The mystery continues...

[vedgar]

relax and learn from the voyage. Just when you think it cant get any worse, it will. That is the fun of old stuff. A leads to B and B leads to C and then it is fixed !!!!

[cajun31]

Update....I rechecked all of the the elec connections and all looks good, I decided to recheck the tci unit all readings are correct with the exception of the black with white stripe, yamaha manual shows it should read 6 volts, three different tci units all show 12 volts, it shows that wire going to tipover switch that has been eliminated ,I am completley fed up , one step away from smashing this f##ing pos with a sledgehammer or creating a bonfire with it, so if anyone has any new ideas I am willing to listen...

I feel your frustration but hang in there. It has to be something that you are overlooking and It almost has to be something that has simply burned and shorted out. From your first post you stated it ran then switched off and now doesn't. No other symptom indicated prior? So whatever it is failed when you turned the key on... generally meaning something shorted out for the last time. I know I asked earlier about the main fuse assembly and you stated upgraded and no problem. What about the main fuse? On my special it is on the left side by the toolbox area. Have you checked it or was it also moved and upgraded when you did the main fuse box?

[Bonz]

I’d be pretty certain Joe checked the main, the stuff he can do to an XS11 that goes dead stick while pulled off safely on the side of a road during a rally is quite impressive...

[rdmycguy]

Thanks to all for your input and ideas,I am fed up with this pos, I am going motorcycle dirtbiking in Moab and am seriously considering taking the venturer with me and throwing it off a cliff, It might be fun to watch it destruct as it tumbles to its grave..

[DiverRay]

If your that close, drop it off here in Idaho. Maybe two sets of eyes can solve the problem!

[bikerphil]

Rdmcguy, I would try bypassing that starting circuit cutoff relay, the one you have pictures of in post #1. Jump the 2 red/wht together and the sky blue and the blk/yel. If you look at an XJ wiring diagram, that unit is part of the safety interlock system, something similar may be used on your 81 it appears.

[rdmycguy]

Thanks Diver Ray and biker Phil, If I was going any where near Idaho I would certainly take you up on the offer, I am only going to Utah this trip though,Biker Phil, I will certainly try your suggestion, I am taking a break from it right now so I don't lose my cool and start smashing things, I'll keep you all informed as I continue my quest.Thanks again !

[2WheelFun]

https://xs11.club/forum/idle-talk-fo...ark-79-special

Some good diagrams and tips in here. Mine ended up running by connecting an unplugged wire. Last year, I know that wire was unplugged while I was riding but I'll take the win. That red/yellow trace wire runs from front to back, check for continuity.

Did you check more than 1 plug for spark? Plug caps screwed in tight to the wires? If you're getting power to the coil with the ignition on, it is probably in the pickup circuit sending the signal for the coil to hit.

Best of luck to you.

[wingnut]

Just for grins try jumping the solenoid with the key on. We just had an 78 pull that stunt and it ended up being the start switch

[rdmycguy]

Finally.....After using every profanity known to man,and many threats to this bike, I was able to get this mother fu##er running,I had changed the pulser coils,tci unit,coils,ground wires,fuse panel,ignition switch,handlebar switches,spark plugs,voltage regulator and everything else I could think of....I finally had enough and changed the wiring harness and ALLof electrical components from my 78 xs aka El Toro...El toro was deteriorating and used more oil than gas and I had to put him out to pasture, and so the Venturer is now a running machine ! R.I.P. El Toro ...

[cajun31]

Finally.....After using every profanity known to man,and many threats to this bike, I was able to get this mother fu##er running,I had changed the pulser coils,tci unit,coils,ground wires,fuse panel,ignition switch,handlebar switches,spark plugs,voltage regulator and everything else I could think of....I finally had enough and changed the wiring harness and ALLof electrical components from my 78 xs aka El Toro...El toro was deteriorating and used more oil than gas and I had to put him out to pasture, and so the Venturer is now a running machine ! R.I.P. El Toro ...

Wow.... you went through everything. Can you say definitively what solved the issue after making all those changes? Or... do you really care at this point?

[JeffH]

....I finally had enough and changed the wiring harness and ALLof electrical components from my 78 xs aka El Toro...El toro was deteriorating and used more oil than gas and I had to put him out to pasture, and so the Venturer is now a running machine ! R.I.P. El Toro ...

Oh no, say it isn't so


EL TORO will live on forever .......................



The most fun XS1100 ever made
Don't mess with the Bull


Jeff

[rdmycguy]

Hello Jeff, The short answer would be, I don't care very much about what it was that caused the problem....Long answer I'm 90% certain it was the harness,and so now I have 2 4ro tci units, a spare set of 3 ohm coils, some very nice handlebar switches ,spare pulser coils and misc.other parts that i might sell or just hang on to...

[motoman]

rdmycguy, I suggest you check the ohm reading on those spare coils. Across the two poles with your trusty ohm meter, if they show appprox. 2.7-2.8 ohms, they also need to be let out to pasture.

[rdmycguy]

Thanks for that idea Motoman, I definitely will before i use them on something else ....I had to clean the carbs to get this beast running correctly,The o rings and tiny washers for the pilot air screws are no longer available BUT, the ones for 2004 yz 450f will fit and work correctly..also pilot jets were clogged so I took a stainless steel staple and put it in the chuck of my drill and sanded it down to fit, kinda cavemanish but it worked...Upon start up it wouldn't run very well so I grabbed the spark advance unit and rolled it forward and it now runs fine,remember that it is an 81 model year but I put a 78 harness and tci unit on it, I was not wanting to change the whole advance unit from 78 to it so, I plugged in the original 4r0 tci and it now runs well, SO I am hoping it will advance correctly even though it has a mix of different year components,,,The bonus is I now know that my 4r0 tci is good ,thanks for all of your ideas along the way !
,