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1979 XS1100 Not a XJ900 but it will do for now

Discussion in 'Other Motorcycles' started by Timbox, May 1, 2019.

  1. JetmechMarty

    JetmechMarty Active Member

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    The image is an XS650 vacuum petcock. I am not sure of the year of the bike, but no later than 1981 and no earlier than 1978. My best guess it’s an ‘81. If you need exact, send me email or PM. I’ll find out for you.

    BTW, I put a K&L kit in my XS11 shutoff valve and have the same issue.

    Timbox, the octopus is a safety device. There's a tipover switch to kill the ignition, then the vacuum shutoff kills the fuel. It's supposed to keep you from being on the ground and on fire.
     
  2. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    Okay, safety is good, keeping both weeks on the ground is always a good idea. I just can't see the need for it and all the work it takes to use. I think I will be blocking off the one side totally and just using it as a normal on and off petcock. Getting a inline filter in there with all those hoses and not have anything kink or interfere with the operation of the petcocks is the issue. I know the modern bikes have a tip over swx for the fuel pumps to turn off so I understand the fuel issues if she is on her side.

    My oil light is not going off, but that was before I changed the oil. Traced the connector to behind the fuse box holder and it was nasty, I am guessing the connection is still working so need to do a little more trouble shooting.

    Front light also is not working, might be the swx on the bar doing that. Light is working fine with AUX power is put across elements.
     
  3. JetmechMarty

    JetmechMarty Active Member

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    I put those little Visu-filters between the carburetors about an inch and a half above the tees connecting the carbs. (I sourced new brass tees from siriusconinc.com) I replumbed everything with Motion Pro Premium Fuel Line. I plastic tees in the lines, I replaced with brass from the hardware store. I plumbed the left tap to the right carburetors and vice-versa. This so I wouldn't kink the line with tight turns. I also have enough line to run the bike with the tank on backwards (where the seat goes), so I can tweak the carburetors without alternate fuel source. Yes, it was a little challenging figuring it all out, but once done, it's done and works just as originally intended. IMHO, it's better that stock. I'm usually a follow the book kind of mechanic. Mostly because I'm not the best at reinventing the wheel.
     
  4. FJ111200

    FJ111200 Active Member

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    I've done the same as you Marty, and that's plumbing the left fuel tap to the two right carbs and vice versa.
    I also blocked off each extra fuel outlet from the taps and chucked the octopus and run my XS on the PRIME setting. If the taps leak or the float valves leak, i'll deal with it come the time.
     
  5. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    I like that you guys are thinking the same and it worked. The same being that left petcock to right carbs and so on . I think I will run her the way she is now (stock) but with in line filter in line vertical just above the intake boots.

    Here is the tank after 1 week with white vinegar [​IMG]DSCN0273 by Tim Brown, on Flickr
    Turned out good, rinsed it a bunch of times with water and then added some mystery oil and gas. Removed that gas and put in fresh and tank looks good for now.
    Had to put new fuse box in, cover fits over the top so clearance is good. I did solder those solderles connectors, would hate to have one of them come lose down the road.
    [​IMG]DSCN0274 by Tim Brown, on Flickr
    Now my oil light will not turn off (could be stuck) have not pulled it but shorting the wires at connector does turn off line on cluster.
    I also have a headlight issue, the cluster warning light is on and not headlight. As stated before the headlight is good on HI and LOW.

    Looks like there is a light relay under the tank that could have gone bad. I will try smacking it to see if that frees it, if not I might as well bypass it. My new battery is a AGM with 300+ CC so I am not too worried about the light.

    The oil light seems to be common as well, just contacts on the top of the unit need to be cleaned, we shall see. Thanks XS11.com :)
     
    Last edited: May 14, 2019
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  6. JetmechMarty

    JetmechMarty Active Member

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    There’s a diode for the headlight in the harness under the tank. If you look closely at the wiring diagram, you’ll see it. It could be your problem.
     
  7. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    Well heck still not fixed need more reading. The headlight relay was bad, but adding a known good didn't fix it. I also tried to bypass the RLU and that didn't work. So I guess I will have to make a jumper for the headlight relay to bypass that and work my way to a working headlight. Once light is up and working I can always put a new or replay light relay. To bypass connect R/Y wire with BL/BK wire. Light should light up with key once jumped.

    Tapped on the oil swx and moved the contact on top and oil light still staying on when running. The fun of electro mechanical trouble shooting...I do love it though. :p
     
  8. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    Just saw your post, I will take a look and see what is up. Very strange how the RLU Reserve lighting unit works and I will be bypassing it. So, a relay, a diode and a RLU just for the headlight. Over engineering, got to love it.
     
  9. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    Finally got the light taken care of. It is both the light relay and the RLU has to be removed and jumped to make light come on with the key.
    [​IMG]DSCN0275 by Tim Brown, on Flickr
    The RLU is under the tank close to the seat and by the voltage regulator. That is it on the left in the PIC. Removed it from the main harness and cut and splice Blue/Black wire to Blue/Yellow wire. I also covered the rest of the pins with some liquid rubber just in case water or something would short them.

    On the light relay that is located under the tank but up by the coils and has a four wire connector. Remove the relay and add a jumper wire diagonally from Red Yellow/Blue Black wire.

