I can't seem to get xs11 to start

[GNEPIG]

I have found tons of used crap cheap for all kinds of old bikes on ebay; but first take the plug caps off, trim the wire back 1/4" and retest the ohm's. Like the other guy said ... common point of corrosion.

[GNEPIG]

Forgot to mention, check plug caps for ohm's. Should be 5k each. NGK makes good ones.

[ScottS]

Well I have changed the plug caps and they tested fine now. I have all brand new NGK gaped .032 Still no fire. We pulled the valve cover off to make sure timing is correct and it is. We have compression we have damn good spark we have fuel air and its all in time. Any other Idea's?

[randy]

Scott, how do you know the spark is on time? Did you use a timing light, or static time it?

[ScottS]

Im guessing by the position of the magnito..... however Im not even getting back fires or anything even with ether

[randy]

If you have good spark, good compression and fuel it should fire unless the spark is weak or out of time.

On the ignitiuon rotor (what you called the magneto), there is a round window, through which you can see the tip of the reluctor. With the rotor pointer at the 'F' mark, the reluctor should be dead on lined up with the line on the ignition pickup. Check it. If it's off, loosen the three screws on the backplate and rotate the backplate to line up the reluctor with the pickup. Now your ignition is static timed.

Another possibility is that what you see as good spark in the free air is acutally not hot enough when the plug is under compression. Compression can blow out a weak spark. Check the gap at the pickups. The gap setting of the pickup / reluctor (described above) should be set at .7mm. I actually have mine set at .5mm.

Setting the gap is fairly involved, you have to remove the rotor plate and re-install the bolt with a spacer ( I used a 10mm nut), so you can get the feeler guage in there. The pickups have two mounting screws, loosen them to lever the pickups, closing or opening the gap. Do this for both pickups. It helps to put the bike on the centerstand, in 1st gear so you can spin the crank with the rear wheel.

HTH

[randy]

Scott,

Correction:

The pickup backplate has TWO screws, they're the ones in the slotted holes.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Scott, and Randy,

He said he gets one hit from a blast of ether! What's the firing/combustion flash point for ether vs. gas?? It's probably a lot lower, and so a weak spark can light it, but can't keep the gas lit!? Think he should pull the TCI unit and inspect the connections, and perhaps pull the top off and check the solder joints for bad joints!?

Scott, where in the world are you, how about editting your profile to describe which model, 81H or SH, and what city/state you're in. Others close to you would/could provide some in person assistance!!

When you pulled the coils off, did you connect them back to the proper colored leads so that the TCI was truly sending signals to coil set 1-4 for cylinders 1-4 vs. 2-3 for 1-4 cylinders??

Is your battery fully charged? Low battery will cause the TCI not to function properly if below 10.5volts!!
T.C.

[prometheus578]

What Topcatgr58 said. I fought for days on a 650 till I realized that I had connected the wrong wires to the right coils. Or was it the right wires to the wrong coils. Either way... swapped the wires and the beastie fired right up. And yes, it did fire with ether when it was connected wrongly.

[ScottS]

I needed to take a few days off from this project. I was working alot of over time. I will start back on it again tomarrow. BTW I am located in SW Indiana in a town called Vincennes. Im not sure Which Model of Xs11 I have. I have no side covers for it or anything like that. If i could get some knowlegeable help in person man that would be great. I will buy who ever it is dinner or something. I will try to static time my bike tomarrow.

Thanks a bunch guys

Scott Stoner

[randy]

Scott, look on the steering head. On the VIN tag, the first three characters are the model designation.

[ScottS]

3j6

[Snow]

Does that mean it's an XJ?

[randy]

That's a 1980 Special (SG)

[ScottS]

is that good?