Few last minutes odd things

[joep7]

Finally got my special running decent and all the wiring cleaned up. Only a few things left to shore up. I will search these out but if anyone wants to chime in and save me some time I would appreciate it.

Tach is not getting a reading

How many turns out on the air mix screw?

My battery is reading 15.5 volts at idle...reg about to blow? (No headlight hooked up ATM)

Good way to tighten these clutched without pulling cover?

I think that's all I have left before I can ride.

Any help is appreciated.

[joep7]

Looks like two turns out is the starting point


Tach problems could be alternator related...more connection cleaning. But I wouldn't think I'd be getting 15 v if the alternator was junk. The tach started at zero then hung at 2.

[BA80]

Tach is toast get a new (used) one. It'll still ride without a tach.

2 turns will get you close.

Tighten clutch??????

[joep7]

Tach is toast get a new (used) one. It'll still ride without a tach.

2 turns will get you close.

Tighten clutch??????

Yeah on my CB's there was always a way to take some slack out of a clutch cable or tighten the pull a bit. Had to be careful not to go to far but for slight adjustments you could get the pull you wanted. Maybe I am completely retarded here but I have done that a lot on myhondas

[BA80]

This explains it pretty well, it'd be better with some pics but yo cant have everything.

When it says to turn that screw in until it JUST MAKES contact, that's a fact. It requires a very light touch to feel the lightest contact. If you get it too tight the clutch will slip. Assuming that you have the proper oil in the engine that plays well with the wet clutch and your clutch springs are in good shape.

Once you get it adjusted at the engine then use the cable adjustment at the lever to get the correct amount of free play in the lever.

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=140

[BigRed]

If your clutch is slipping, you might want to get some new springs. You have to pull the cover for that, but as long as you have it leaned over on the side stand, you don't need to drain the oil.

The high voltage might be caused by resistance in your ignition switch (mine was). The theory is that resistance in that spot tricks the regulator into overcharging. To test if that's your problem, open up the headlight, unplug the ignition switch connector, and check for resistance between the red and brown (I think those were the colors) wires on the switch side of the connector while you have the switch on. If there's more than a few ohms resistance, you'll need to pull the switch, take it apart, and clean up the contacts. I think it took about an hour to do that. I put dielectric grease in mine before putting it back together, but some people recommend leaving it dry.

[TopCatGr58]

15.5V at idle is very suspicious??? These alts usually can barely get above 12V at idle rpm ~1000-1200, it usually requires getting it above 2500 before it can attain FULL charging capacity, and then it's supposed to be only ~14.5 volts! The Reg/RECT monitors the power drain and adjusts the field coil to have more or less current to increase/decrease the total charging voltage.

Did you clean up all of the connections at the R/R as well as the frame grounds beneath the R/R? Hopefully the R/R isn't stuck in full charging mode.

T.C.

[joep7]

Thanks for all the helpful info. Sou do like I have some more connectors to clean

[joep7]

Ok I've cleaned every connection and ground I can find. Here are my issues at the moment.

No headlight
No tach
No gauge lights
No blinkers (though front two are unhooked)


I've swapped flasher relays, reserve, dimmer, etc

I'm tearing into the generator next I guess.

Does anyone have a ill to wiring diagram for a 79 special? All I can seem to find is for the standard.

[motoman]

Ok I've cleaned every connection and ground I can find. Here are my issues at the moment.

No headlight
No tach
No gauge lights
No blinkers (though front two are unhooked)


I've swapped flasher relays, reserve, dimmer, etc

I'm tearing into the generator next I guess.

Does anyone have a ill to wiring diagram for a 79 special? All I can seem to find is for the standard.

Seriously doubt it unless you've removed, disassembled and cleaned ignition switch and kill switch(drop all the pieces including plasic kill switch in some EvapoRust. That'll also brighten up that colored plastic insert on the kill switch. Re-assemble with a dab of Dielectic grease.

[3Phase]

Ok I've cleaned every connection and ground I can find. Here are my issues at the moment.

Howdy, Joep!

What's the voltage reading at the battery now when the engine is running, is it still 15V or did you fix that?

No headlight

Does your '79 have the manual Headlight On/Off switch on the right-hand handlebar switch? Some of the early model XS11s had a manual switch on the right-hand handlebar switch that that bypassed the headlight relay and turned on the lights when the ignition switch was On but before the engine was started.


Engine is not running

The headlight is not supposed to come on until the engine is running and the alternator is working.


Bad headlight

Check the bulb.


Bad fuse/fuse block

Set your voltmeter to its low D/C voltage setting, not millivolts or microvolts, and measure the voltage across the Head fuse in the fuse block. There should be very little or no voltage across the fuse.


Bad or dirty High/Low headlight switch or harness connector

CAREFULLY! check and clean both of the two harness connectors, the White one and the Black one, that run up to the left-hand handlebar switch.

EVEN MORE CAREFULLY! check and clean the headlight High/Low switch in the left-hand handlebar switch.


Bad headlight relay or bad connection from the stator Yellow wire

Bypass the headlight relay by unplugging it and putting a jumper wire in the harness connector:

Red/Yellow wire (12V supply)
Blue/Black wire (headlight relay 12V out to the RLU)

The other two wires:
Black (Ground)
Yellow (6 or 8 volts from the alternator wye center-tap in the stator)

No tach

No voltage at the tach

Put your voltmeter on a low A/C voltage setting -- 20 or 50 volts, not millivolts or microvolts -- then check the voltage at the White wire in the tachometer harness connector in the headlight shell. It should be somewhere around 12 to 14 volts A/C.

Bad connection somewhere between the White wire used for the tach and the alternator stator winding

With the ignition switch OFF, check the continuity between the White wire at the tachometer harness connector in the headlight shell and the three White wires at alternator harness connector. The alternator connector is behind the fuse block under the right-hand side cover.

The stupid tach still isn't working!

Bad tachometer.

No gauge lights

Engine is not running

Like the headlight, the instrument lights are not supposed to come on until the engine is running and the alternator is working. They're connected to the same Blue/Black wire from the relay as the RLU. Put a jumper between the Red/Yellow wire and the Blue/Black wire to bypass the headlight relay.

No blinkers (though front two are unhooked)

With no front flashers connected, the rear flashers should turn on but they won't blink.

Bad switch or dirty harness connector

CAREFULLY! check and clean both of the two harness connectors, the White one and the Black one, that run up to the left-hand handlebar switch.

EVEN MORE CAREFULLY! check and clean the turn signal switch in the left-hand handlebar switch.

I've swapped flasher relays, reserve, dimmer, etc

How and with what did you swap the turn signal flasher relay? That big silver Yamaha can under the right-hand side cover can be replaced with a regular two-prong flasher but the time/distance auto-cancel feature won't work.

You have a spare RLU and a spare left-hand handlebar switch with the High/Low and turn signal switches?

I'm tearing into the generator next I guess.

Why?

Does anyone have a ill to wiring diagram for a 79 special? All I can seem to find is for the standard.

Here at xs11.com in the "Links" section T.C. posted links to Clymer's schematics for the XS11's, 78-81

Here's the one you need Color 1979 SF Schematic.


Happy hunting! Have fun and take your time!

.

[joep7]

So I said screw it and went for a quick ride. Got home and....my headlight and gauge lights all work....wtf??!?! Haha only thing still down is my tach.

Hi low works, blinkers work.

Damn gremlins

[BA80]

No gremlins, just bad connections.