Electrical Problems - Please Help!!

[JosephHarris]

just pulled the timing cover off, defiantly a vacuum advance

[crazy steve]

First, it will pay to check to see what's there; the PO may have already swapped the parts. If not, your best and probably cheapest bet would be to install '80 ignition components on your motor, or even '79 parts. You'll need the mechanical advance unit at least, and maybe the timing plate; some '81's had the slotted mounts for timing adjustment you'll need, some didn't. That will allow you to keep the TCI you have as the '81 unit is a one-year-only part and can be a bit expensive/hard to find.

If you decide to replace the harness, first figure out what you have. It appears you may have a 'frankenbike' (parts from different bikes) so verify that hasn't been swapped too. Again, that guide I linked to will help you identify it. If the harness appears original, you want a '78-79 standard harness; the Special harness is enough different to complicate things. The later '80-81 harnesses are again different enough that swapping for a earlier harness can get complicated; these won't match up to the '78-79 ignition switches, handlbar controls, and some relays.

[motoman]

just pulled the timing cover off, defiantly a vacuum advance

ALL XS1100 years had the vacuum advance. What Steve is talking about is the mechanical advance under the ignition plate that can't be seen outside visibly.....

[3Phase]

ALL XS1100 years had the vacuum advance. What Steve is talking about is the mechanical advance under the ignition plate that can't be seen outside visibly.....

Yeah, but it's easy to check what's installed on the engine. Hopefully it's already been swapped but the missing TCI is not a good sign.

If it still has the original '81 4RO ignition assembly the reluctor is 'fixed' and won't turn because the 4RO TCI takes care of the advance electronically.

If the original assembly has been swapped for an earlier unit to use the earlier 2H7 TCI then reluctor will turn and you can feel the springs and weights advance and retard as the reluctor turns.

[Rasputin]

I am pretty sure I have a spare 4RO TCI here if needed.

[JosephHarris]

ok so im a bit confused so i just took a picture of what i have



also i found this stray wire coming from the regulator to the headlight (orange)



the orange wire connects to this brown wire, then to this red wire







its the red wire on the far left
the red and tan wires connect to the brown and go out the other hole in the back of the headlight.

any help would be great. thanks guys

[crazy steve]

ok so im a bit confused so i just took a picture of what i have

Ok, let's deal with the ignition first; Yes, you still have the '81 ignition set-up in there, and it won't work with the box you have. That's a fixed reluctor without any mechanical advance; you need one of these:
http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34277
You want the '80 unit as it's the best match for your camshafts. You'll also need the baseplate the pick-up coils mount on as yours has no way to adjust the timing; the mounting holes on the earlier units are slotted. Otherwise, you'll have to switch to the 4R0 TCI.

As to the wiring, the splices don't look to be badly done. Now, whether or not the wires are going to the right place can only be traced out; there's no 'short cut' to that unfortunately. Also keep in mind if any components have been changed or moved, a 'new' harness may not be any improvement as far as matching up to what's there. Do check to see if all the wiring plugs are there; virtually every component plugs into the harness, nothing should be hard-wired.

The only way to know how good or bad your harness is to trace it out, and that will take a little bit of time. That's not as tough as it seems; look here: http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35337 and here: http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35339. If it's only a few wires that have been hacked, I'd fix it. One would have to be pretty bad before I'd throw it out...

Happy tracing....

[JosephHarris]

ok, so do i need the pick up coils too? or just the timing plate and mechanical advance??

[crazy steve]

All you should need is the baseplate, although finding that as a separate part may be a bit tough; you may have to get the whole thing. The pick-up coils are the same for all years of the XS, and the vacuum advance is the same for the '80-81 models.

[JosephHarris]

All you should need is the baseplate, although finding that as a separate part may be a bit tough; you may have to get the whole thing. The pick-up coils are the same for all years of the XS, and the vacuum advance is the same for the '80-81 models.

So is this what your talking about??

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TIMING-SPARK...d1f9c6&vxp=mtr

[crazy steve]

So is this what your talking about??

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TIMING-SPARK...d1f9c6&vxp=mtr

Yep...... You'll still need the mechanical advance.

[JosephHarris]

Yep...... You'll still need the mechanical advance.

Great. thanks alot. you guy have been amazing. lol
now i just gotta conquer this wiring problem

[JosephHarris]

Four years!!!

So it's been four years... But I GOT IT RUNNING. I gave up on the for a pretty good while and it just sat in my moms garage but, with trolling this forum and getting pointed in the right direction from this post, I GOT IT RUNNING!! Lol. It's not tuned the best yet and it's still ugly but, it's giving me such new life in this forgotten project sense this STILL IS my first bike. Still haven't rode it.... No brakes yet, clutch wont disengage and it's dark outside... it's the first time I've resurrected something that was seemingly dead to someone else. Lol I've read a couple of tricks to try and brake the clutch free. Can't wait to try it. This forum is like the greatest thing ever!! Thank you everyone!!!

[Eastcoaster]

congrats

Way to go Joe! That clutch will brake free sometimes I have just ridden with the clutch handle in for a few miles it always seems to let loose. Or a few hard breaks on the center stand with the clutch in. Please keep us posted

[fredintoon]

So it's been four years... But I GOT IT RUNNING. I gave up on the for a pretty good while and it just sat in my moms garage but, with trolling this forum and getting pointed in the right direction from this post, I GOT IT RUNNING!! Lol. It's not tuned the best yet and it's still ugly but, it's giving me such new life in this forgotten project sense this STILL IS my first bike. Still haven't rode it.... No brakes yet, clutch wont disengage and it's dark outside... it's the first time I've resurrected something that was seemingly dead to someone else. Lol I've read a couple of tricks to try and brake the clutch free. Can't wait to try it. This forum is like the greatest thing ever!! Thank you everyone!!!

Well done Joe!
Next thing, fix the brakes.
For safety's sake don't eff around with anything else until you can make the bike STOP.
AFTER you can reliably stop that bike you can try a flying clutch pop to break the clutch plates loose but as it's been sat there for at least 4 years, I'm not sanguine about that working.
Sometimes you gotta take the springs off the clutch and peel the plates apart like peeling the layers off an onion.