I think I damaged my TCI

Hi

I have been having trouble with my XJ1100 MAX ever since I got it running in 09. The problem started when I would take it out on hot days and ran it for a long time and then shut it off for a short time like stopping to grab a bite to eat. Then The bike would start fine and go down the road for about 1/4 mile and it would just slowly loose power. The bike would not respond to the throttle and it would just bog along. It was as if the thing was getting just enough gas to run about 3k with low power and that's it. It would always start and idle good and without load would rev up but not with a load on it.
I did so so many things to try to salve this problem. Staring with the fuel system. I cleaned the Carbs completely, replaced the carb intakes, all petcock and octopus gaskets and fuel lines with clear ones. It still did it.
Okay so I replaced the main coils it still did it. I replaced the hose to the octopus and adjusted the valves and synced the Carbs, It still did it.

I did have to replace the main wiring harness before I could even get it running when I got the bike as the guy who had it hacked the thing so bad it was junk. I put a new regulator armature brushes and many other electrical things including a new style fuse box.

It still did it up until I parked it for the winter and did not have a chance to drain the carbs so when I got it out this spring one of the floats stuck and I ended up replacing all the floats and needles.

Okay so I was able to ride it for about 20 min and the bike would start to do it when riding now not after soaking. It would now surge several times before working and then not working as it should before going into the lost power state. I could always make it home by going slow and it would get hot but still run enough to get her home. This year it has gotten worse and is more prevalent. So I started to go on the ignition hunt to see what could be the issue. I started by replacing the spark advance switch and that did not help. I tested the pickup coils and I got a reading of 75 ohms and 100 ohms and the specs are 108 to 132 so they are out of spec, Okay I ordered a set off ebay and am still waiting for them thinking this would fix my problem. Okay time to fix some small things that I have been putting off like the side stand light that is always on. So I take a look at that and think it could be the relay. I also can start the bike in gear with the clutch out? So I find the relays and test them by the book. The side
stand relay is okay and the safety relay is also good? So I do something dumb and switch them to see if it will make the light go out.
I don't know if that could hurt the TCI or not but I was not done playing as the light stayed on and the bike would start with the relay switched. So I trace the wires from the side stand switch and find it connected to the BOOST censer and the lead from the TCI connected to were the side stand is suppose to go. So I put them back to were the should go and put the tank back on and start the bike. The bike runs a bit rough and as soon as I try to give it any throttle it pops and misses badly. It is real bad and I start looking for the problem by checking the fuel lines and priming the carbs checking the wires at the TCI wiggling the connection and mistakenly pulling it out while running. Did I damage my TCI by running it with the side stand relay with out the diode in it?

Well I know it was long to read but if you got this far you may know enough about my bike to help.
Thank you for your time.

 

I wonder if the fuel tank is going into "vacuum lock" because of a plugged fuel cap vent? When it starts doing this, try opening the gas cap and allowing the tank to suck in air and see if this eliminates the problem?

 

HI Chacal
I do remember trying that in 09 when it started by opening the cap and leaving that way. I did not help. I am thinking that this happens mostly when I have about a 1/4 tank of gas left in the tank I wonder if that has anything to do with it.
As you know I pulled my carbs today and am going though them again thinking that I may have something gummed up in there. I did not find anything that bad buy just looking in the bowles and checking the main jets and that the bowels where getting gas. I did not get into it any deeper today.

I love the bike and it runs flawless at times even on long rides once in a while. I really would like to fix it but it is getting vary frustrating.

How do you unclog the cap if it clogged? I might as well cover that while I am doing everything else to it.

 

Update What could be the problem? TCI? OR carbs need help?

I took the carbs off and did a vary quick cleaning and replaced the main jets and tried to change the pilot jets but that was a bad mistake as I ended up destroying the heads on everyone. I ended up just cleaning them and leaving them in. I can see that one has opened up a bit on the top of the jet but I can't do anything about that now. I set the air fuel mix screws to 3.5 out about where they were and checked the float levels. I Put them back on and started the bike and it would just idle any throttle it would die. Just the same as when I took the carbs off. I also went through tank and petcocks and they are fine.
I Got my new old coil pickups in the mail today and installed them.
The bike started up and ran okay. It idles a little rough wounder why? But it revs up too 8k quick and seams good until you try to ride it.
With a load on it the engine stumbles a bit when letting the clutch out until you get about 2k and then it seems to run smooth and have decent power up until 4k when the engine just cuts out and drops to 3500 and then starts to run good. So as long as I keep it over 2k and under 4k or 3.5 k the runs good.

