XS1100 dies when I shift into gear

[nightrider]

I read up on this but I don't think my 79 xs1100 special has a sidestand sensor and I checked the tip over sensor. I'm stumped, it's done this to me before but I fiddle around with stuff and eventually it works. HELP PLEASE! Thanks in advance.

[Ken Talbot]

The cheeky response is "are you pulling in the clutch before you shift?"

Really, though, if the bike has been sitting a while, the clutch plates can tend to stick. When you go to shift into first with low rpms, the bike will try to lurch forward, or as you have experienced, it might die if the plates are dragging enough. Without the motor running, can you shift into gear, pull the clutch, and still roll the bike?

[rev79xs11]

Don't know if this will be a help or not but mine did something similar last week. After washing the bike, when I put it in gear I lost a few cylinders. Put it back in neutral and it ran fine. Once it dried out it was fine but it made me curious. I see in the wiring diagram that the neutral switch is tied into the ignition module. Maybe try looking over your connections....just my .02

[nightrider]

I had just spayed the bike off this time but it's done this a few times before when it was not wet. It's not the clutch grabbing as I can rev it to high rpm and it still dies. It's been several hours now and I let it idle till it was very warm before shutting it off and it's still doing the same thing. It's really bugging me, I've searched and searched and read every post I can find about wiring and ignition and I'm stumped. Hope someone else can line me out on this.

[randy]

Check the ground cable on the engine case. It's located just above the shifter pedal inboard of the driveshaft boot.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Rev79xs11,

The wiring diagram for the 79SF in the clymers is wrong for the neutral light circuit, it shows it connected to one of the hot wires for the pick up coils, but it's supposed to just go to the light blue wire that goes to the neutral light. It's just a grounding switch, and has nothing to do with the ignition circuit! The bike will start in either gear or neutral, provided the clutch is pulled in! The 81 has a clutch safety switch, but I don't believe the 79 does!

Nightrider,
You didn't answer Ken, or we couldn't understand what it was...
what did you mean "Spayed"?? Being able to rev the engine in neutral doesn't mean anything regarding the clutch plates. Have you had the engine off, put it in gear, pull the clutch lever in and been able to roll the bike? IF NOT, then the plates are sticking! There are several techniques posted about unsticking them.
T.C.

[prometheus578]

Ok... I'll play your silly little game......
(just my way of showing frustration)
So.. the Clymer's is wrong as to where the neutral switch get's wired to. I'll just check the Yama service manual: XS1100 models, 1978-1980.
HHmmm... doesn't even SHOW a neutral switch for the 79F, nor the E model????
That's funny 'cause.... I have a neutral light, and a little sending unit down by the frame that leaks oil. Makes me think that I have one.
Always thought that something was kinda loopy though, as I can start the bike in gear with the clutch out. (As the dent in the garage door will attest to)
I'm used to working on bikes that have a switch at the clutch lever... where... if it's in gear.. the bike will only start if the clutch lever is pulled in. MY 79f doesn't have this lever switch. And I don't see anything like that in the wiring diagrams from the E model up to the '81SG /SH
So... does this mean that the bike was designed to start in gear, whether the clutch is in or out? And is the true meaning of the switch just a neutral light and NOT a neutral safety switch?

[Badger]

Wet problems

Hello.....Hello......has this thread just gone dead????

I've had weird troubles involving the neutral indicator after washing the bike [it does not like being washed]. I'm now very careful about spraying water around under the tank, as I think that is where it doesn't like it most.

Exactly as was described, bike would start, [after a wash] but die the instant a gear was selected, finally [apart from waiting for it to dry out] worked out that if I removed the neutral indicator globe, the engine would continue to run after engaging a gear.
This is on a 1980 standard.