    These two are very common issues with the XS1100 bikes.

    This will allow you to remove both of the items pictured and have a turn key headlight on. If you don't like this I understand, you can always add another "on/off" swx to the ground wire on the headlight.
     
  10. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    She is color tuned and sync taken care of, nice running little bike but it is a sit in not a sit on, so not too sure if I will keep her.
     
  11. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    The left side cover has two slots on the top that fit into the cover holders on the frame. One of them was broke, so got out the old solder gun and broke up some PCV pipe and got to welding. It has been some time sense I have tried to do PCV welding, but it worked out well. I will start to clean the bike up a little more, de-grease it and power wash it from the seat down. I need to take the 4-1 off and paint that too, as it looks a little aged. Found four air box to carb clamps that I can use as this bike didn't have them when I picked her up. Need to do a little more test riding to see if I will keep this bike or the XJ750 Seca that is now running so well. Sit on (seca) or sit in (special) hmm.
     
  12. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    XS is back on the lift, one of my carbs, #3, seems to be leaking a bit....hmmm. I guess need to pull them again and do another check. The bike sure does run well though, started right up and even purrs well. One of those nasty rainy days and sense I decided to part with the BMW, want to get this bike running well and get that pesky oil light taken care of as well.
     
  13. Chitwood

    Chitwood Well-Known Member

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    Let me know if you decide to send the 1100 down the road...
     
  14. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    I still have a few bugs to work out of here. I will be doing that today sense it is such a nice day outside..lol. Petcock rebuild kits are ordered. I will be pulling the carbs and setting the #3 carb bowl height again. Drained oil as it is now contaminated by gas as the petcocks failed and well you know the rest.
    Will be easy to access the oil sensor with the carbs pulled this time. That is the silver lining I am looking for.
     
  15. k-moe

    k-moe Pie, Bacon, Bourbon. Moderator Premium Member

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    What you gonna do once you get low on fuel and have no reserve?
     
  16. FJ111200

    FJ111200 Active Member

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    I keep my eye on the mileage and fill up round about every 100 miles or so. Seems to be working so far. Is that ok?
    I think now that you've come to mention it, i start it off on PRIME and then switch over to ON when down the road.
     
    Last edited: May 19, 2019
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  17. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    # 3 and #1 were wet set off. #1 I understand, that is the one that I had to solder the float back on, so that needed a little extra tweaking. So carbs are back on and ready for the tank. The "Octo" is gone, that is just nuts. Once the rebuild kits are in place I will just turn the gas off every-time I stop the bike. I do that for all my other bikes that have that feature anyway. That and wet testing "should" stop it from running into the intake.

    The oil light is kicking my butt! Swx is good, tested with multi meter and just light pressure, swx works. The BK/R wire I have traced out to the headlight bucket going into the three lights of the panel. Power has to be coming from the ignition swx so that will be the next step. Only one wire has power in the connector, the Green and that should be my running light. Guessing that has something to do with the ignition swx. Shorting the wire at the oil swx does nothing. There is good continuity from the oil swx to the bucket connector.

    Green is for the running light in the back (that is also not work but a good bulb), so it might be the ignition swx? All the wires running away from the main wiring harness are good and have checked the ckt with a wire from the Bat.

    Oil light will not go out if open or sorted to "-" bat. Rear running light will not light even though bulb is good and ckt is good to bucket connector.
     
  18. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    I just found a way around the plate light. I ran a jumper from the hot leg of the turn signal connection. That way it is still fused with the signal fuse and work with key on. As for that oil light, I really don't want to pull the bulb but this is kicking my butt. What is causing the ckt to just stay lit all the time?

    Removed the 4-1 exhaust and sanded it, put a good coat of heat paint on it. Letting it dry for a few days and then I will put it back on the bike. Petcock parts will be here by Friday. Need to do more research on some other sites to see how or if they fixed the light. I have a good path to the light bucket and the oil swx works fine. Looks at the schematic and found the brown wire that powers everything in the interment panel is the power source.
     
  19. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    Still waiting for the petcock parts but this is the pic of the mod on the LSU on the bike. Hope this takes care of the oil light issue. Cut away the insulation on those two wires, soldered them together and then added liquid tape.
    [​IMG]DSCN0280 by Tim Brown, on Flickr
     
  20. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    After rebuilding the petcocks they seem to work well. There was still more junk in them even though I had thought I cleaned them out. Anyway, they work well now but I will only be using the rear nipple. That nipple is the on and reserve, the front is for prime. I got rid of the Octo mess so the on and reserve will work as a prime would, so I can reduce the working parts and reduce the amount of fuel lines. Like many of te XS1100 folks have said, I will run the left petcock to the right carb bank and so on.

    The speedo is not working as well as I would like it to. I also had a screw come off the face plate so I needed to get in there. These are factory sealed units and I had to go to youtube to get some instruction on how to brake in. After a lot of simple bending the metal ring came off and I was able to get to the face screw back in place. Cleaned the speedo and tried to lube the needle shaft but not too sure it it will loosen up with use. Used a drill to test the speedo and it is working just in the low MPH range is very sluggish.
     

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