What could be the problem? Upper TCI? OR carbs need help or tuning ?

Whats the best way to check
THANKS

 

Did you look at the fuel cap like chacal suggested? It will come apart by removing a few screws to check the vent springs.
My next suggestion is to get a service book and test the vacuum advance module. Its the vacuum line that hooks to the # 2 carb( not the one on the #2 carb boot, it goes to the fuel valve). Check that and let us know.

 

I just replaced the vacuum advance unit last week with one that tested okay with vacuum applied. I installed a new vac hose today. It's id is smaller then the original but it should be okay. It I had about 1 gallon in it and I went 1/4 mile to the gas station and noted the problem on the way filled it with high test did that same thing as soon as I got it up to 4k in first and all through that gears.
It's like the ignition just shuts off at 4k and will break up between 3500 and 4000. as soon as it drops to 3k it kicks in and runs smooth and is responsive to the throttle. The bike would not even run past an idle until I changed the pickup coils and then well it is where it is now.

I did also change the side stand switch last week and cleaned all the electrical plugs but may have shorted the CDI ?
Would a bad high side CDI work in neutral and not with a load?
Are there jets in the carbs that work at 3500 up ?
Could the rotor lose it's mojo or magnetic properties at 4k?

 

Another thing to check is the side stand saftey relay, unplug it and see if the problem persist. When you do it will eliminate the saftey circuit and will start in grae...be carefull

 

I just changed the main jets with new ones? Should be the same came with the bike 170. I got them from here and think I did take a look to make sure they were 170. ? I also just checked the diaphragms by blowing air into the top of the intake on every carb. They all seemed to work about the same speed and seemed good.
I will pull the relay tomorrow and see what happens, This is also the first time running it with that side stand hooked up at all. I had it plugged into the vacuum advance and the tci was hooked into the harness that went to the side stand light. I ran it that way for a summer! How did it run so good with know vacuum advance?

 

You should do a visual inspection of the diaphrams, there could be small tears or holes in them. It will affect how it runs. Even small holes will make the slides react slow making a rich mixture.
The main jets for the XJ1100 are 110 or 112.5 for a stock setup, 170 is way to big, I'm running 115 in mine with a modified airbox and sock exhaust. Check your plug color to see if its running rich.

 

Okay I made a mistake putting 170 in when I had 112 in it.
I will have to pull the carbs out and change them back.
So I am flooding the engine when the slides move up.
Sound like the problem to me what do you think. ?

 

Just did some homework:
The main air jet is #170, it is the small jet on the rear air inlet side of the carb.
The main fuel jet is 112.5, it is the large jet in the fuel bowl attaching to the emulsion tube..

Could be the problem, check the plugs to see.

 

Hm! Very rare that the carbs get clogged when you go in some place and get something to eat. After a long winters rest in the garage - yes, OK.
Try to borrow a TCI unit. They operates in RPM intervals as far as i remember, so if it malfunctions, could be the answer.

 

The problem was the pickup coils going bad as far as the running hot issue.
The problem I have now must be the fact that my main jets are way to big. I will change them back today and see what happens.

 

You may have created another symptom when you exchanged the air jets for main jets. Pull the carbs and make sure you have all the proper jets in the right places. I agree with Mark on the diaphragms. Check each one for holes and make sure all the slides pass the clunk test. While you have the slides out take a good look at the needles. Look for worn areas. To get back to your original issue, what method are you using to set the float levels? If you are not using the clear tube method you may be missing the float hight or not seeing a sticking float. Once you get it back to the original issue by all means borrow a TCI if you can and swap it out. I've seen TCIs do some really strange things.

 

UPDATE!
I changed the jets and it fixed the problem.
Thanks for the help guys.

The problem with the bike losing power when hot is most likely the pickup coils. The bike runs good now and I will test it on a long ride soon.

Thanks for your help!