[prometheus578]

OK, here's my thought.
I like Randy's bit about checking the ground strap, 'cause I too think it's a faulty ground somewhere.
If I understand correctly... the bike runs when it's in neutral, but dies when you take it out of neutral. I think you have a grounding prob at the pilot box(where all your indicators lights are), or at the key switch area.
Why? : Bike runs in neutral but dies when NOT in neutral. The only thing that has changed, other than the mechanical aspect, is that the neutral switch is no longer providing a ground for the light. And if you follow the wiring diagram, you'll see that the ground for the neutral bulb is tied into lots of other things, like the tach. which is tied to the regulator/ alternator, etc.
OK, here's the deal. Your ignition circuit has a bad or broken ground. The only ground that it's getting, in order to run, is being "backfed" through the neutral switch's ground. When you turn off this ground (Put it in gear), the whole bike dies. This ground is coming from the switch... to the neutral bulb, across the filiment, and then feeding everything else.
"Yes, But... when I pull the bulb.... the bike then runs. Isn't that interupting the circuit that you say is running the bike? Shouldn't it then die?"
Yes... but.... when you're in there dicking around with the bulb... you've also moved around the wiring harnesses that deal with the pilot box(indicator lights) and the ignition key switch. This is where your problem lies. And if you have a bad connection there.. the water only aggravates it.
One possable solution.
No... the thread didn't go dead. Some people just have other things to do at night than spending an hour staring at wiring diagrams in three different manuals trying to trouble shoot electrical problems on a bike that they don't have right in front of them that they can actually tinker with and systematically trouble shoot step by step. Unfortunately, I'm not one of them.

[fxrer]

More than once, my '80 SG did the exact same thing as Badger and Rev's. After a quarter car wash, the motor started, but died instantly when I put it in gear. I was finally able to get it to run on 2 cyl's, and after 5 miles or so, it dried out enough so all four cylinders fired hot and normal.

Solution? No more spray washes for my SG!

[Czekus21]

Have you checked your pickup coils?????? Have you checked your connectors??? I had the problem with my 79. Dying when put in gear. Not running right when wet. These are things that I did to fix my problems.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Prometheus,

I hope you get out and get some riding in, sounds like you're a little tense!? But you are right, and Randy answered the question correctly by suggesting the ground check, but like you alluded to, may not have had the time to go into a lengthy explanation as to the why!! Yes, the neutral light switch is just a grounding switch that allows the power to go thru the bulb and to the engine ground, and the bike was designed to start in or out of gear, they(Yamaha) added the clutch switch to help prevent lurching and accidental starts or loosing control starting the bike when in gear!

Water from spray washers can get all around the engine components, wiring, frame, etc., and can cause unintentional grounds due to shorts thru harness connectors, or rubbed raw sections of wire, etc..

And no one is hollering at you Badger, I think Prom. thought your reply was another request for assistance, when it looks more like you were surprised that no one else had responded to the thread, and so you were just providing your input in an attempt try to help Nightrider. We all have to remember that it's NOW riding season, and vacation season, and like Prom. said folks are busy with the fun things in life, and so folks need to realize that replies to their questions may be slower in coming. It's frustating for the person needing help because they also want to get out in that FUN, riding and not wrenching. Okay, now let's go ride!
T.C.

[prometheus578]

Agreed!
Thanks, TOPCAT.
After workin' on other people's bikes all day, I probably do come home a little frazzled. Electrical probs can be really frustrating for the owner, more so for the mech who has to try to chase them down. (especially over a modem)
Badger, I apologize for my tone. Came at the long end of a hectic day.
Had two bikes this week... both would die when taking a left turn! On one, the flexing harness was popping open a connector... telling the bike that the sidestand was deployed.
The other... who knows? Fixed it by disconnecting and reconnecting every wire in the harness. Somewhere during that proceedure I hit the right one.
Check your wiring connectors.

[nightrider]

Thanks to everyone who replied you guys are great. Ends up I go out the next morning and it runs fine. So I guess I'll keep away from washing under the tank. Glad to hear I'm not the only person this happened to. I've only had this bike running for a few weeks and I'm already addicted. Bike only has 6500 miles on it but it sat outside and rusted up pretty good. I'm thinking about sanding down most of the rusted chrome on it and painting it. Has anyone else tried this? Pictures maybe? Thanks again.

[TopCatGr58]

I had rusted chrome on my fenders, I took a scotch brite pad to it, but it really didn't rough it up enough to allow the paint to stick well, you might want to use some emery cloth, or a sanding disc on a drill, an orbital sander, something like that to really score up the chrome enough to allow the paint to stick! I think it turned out well, adds more color to the bike vs. just the tank/side covers!

Other parts that are smaller may respond and look decent with bumper chrome paint? Or you may want to take the parts and have them silver powder coated!
T.C.