Not sure what my next step should be.

[biohzrd]

Hello everyone, I started my xs1100 project awhile ago and it has been vary slow going because of my lack of knowledge about pretty much anything mechanical and I have been using this bike as a learning experience. I have come across a problem that I don't know what I should learn about and go after fixing first.

Heres the issue, I finally got the bike running off of a can because the tank that came with the bike was a mess. The bike would idle perfect and was vary responsive. I bought a tank that was in vary good condition inspected it and tested the petcocks and they are flowing great, hooked it up to the bike and now she will only start with the choke fully on and dies after a couple seconds. I got her to run for a little longer with the throttle more than half open on start but with any twist of the wrist it was super sluggish to respond and then died again.

I am assuming this is a fuel starving issue because 1) the only thing that changes was the source of fuel. 2) starting only with the coke fully on. 3) the unresponsive throttle.

BUUUTTTTT I could be/probably am off somewhere, and If I am not I am stumped on what to do to fix it.

Thanks guys!

[Jeffintampa]

more info

Are you using the Oxcty the little box thing on between carb 1-2 or just gravity flow. Make sure the cap is venting

[biohzrd]

Are you using the Oxcty the little box thing on between carb 1-2 or just gravity flow. Make sure the cap is venting

Thanks for the fast reply Jeff! I think your going to make me show my ignorance here haha.

I set up the lines according to this diagram: http://www.xs11.com/forum/images/tips/fuelspecial1.gif so If I understand what you are saying that would be gravity fed because it bypasses the Diaphragm Assembly

If I misunderstood what you are saying I apologize, I gave the carbs a solid look over and didn't find anything I think matches your description of a little box.

[Eastcoaster]

carbs

have you gone through the carbs cleaned synced and cleaned again? Where are you in Florida I will be running the Venture to West Palm in a few weeks if you are on the way I would be glad to stop by even it was responsive before how long has that been since then. Do the petcocks have a prime will it run on prime bypassing the octy
Eastcoaster

[biohzrd]

have you gone through the carbs cleaned synced and cleaned again? Where are you in Florida I will be running the Venture to West Palm in a few weeks if you are on the way I would be glad to stop by even it was responsive before how long has that been since then. Do the petcocks have a prime will it run on prime bypassing the octy
Eastcoaster

I have cleaned the carbs once and a shop cleaned them again when working on a couple other parts of the bike, no sync yet. I am located on the other coast in Naples so sadly I think I'm a ways out of the way. It was running off the can fine about a week ago here is a short vid of it running https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYSJOzKynD0

The prime and main lines go to a y joint right out of the petcocks and into one line so there is no way to bypass: http://www.xs11.com/forum/images/tips/fuelspecial1.gif

[Eastcoaster]

Octy

that's not a good layout when properly set up the prime will bypass the octy and provide fuel directly to the carb Search octy you will find the right sketch or hopefully someone can post it

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Bio,

Okay, reread this thread, looked at the fuel routing diagram you linked to. I looked at your video...it moved very quickly so it was a little hard to see things, but it looks like while it was connected to the spare tank, that the fuel line was run straight down to the carb T's. But the diagram shows running the fuel lines UNDER the filter tubes into the filters, and then back UP OVER the other filter/inlet and then into the carb inlets! That diagram is a bit OLD, and really not an ideal layout!

Those filters that are shown are also quite large...and most folks now will just use the little white 1.5 inch or so cone shaped ones like on lawnmowers and such...and so the routing doesn't need to go down around and then back up and around.

I just finished replacing my 13 year old fuel lines and simplified things a bit. I used to have hoses to both nipples going into a "Y", then into my fuel filters, and then to the carbs. I got rid of the "Y", capped off the front PRIME nipple because without the Octy, the front PRIME port isn't needed. I then ran the rear nipple to the filter, then across the inlets along the TOP of the filters, and then DOWN the inlet "T" on the other side of the bike from the petcock. This way there's no big LOOP that can cause a fuel blockage/air lock!

You said the petocks were tested and working, so I/we can only assume that they should still be able to flow when turned to open/ON. But would still suggest you RECHECK them as part of the total troubleshooting process.

IF you have fuel filters, just have to ask if they are oriented the correct fuel flow way....the cone filters are misleading in that we usually think of things that have point ends as going towards the direction of the point..ie. arrowhead. But the cone filters are to be positioned with the fat end towards the carbs.

Try changing the fuel hose routing and then VERIFY that the fuel is flowing from the hose end that fits onto the carbs, then reconnect, and you should be able to get the bike running and keep it running. IF not, then something else is going on. Try reconnecting the spare tank and see if the bike will start and keep running. REPORT BACK!

