1979 xs1100s ignition issue

[dondons1984]

I am pretty sure I'm getting good compression. Air shoots out like s mad man with plugs out.

[dondons1984]

update:::

drained my oil today since I am having shifting issues like the bike was going to die or I was suffocating it. So far I have filled up a 7 quart drain pan and then about another quart in another pan. hmmm, can someone say fracking overfill?

[motoman]

Sounds like suffocation. Was that just oil, or fuel oil mix?

[dondons1984]

What i drained was just oil all 8 quarts

[Rasputin]

Check your middle drive is not empty!!! Many have made the mistake of pulling the wrong drain bolt and over filled their bike.

[BA80]

It needs to be checked sitting level or on that center stand that's not there because of the 4 into 1. All the oils do.

[Rasputin]

Time to employ some otherwise useless teenagers or maybe some jack stands or such then. Over filled oil by the amounts stated are huge. Other things like the middle drive may be very empty, regardless of the bikes position.

[dondons1984]

How do I check the middle drive? I've never encountered that. I'll look it up

[DGXSER]

Standing on the left side of the bike, look down, under the air box area, you will see a bolt/plug staring up at you that should have a hex head wrench opening in it. That is the fill port for the middle drive. There is a tech tip HERE that gives the dimensions of the dipstick for checking middle and final drive oil levels. I always use my Micrometer end to stick down in there to check the depth.

The drain for the middle drive is just in front of the centerstand, facing the back of the bike. Which is sort of the normal location for the oil drain on a car engine, so new owners have been known to confuse it with the engine oil drain. They drain the middle drive, and dump 3 liters of new oil in the engine (the site glass is empty on the side stand which is how they had the bike when doing this work since they did not know better). Leaving the middle drive empty of lubrication, and the engine oil filled up to the pistons.

In your case, perhaps they heard the noise and figured they did not add enough oil, so another quart can't hurt.

[dondons1984]

ok so here is the update:

changed the oil but I do NOT think I put in enough. I put in 2 quarts and it is barely in the sight glass. I will be putting more in though.

Here is the problem that is reoccuring though.

I go to start it and it seems to struggle though. I can get it to start a couple times today and it starts fine then goes to a very very high idle then seems to quiet down then dies. WTF?!!! Someone please help cause now I am going crazy on this bike.

[BA80]

Check all the carb bodies and the brass tubes on them for cracks. Dragon Tamer (RIP) was having a similar problem with a 750 XJ and that's what it turned out to be.

Have the carbs been synchronized?

[dondons1984]

right now as of this moment I am doubting that they have been. I know that it ran fine before but now I am getting this so it leads me to believe that I was lied to and that they need to be synced. And what brass things are you talking about? pictures would be nice.

[motoman]

right now as of this moment I am doubting that they have been. I know that it ran fine before but now I am getting this so it leads me to believe that I was lied to and that they need to be synced. And what brass things are you talking about? pictures would be nice.

Well, two words that throw up a red flag....'ran fine'. First off, not lied to.....carbs have to be re-synced EVERY time the carb bank is removed and replaced. Second, put another quart in it as you obviously didn't change the filter, least no mention of it. Know its a pain, but your gonna have to do at least a bench sync on those carbs to get things close before blame goes to anything else. Lest do the mentioned and get back with the results.......and slow down a bit....mythodically do one thing at a time and test....just a word to the wise.....

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Don,

Okay, starting, revving high and then dying, as mentioned could be vac. synch. However, when starting on Choke/fuel enrichener, it will eventually attain a high idle until it's released. But if the fuel isn't flowing adequately you could be emptying the float bowls and running out of fuel!?

You have a special, can't recall if you have the OCTY, think you were the one with the leaky petcock?? Set the petcock(s) to Prime and see if it will keep running. But remember that when it's just idling, it can often NOT be charging the battery and if weak, can actually discharge to a point that will kill the engine! Just some thoughts.

T.C.

[skids]

Well, two words that throw up a red flag....'ran fine'. First off, not lied to.....carbs have to be re-synced EVERY time the carb bank is removed and replaced. .....

I think that this is really not necessary unless something critical has been changed such as pilot screw adjustments, or separation of carbs from the bank-o-carbs, replacement of the manifold boots, or anything else that could afect vacuum readings (like shim adjustments).