79XS1100 Black engine?

[79XS11]

Does anyone know what's the deal with these black engines?
I have a 79 XS ELEVEN with a black engine is this a special edition? cheap edition ? or anything at all ? I think i read something on here about a reunion edition.

[Phill the strat]

Afternoon,
The black XS11 type engine is sorta specific to UK, South Africa, and Oz. exactly the same specs as the "non black" motor, just a diff anodising colour.

Pre logging into the XS11 site I had never seen an "aluminium" coloured XS11 motor, and just naturally assumed all XS11 motors were black. If you have a black motor you'l probably find some other little quirks that were diff between the "EuroSAOz" and USA units like a finned clutch plate cover, and raer set type gear linkage/footrest pegs blah blah.

I have a number of black engine spare parts in case you get stuck for "things". Give me a ping off line if you need some.

Phill

[Jdwags]

black special

I have 2 specials,

My uncles (early ser number) sf, black engine.

the Mongrel later ser number sf, silver engine..


i thought he might have painted it, but its pretty tough paint,, although 15 years under a tarp outside didn't help it any.

[TopCatGr58]

My 81 Special came with black "JUGS", but the head was aluminum, the valve cover black, the engine casing was aluminum with clear coat??? Jeff, that high temp paint works well on the engine, even up to 500degrees, just need a different kind of paint for the headers.

[sixtysix]

The midnight specials came with a black engine.....other than that you only see the euro spec engines in black. But who knows, somebody could have painted it black....

[kenkrieger]

Black engines

My 81 Special cam with Black jugs as well as Topcats,,,Aluminum colored head,,,my XJ' Maxim came with a completely Blacked out engine, carbs and all,just the Timing cover and the Alternator cover are aluminum,,got this bike from the original owner, claimed it was original,and it looks it,.

[Bill__Woods]

Hey fellas,
Like TC, my 81 special has black jugs, and black valve cover. That engine is sitting under the bench as she has a 1980 silver motor on it. The bike was on the second engine when i got it, got the original one as parts engine. Po said it kept popping out od 2nd gear, that why he changed motors. Problem is they tore the original motor all apart (head, jug,trans) and left it that way. i did not get all the pieces to the original engine & trans. Oh well.
good day for ridin' in Ohio

[strom]

Any of u guys have a non-1981 pick up coil on the spare engines?

Tried mine today with a 81 GSX pick-ups, it didn't work...


LP

[Jean Luc]

My 82 Maxim has Black jugs, silver head, a black Valve cover, polished Aluminum covers and a silver crankcase.


Ciao,

JL

82 XJ1100 - (Not Named Yet)

[XS-IVE1100]

HEY GUYS,

I HAVE A '79 XS-SPECIAL AND MY DAD HAD A '80 XS-SPECIAL .. BOTH OF THESE BIKES HAD ALUMINUM COLORED ENGINES. I HAVE SEEN OTHERS WITH THE BLACK ENGINES, I ALWAYS THOUGHT THE OWNERS PAINTED THEM LIKE THAT. I DO LIKE THE LOOK THOUGH. IT'S ALL GOOD THOUGH !!!

[Mike F]

Forgive me but I'm English, what are 'jugs'. We have a term for that but it definitely isn't anything to do with motorcyles

[Jean Luc]

Ummm

Well they *could* be that,

-but-

in the cycle word they are usually the cylinders..........

[Jerry]

It was my understanding that the term 'jugs' (mechanical) came from airplane engines, where each cylinder in an air-cooled radial engine could be independently removed for service. Sitting on a workbench, the cylinders bear a resemblence to other jugs.

Personally, I prefer the terms 'hooters' or 'boobs' when referring to flesh-and-blood 'jugs'....

My XJ has silver cylinders and black valve covers. I thought the entire engine should be black, as are other XJs, but can't find any evidence mine was ever painted.

[Mike Hart]

I've never seen an xj engine all black. The bottom end is silver, black on the cylinders, black on valve cover with 2 x 4 raised polished stripes. That's how mine was new off the dealer floor, that's how they look in the brochure, and that's how most every other XJ I've seen was (a few like mine have had the black removed. FWIW

[Jerry]

I stand corrected...should have said all black cylinders, not all-black engine. I looked for evicence of black paint on my cylinders, could not find any, even in tiny cracks and crevices, such as around oil supply line or deep in fins. If mine was ever black, whoever removed it did an outstanding job!

I have seen one other cylinder assembly that was silver...on Shelia Tiernan's "Purple Passion" XS. If you look closely, YICS ports are cast into the cylinders. Looks like someone took XJ cylinder and grafted it onto the XS bottom end and used the XS top end as well. Ken talbot and I talked about this unusuall arrangement at Camp 2001 in Colorado. If I recall correctly, the cylinder assembly was all silver, just like my XJ.

Sometime I am going to get around to painting the valve covers and cylinders on the XJ, but it isn't high on my list of priorities so it may be a siver-cylindered XJ for a few more years. Valve covers really need it, though, so may get them done this winter.