T.C.

[biohzrd]

Thank you for the reply, haven't had a chance to work on the bike in a few days but was back at it today and went over your suggestions.

I have tried a few different ways of running the lines, I took a direct rout from the petcocks to the carbs T joints instead of passing the lines under the air filters like TopCatGr58 suggested but with the Y still running the prime and main into the filter, no luck.

Disconnected the prime and shortened the lines to make sure no bends where slowing flow, no luck.

I took off the air filters so I could really make sure nothing was pinching, rechecked petcocks and they are flowing fine and fuel is definitely reaching the carb Ts (Accidentally poped a fuel line off of the T and got gas on everything )

the most frustrating part is none of the changes I make effects how it starts in the slightest. Ill post a video of what the bike has been doing ever sense the tank went on... I feel like Im so close to having it running! (even though it will be ugly for awhile even if I do)

Thanks so much for all the responses guys! I would be losing my mind if there wasn't a community of people that are willing to help, really, thank you!

Here is the VIDEO (keep in mind the fuel line set up is just one of many and not exactly what TopCatGr58 suggested but they all had the same result)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMCYjd9JdmU

[madmax-im]

your fuel tank has a breather or vent in the cap/filler area check to see if it is blocked

[biohzrd]

your fuel tank has a breather or vent in the cap/filler area check to see if it is blocked

I couldn't quite see a vent but tried to start with the cap open with no change.
I'm thinking an open cap would produce the same results as a working vent, let me know if I'm off base there.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Bio,

Okay, you are correct with regards to the open cap to alleviate the possibly clogged cap vent. I reread your first post of this thread. What worked previously was the test can fuel supply. After hooking up the real fuel tank, it wouldn't run right. And then you've done a lot of stuff trying to get the fuel to flow right, but it still won't start/run.

I think you need to take a step back, and reconnect the spare test tank and see IF it will run again? IF not, then you can dive back into the carbs, because it may be the floats sticking so that they are NOT letting fuel into the bowls. Also, you may have gotten some junk into the carbs from the gas tank even though you say you used fuel filters.

Sorry, but need to go back to basics, unchange what was changed, and if it still doesn't run, then something else besides the change is the problem.

T.C.

PS, with all of this starting attempts, I hope you have been keeping the battery on a charger, or even using a booster battery, if the battery voltage drops too low, the ignition system won't fire even though the engine will rotate.

[biohzrd]

Hey Bio,

Okay, you are correct with regards to the open cap to alleviate the possibly clogged cap vent. I reread your first post of this thread. What worked previously was the test can fuel supply. After hooking up the real fuel tank, it wouldn't run right. And then you've done a lot of stuff trying to get the fuel to flow right, but it still won't start/run.

I think you need to take a step back, and reconnect the spare test tank and see IF it will run again? IF not, then you can dive back into the carbs, because it may be the floats sticking so that they are NOT letting fuel into the bowls. Also, you may have gotten some junk into the carbs from the gas tank even though you say you used fuel filters.

Sorry, but need to go back to basics, unchange what was changed, and if it still doesn't run, then something else besides the change is the problem.

T.C.

PS, with all of this starting attempts, I hope you have been keeping the battery on a charger, or even using a booster battery, if the battery voltage drops too low, the ignition system won't fire even though the engine will rotate.

Hey TopCat,

That sounds like a plan, ill go back to the can hopefully tomorrow and let you know how it gos.

Yes, I have been keeping the battery charged and assisted on some starts as well as disconnecting it when it sits.

Again thanks for the replies, have an update soon!

[biohzrd]

Ok, so as TopCat suggested I pulled off the tank and tried to start it again on the can that I had it running on before, and it did not start. There seemed to be no difference to the tank at all so I pulled the carbs, opened them up, and they definitely look worse off then after the first clean but not completely gunked. I figure I might as well re-jet at this point when I have the carbs apart. Reeding the vary faded numbers it looks like I have 115 mains and 42.5 pilots, from what I have gathered on other threads about this is 115 are small mains to start with considering I have filters instead of the stock airbox.

81xsproject recommended to start at 117.5 mains and 42.5 pilots to another user on here that was trading the airbox for pods... what do y'all think, is that a good place for me to start? or should I go bigger/stay the same?

Also anyone with a good source for buying the jets would be appreciated.

Thanks Guys!

[red bandit]

I would get it running first before spending any money but that's me.

http://www.bikebandit.com/aftermarke...100-604-4-pack

[DiverRay]

Google jetsrus, and use ONLY Mikuni jets, NOT AFTERMARKET like K&L!!! There is a GOOD reason for this! the size does NOT match between the two. ANY part into the carbs should be Mikuni ONLY.