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  • #1

    Intro/Help

    Hey everyone!

    My name is Denzel. I recently purchase a 78 XS11. I went from a Ninja 250 to an SV650 to the most rad motorcycle I've ever ridden.

    Here is the problem:

    I had some problems with some resistance when shifting and the clutch slipping. It got to the point where I couldn't shift out of neutral when the bike would slip into it from second or from first. I loosened the clutch cable and that made it so I could shift when there was slipping at the advice of the previous owner.

    A few days after I had done that I was down shifting and something went horribly wrong! I was going from second to first and the kickstarter went from 12 o'clock to six o'clock as I was stopping. Luckily I wasn't thrown off of the bike when it happened because when I stopped the bike wouldn't move, even with the clutch engaged.

    I turned off the bike and looked for anything that may have come off. Nothing did.

    Because I was so far from where I need to be I tried to start the bike. It started. I rode it slowly while in first gear until I could get to a friend's place near by. When I got there he noticed that the oil went from the usual color to black.

    Could anyone give me any clues as to why this happened or how I could avoid having any problems related to this?

    Extras:
    The wiring is shot on portions on the bike. Sometimes the engine cutoff switch doesn't work. The electric start stopped working a week or so after purchase. Everything else seems to be fine.


    I want to get going asap, I really miss riding. Thanks for any tips.
    78 E
    Tags: None
  • #2
    I wonder why you would ride with the kickstarter attached. Electric start is the way to go. The proper clutch adjustment is covered in the forum. do a search. If you meerly adjusted the cable at the grip, you are not really adjusting the clutch. Check your mid and final drive oils.
    Skids (Sid Hansen)

    Down to one 1978 E. Stock air box with K&N filter, 81H pipes and carbs, 8500 feet elevation.

    Comment

    • #3
      This might help

      Correct Procedure for Adjusting Clutch
      by Micah Hodges

      I have tried to use the procedure as indicated in the manual but as James Latonick stated, it is unclear to me. Here is my version which I have found to be very effective:

      Loosen the adjustment at the cluth lever to cause as much slack aspossible.

      Remove the side side cover via the two screws to expose the clutchadjusment.

      Loosen the nut (12 mm?) that surrounds the screw adjustment.

      Turn the screw counter clockwise a turn to start "clean."

      Pull out any slack in the cable (by pinching the cable and pulling down (don't hold while adjusting) and then SLOWLY tighten (clockwise) the screw until you feel light tension and back off 1/8 turn. (This is where it will begin to disengage the clutch plates.

      While holding the screw adjustment with the screwdriver, tighten the nut to proper specs (whatever that is?!? This is my disclaimer).

      Replace side cover.

      Adjust the clutch lever with the adjustment at the lever so there is ~5mm in your lever. Lock down with lock down djustment with disc.

      Test ride. Your clutch should be released within 1.5" of the beginning of your pull. If the bike creeps while in first with the clutch pulled, readjust.

      Repeat if necessary.
      Skids (Sid Hansen)

      Down to one 1978 E. Stock air box with K&N filter, 81H pipes and carbs, 8500 feet elevation.

      Comment

      • #4
        Originally posted by skids View Post
        I wonder why you would ride with the kickstarter attached. Electric start is the way to go. The proper clutch adjustment is covered in the forum. do a search. If you meerly adjusted the cable at the grip, you are not really adjusting the clutch. Check your mid and final drive oils.
        The electric start stopped working soon after purchase. I work so often that I hadn't found time to replace the switches, nor did I have time to find them. Plus it makes me feel super cool.

        So it would be a problem with the clutch that would cause something like this?

        Thanks for the tip.
        78 E

        Comment

        • #5
          Ok, to start with, it sounds like you have the typical 1st and or 2nd gear slippage issue that a lot of these bikes develop. Look in the tech tips under repairs transmission for the Dremel repair procedure.

          Not sure exactly what happened there. Maybe the electrical issue keeping the bike from starting also killed the engine unexpectedly and the backlash through the gears may have caught the kick start mechanism somehow.

          I would strongly suggest going through the electrical switches and connectors with some De-Oxit or similar to clean them up before you go using the bike as a daily rider.
          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

          • #6
            To tell you the truth, I am not sure. I had a clutch cable fail once. It seemed that I couldn't keep the adjustment right. It was because the strands were breaking inside and good strands were sttretching...until they finally broke. It sucked! The issue about the darkened oil, that is also a mystery. You didn't show a gain in the oil level while on the center stand did you? (gas leaking into crank case from carbs). Fuel system cleaner can darken the crank oil. Did you add some?
            Skids (Sid Hansen)

            Down to one 1978 E. Stock air box with K&N filter, 81H pipes and carbs, 8500 feet elevation.

            Comment

            • #7
              I'm with

              Doug on this one. I think it's in the tranny. It would have to be pretty severe clutch slippage to feel like it's popping out of first as well. The kick start lever has a wratched mechanism that engages with first gear. For that to rotate the lever like that spells some trouble, with first, second and while your in there might as well look at third.
              Luckily Red, it's easily repaired once you get the bike safely flipped over. Whole tech tips on the subject. I believe there are several members close to you that may come over to assist if you have a couple cold ones for compensation.
              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
                As to the oil color being black, that is what happens to oil. It doesn't take long for the oil to go from translucent brown to thick opaque black. It is normal.
                Nathan
                KD9ARL

                μολὼν λαβέ

                1978 XS1100E
                K&N Filter
                #45 pilot Jet, #137.5 Main Jet
                OEM Exhaust
                ATK Fork Brace
                LED Dash lights
                Ammeter, Oil Pressure, Oil Temp, and Volt Meters
                Green Monster Coils
                SS Brake Lines
                Vision 550 Auto Tensioner

                In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.

                Theodore Roosevelt

                Comment

                • #9
                  Jat

                  JAT, it sounds like 1st jammed on the kick starter gear, thus locking the trans. Then you said you tried to move the bike with the motor running and the clutch engaged, this could cause the black oil, if the trans was jammed and the motor spinning with the clutch engaged, you could have burned up some of the friction plates in the clutch which is in the oil. Once you got the 1st and the kick starter gears un-jammed and road it, all that fried clutch stuff would have worked into your motor. With a slipping clutch and one that wont dis-engage all the way, you needed on before all this happened most likely. You will probably need the 1st and 2nd gear fix, a new clutch and fresh oil, just IMHO, good luck with your bike
                  1979 XS1100 Special (Mad Max, OEM) Current
                  1980 XS1100 Special
                  1990 V Max
                  1982 KZ750 LTD Twin
                  1986 700 FZR Yamaha Fazer (faster then expected)
                  1979 XS750 Special (my 1st Special)
                  1974 CB750-Four



                  Past/pres Car's
                  1961 Catalina 389/1970 Torino GT 351/1967GTO 12to1 comp./ Roller cam/ T-10/ 456 gear/Tri-power/1967 GTO 400, 1969 Camaro, 1968 Z28, 2001 BMW M Roadster 0 to 60 in 4.5 sec. Jaguar XK8

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Thanks for the pro-tips everyone. I'm going to work on my bike this weekend, hopefully. I'll post an update when finished!
                    78 E

                    Comment

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