sigh

You say that the idle jets are the original 45's. Did you verify them visually or is it because they are the ones that came in the carbs when you got it? You have to look closely to see the difference, and the symptoms do act like the wrong type jets, which could have the right number on them, and look very much like the right ones. Even if your 90% sure sure they are the right ones, I would order a set of the correct ones and replace them with ones that you KNOW 100% are the correct jets. They are pretty cheap, and if they are wrong, no amount of tuning will EVER make them work right. The symptom now is that idle is too lean, and if it's still a bit rich in mid range, that sounds like incorrect jets (as in wrong type).

[Diskman01]

You say that the idle jets are the original 45's. Did you verify them visually or is it because they are the ones that came in the carbs when you got it? You have to look closely to see the difference, and the symptoms do act like the wrong type jets, which could have the right number on them, and look very much like the right ones. Even if your 90% sure sure they are the right ones, I would order a set of the correct ones and replace them with ones that you KNOW 100% are the correct jets. They are pretty cheap, and if they are wrong, no amount of tuning will EVER make them work right. The symptom now is that idle is too lean, and if it's still a bit rich in mid range, that sounds like incorrect jets (as in wrong type).

I have been driving around with my trusty spark plug socket and adjusting the idle screws as needed. Getting fairy close. Still have a nasty misfire/bog at 2500-3000 so I am gonna pull the timing cover and check the pickup wires. Bike is cooling down as I type this.

I visually verified the 45 jets and so did the dealer when I purchased some 50s as the bike was running waay too lean due to incorrect main needle clip settings before I fixed that. Yes, the pilot jets are original 45s.

I think I am just down to idle mixture settings, possibly spark pickup wires and/or a 30 year old bike. lol

At least it's almost rideable now again. Will make a homemade sync tool and hit the carbs tonite if I get time.

[yamahansolo]

I turned off autocorrect along time ago my probl3m now us fat fingers

Also with the emgo filters my 750 never ran at thoae rpms. Emgos are why alot if guys hate pods... believe me the price and quality of yhe mikes pods is well worth it and they have xs stamped in them.

[spyder]

XS Eleven Carb issue

Don't post much here, but I specialize in vintage carburetor restorations. Ive been rebuilding these bad boys for around 35yrs. So many variables...so little time. I did note,unless I missed it, that no mention of the condition of the carb boots themselves has been discussed. If they are cracked/broken/etc., they should be replaced before attempting any more adjustments. You will be surprised at what crack-free boots will make. Easily checked wit some WD sprayed around each boot while the machine is running. If idle increases, there is a problem. Sometimes too much emphasis is placed on jetting/clip position, etc.. I have found,througout the years, that most times it's something simple we overlook. I am still learning to this day.

Ride Like You're Invisible,
Spyder

[Diskman01]

Update again:

Bench synced and adjusted the idle mixture screws again. Ran like a DREAM for about 15 miles then it started loading up at about 3000RPM and popping and smelling like unburned gas.

Thinking I have coil issues at this point. Heat related. I'm letting the bike cool off and will take it for a spin later to see how it runs.

[11Rider]

I thought the stock pilot size is 42.5, no? If so you are a size up from that and may cause the plug fouling around town.