XS11 Carb problem

[rchambliss]

Well, here is what I did today.... I had already removed the carbs, and plugs. I built a little device to hold the carbs upright. I adjusted each float to 1.015 (about), 1.015 was when the valve needle just closed, which would shut off fuel supply. I didn't know how old the plugs where so I put in new ones. I put it all back together and cranked it up. The #1 and #4 carb seemed to spit out some fuel, a little at a time and it made a sort of cough sound. I took the bike for a spin, it ran so so, at the top end it seemed to sputter somewhat. At low speeds it ran fine. What would cause the carbs to spit out some fuel? I think at the top end it would be lack of fuel.

[TopCatGr58]

Hello again,

I remember someone posting about fuel spitting out the carbs, and turned out to be cam timing!! Have you adjusted the Cam Chain tensioner yet?? Also, checked the valve lifter clearances?!

And your Carb Vent tubes, where are they going, to the air box? Have you inspected them thoroughly, folks have found crud inside them even though the ends looked clear. Also crud where they connect to the airbox!? If they are clogged, they won't allow the bowls to breath, affects both supply to carbs, and refilling from gas tank!?

Aside from carbs, as mentioned before, #1 and 4 are linked electrically by the ignition coils and pickup coils, have you checked them thoroughly? Sometimes the symptoms seem carb related, but are electrical and vice versa!?
T.C.

[steelcat]

Hi
What did the plugs look like after your last little spin? What are you using to measure the float hieght? A millimeter difference between the float makes a BIG difference. I use a digital calibers and keep my measuring pionts constant. I also measure to the float itself not the flange on the float. I was having very rich running w/ the bike bogging done above idle until I reset the floats.

[rchambliss]

Well looks like we were spared from the hurricane, we only have sporatic rain and some wind, but back to the bike.
I adjusted the floats using a caliper. In one carb one of the posts is broken, not sure if this is causing a problem. Most of the post is still there, enough for the peg to go in. What someone did was solder a piece on the float to help to stop it from falling all of the way down. I checked the plugs again, after the ride, the only plug that was black is the #2 plug. I did adjust the Cam Chain Tensioner, when I took off the cover I noticed the vaccum hose was off, reconnected it, the gas spitting out the carbs has stopped. The other problem is still present, it idles fine, but when I give it gas it bogs or sort of cuts out, but eventually revs up. Thanks for all the help, oh yeah, I don't have the airbox installed while doing this. I have a question though, where the vaccum hoses attach on the airbox are blocked, in other words there is not any opening insie the box. Its just as if there are pegs on the box for the hoses to go on but they don't do anything. what do you think?

[TopCatGr58]

Hey RChambliss,

Sounds like someone may have switched out your airbox? They are supposed to go thru to the inside of the air box!

Try a quick experiment, just tie the hoses loose up under the tank, so that they can breath, and take it for a spin and see how it behaves!? IF it behaves better, then you'll either need to drill holes in those plugs that the hoses fit onto, or just attach small air filters onto the ends and suspend them under the tank!

Your #2 plug being black, does that correspond to the carb with the broken float post!? If so, and depending on how much and where the float had that "soldered" addition, it could be that the float is heavier than the others, and so even set at the right height, it may be sinking further, still running rich!?
T.C.

[rchambliss]

Well things are looking up, the huricane missed us and the bike is running a lot better. TopCat to answer your question, yes the black plug was on the same carb #2. Once again I took the carbs off and looked at the floats, the #2 float was still leaking, so I believe I fixed it this time. I adjusted the floats again with a caliper and put it back together. I also think the black plug was caused by the vaccum hose being off inside the ignition cover. That hose connects on the #2 carb. I also mounted the airbox this time, I spoke with a friend at work who used to own his own bike repair shop, he told me I had to put the airbox on if not the bike will not run right. Sorry if you had alreay told me that, I just didn't think it would matter, guess you learn something new everyday. He said if the airbox isn't on, the carbs will suck in to much air, and the air/fuel mixture will be off. Oh yeah, and cause the problems that I was having, go figure. I haven't taken it for a spin yet, weather here is still mixed, rain, sunshine, rain. Maybe next week I can, if the next storm doesn't hit us. Thanks for the help everyone, I'm sure I'm not done yet. Well I have to put the bike on hold for a few days, my parents were hit by the hurricane in Florida, so I have to head off down there and clean up , talk to you later and thanks again.