2 for 2, let's go 3 for 3

[Cubby's XS1100]

Guys,
I cant thank you enough for the help so far. I did kind of expect it however when I joined. I belong to a "Yamaha" snowmobile forum and it (and I) have helped hundreds of guys with thier Yamaha's. So thanks again with the help and once I become well educated on the XS1100, I too will help others on this forum.

So...
1- The TCI box for the 1981 was the fix for the lean and running hot problem.

2- I had no idea that the passage from the main jet tube to the pilot jet existed and 2 carbs had this passage way blocked. Now she runs fine and I was able to ride it a little last night. Which brings me to #3........

3- Second gear.... Yep, got it running and of course 2nd gear is slipping. Is the dremel fix the way to go? I have read the threads on the forum and to me it looks like it would work. Your thoughts on the easiest way to fix this?...........Cubby.

[natemoen]

That is the way to go.

[tcoop]

I have only fixed two so far and A third one here in the next few weeks.

Just follow this how-to and you will be 3 for 3
http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5090

[fredintoon]

1- The TCI box for the 1981 was the fix for the lean and running hot problem.
2- I had no idea that the passage from the main jet tube to the pilot jet existed and 2 carbs had this passage way blocked. Now she runs fine and I was able to ride it a little last night. Which brings me to #3........
3- Second gear.... Yep, got it running and of course 2nd gear is slipping. Is the dremel fix the way to go? I have read the threads on the forum and to me it looks like it would work. Your thoughts on the easiest way to fix this?...........Cubby.

Hi Cubby,
what year bike you got? If it's an '81 and has it's stock carbs those carbs shouldn't have a main to pilot cross-feed passage.
Lotsa posts swear by the Dremel fix. Seller said my bike had it done and it don't jump out of gear.

[Cubby's XS1100]

I have a 1978 XS1100 with Yamaha Fairing and bags. I got it running after it sat in a barn for 10 years and while I was trying to adjust the idle screws by ear when it was on the side stand, I blipped the throttle, it went into gear by itself and went right down my driveway into the street. The shifter was jammed so I removed the lower pan and found a bunch of gear teeth in it.

So I found a motor on craigslist that I thought was a 79, but with the help of this forum we determined it was a 81 motor, hence needing the 81 TCI box to make it run correctly.............Cubby

[DGXSER]

Hey Cubby, I am on four bikes and counting for the Dremel fix. I always do the "washer swap" with it, and I have yet to find the need to go back in twice. This is the cheapest and yet very effective fix I know of. If you had the engine out of the bike, it might be simpler to go ahead and split the cases but since you just got it in, I would do the tranny pan drop as documented in the tech-tip. I have thousands of miles on repaired gears with no sign of trouble to date.

[motoman]

Guys,
I cant thank you enough for the help so far. I did kind of expect it however when I joined. I belong to a "Yamaha" snowmobile forum and it (and I) have helped hundreds of guys with thier Yamaha's. So thanks again with the help and once I become well educated on the XS1100, I too will help others on this forum.

So...
1- The TCI box for the 1981 was the fix for the lean and running hot problem.

2- I had no idea that the passage from the main jet tube to the pilot jet existed and 2 carbs had this passage way blocked. Now she runs fine and I was able to ride it a little last night. Which brings me to #3........

3- Second gear.... Yep, got it running and of course 2nd gear is slipping. Is the dremel fix the way to go? I have read the threads on the forum and to me it looks like it would work. Your thoughts on the easiest way to fix this?...........Cubby.

1. Was done to eliminate the springs, etc. of the mechanical advance .Mechanical advance done through TCI module. Change had nothing to do with lean condition. Vacuum advance was still used same as earlier models. XJ, mechanical/vacuum advance was done electronically. 2.Your bike apparently has the earlier carbs, and also would have idle-mix screws exposed above top of carbs. 3. Dremel fix is your best option at this point..........sooner the better.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there DGXser,

I just helped do the dremel grinding on a couple of sets of gears for the locals, and with Nightengale/John's, I swapped the washer for 2nd. However, I found that it was much harder/difficult to get the gear set back INTO the tranny with the washer swapped, have you had a similar experience in putting the gears back in??

With Charles/CPMaynard's gear set, I didn't swap the washer, so he wouldn't have as much trouble getting the gearset back in. With the dogs/slots undercut, IMHO the washer swap isn't critical.

Cubby, pay heed to the tech tip and do the grinding on the 1st/4th set of gears while you're in there, you don't want to have to go back in to fix a pair that you ignored....if 2nd/5th is worn, 1st/4th won't be far behind!

T.C.

[BA80]

Hey Cubby, I am on four bikes and counting for the Dremel fix. I always do the "washer swap" with it, and I have yet to find the need to go back in twice. This is the cheapest and yet very effective fix I know of. If you had the engine out of the bike, it might be simpler to go ahead and split the cases but since you just got it in, I would do the tranny pan drop as documented in the tech-tip. I have thousands of miles on repaired gears with no sign of trouble to date.

Hey there DGXser,

I just helped do the dremel grinding on a couple of sets of gears for the locals, and with Nightengale/John's, I swapped the washer for 2nd. However, I found that it was much harder/difficult to get the gear set back INTO the tranny with the washer swapped, have you had a similar experience in putting the gears back in??

With Charles/CPMaynard's gear set, I didn't swap the washer, so he wouldn't have as much trouble getting the gearset back in. With the dogs/slots undercut, IMHO the washer swap isn't critical.

Cubby, pay heed to the tech tip and do the grinding on the 1st/4th set of gears while you're in there, you don't want to have to go back in to fix a pair that you ignored....if 2nd/5th is worn, 1st/4th won't be far behind!

T.C.

+1 on both of those items.

The easiest way is to drain all the oil, engine, middle drive, and final drive, and remove what you need to to flip it over on it's back. I did my bike last fall just before the XS Southeast Rally (twice I might add since I didn't do 1st gear the same time I did 2nd) and did it with the front of the bike hanging from the rafters.




I got it done but it was a real PITA working on the floor like that.

[DGXSER]

Hey TC,

Yes, it does complicate getting the gears back in with the washer swap. It does move 2nd gear a little closer to the 5th pinion gear, making the over all shaft length that little bit longer to get it into the bearing with second gear on the right side of the 5th pinion gear. The critical issue with getting the gears back in is to start by putting the second gear side of the shaft up first with second gear clearing the 5th pinion gear. Then the tough part is the "socket" in the engine case on the clutch side that the Middle Drive gears shoulder goes into. At the same time there is little clearance for the middle drive gear and first gear to fit into the space for them to go all the way up to mech with their main shaft gears. I find the trick is to slide the middle drive gear and first gear out to the edge of the shaft, tight against the engien case, keeping the middle drive gear inner splines just meshed or aligned with the splines on the shaft, sliding first gear off of its bearing. Then I can let first gear rock on the shaft and get the shoulder on the middle drive gear into that socket while lining up with the main shaft gears they mesh with. Once you get that shoulder in the socket, the shaft will go into the bearing and you can slide the first gear bearing into the gear. and then the shaft will slide all the way in.

I really can't speak to how well it goes back without the washer swap because I have always done the swap.

Next time I am into one of these I will video or take pictures to show how I get it to work. I am not saying it is an easy task, even knowing what I want to happen sometimes it seems like it is just dumb luck when it finally pops into place. But it does help to know it worked several times before so as not to give up on it.

As to how critical the swap is, I just know it truly does about double the depth of how far 5th gear dogs go into the 2nd gear slots. Logically it has to improve the mesh and limit the ability to slip substantially.