Carb Problems

[jlpaul65]

My father-in-law let his 1980 XS 11 Special sit for 5 years with-out starting and last year I attempted to clean the carbs and get it going. When I put the carbs back on and started it fuel would dump back into the Air Cleaner Box and leak out. This was most predominant when you rev'd it up and it came back to idle. I believe I set the float height correctly but am wondering is this a Seating issue or what ? I had cleaned the petcock and tank also.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. I took the carbs back off last year and they have been sitting on the work bench in my garage and I would like to resolve this.
Thanks in advance.

[MartyA]

You cleaned them once. Clean everything again, put 'em together, then take 'em apart and do it again. That will be the ol' triple clean.
You must have a sticking or sinking float or a piece of grit holding a float valve open.

[Bikeboy]

Carb leaking

I agree with MartyA, clean the carbs again and recheck the floats to make sure that they are all at the same measurement, very important. Then put the carbs back on, this time don't put the filter system on. Crank the engine and rev it up a few times now look under the carbs to see if anyone of them is leaking also you might stick your finger in the back of each carb to see which one is leaking. If any of them are leaking, take a screwdriver and tap the carb bowl pretty hard this will sometimes make the float seat if it is sticking. Hope this will help.

[nashville_bill]

On the '80 special, you can check the float level by using a piece of clear 1/4" tubing on the little drain on the float bowls and opening the screws on the float bowls. You can find the procedure in the tech tips: Maintenace - Carburetors - Setting the Carburetor Float Height

Good luck!

[John]

Originally posted by nashville_bill
On the '80 special, you can check the float level by using a piece of clear 1/4" tubing on the little drain on the float bowls and opening the screws on the float bowls. You can find the procedure in the tech tips: Maintenace - Carburetors - Setting the Carburetor Float Height

Good luck!

Hey Bill, actually the 80 SG didn't have the small drains on the float bowls. That little 'gem' didn't come around until 81, and the XJ also had them.

[jlpaul65]

Thanks for the advice, I have to find the time to clean them.
Can anyone tell me if the carbs from an 80 XS1100 G are the same as the ones on this 80 XS11 Special? For that matter, are all the XS1100 carbs interchangable, especially from 79-81?
Thanks

[Guy]

Pulled my carbs in Jan and cleaned. Dit the gas through the air filter when reinstalled. Since they are off the bike turn them upside down and take the bowls off. Any of the floats look look higher, ie stuck down? while the covers are off use some tubing, I prefer clear, like to see whats in it, attach to fuel connection and blow lightly. You can lift the floats to check for air flow and a very light pressure on the float should tell if it seats. Should be easier than than checking on the bike. Hey put em back together, block them up on the benck and use a fuel lind and small funnel to check them with gas before assembly.

good luck
Guy

[jlpaul65]

Good Idea, I'll try that.
Thanks

[morticiaann]

Can anyone tell me if the carbs from an 80 XS1100 G are the same as the ones on this

I ruined a pilot jet on my Eleven Special after installing high performance jets. I located a set of SG carburetors at JW in Hollywood for $300.00.
They work fine except they have 2 vent hoses that can connect to your air box. Mission Yamaha in San Juan Capistrano, California set mine up and they left the vent hoses open to the air. Also, xs1100G carburetors have steel float needles instead of rubber. SG carburetors have different size main jets on 2, 3 and 1, 4. The Special Carburetors have 4 mains of the same size. I'm using the 'G' type arrangement and it works fine.
I used the G type slides and springs - also miscellaneous fitings and hardware.
The Mikuni dealer says that xs11 Special carburetors are designed for that bike only by Mikuni. The dealer wants $1600.00 for a set.

[skids]

I have a set of carbs from an 81H and from an 80SG. They appear to be the same. You can swap a set of older carbs with newer carbs, but you can't swap individual carbs becasue of the Tees and probably other items.

Originally posted by jlpaul65
Can anyone tell me if the carbs from an 80 XS1100 G are the same as the ones on this 80 XS11 Special? For that matter, are all the XS1100 carbs interchangable, especially from 79-81?
Thanks

[Ken Talbot]

$1600 for a set of carbs - YIKES