HELLLLP!!!!

8O heres the story. working at a christian camp two days ago and saw an xj1100 for a few hundred bucks. bike was stuck in gear, calipers were locked up, so i beat him down to 100 bucks. a cpl of sweet love taps on the brakes and around the crankcase and everything freed right up. ( i know im going to hell for this), but anywho. brought the bike home hooked it up to my van and voila, everything lit up and she cranked right over, only problem is the red warning light is on and i have no spark. bike has one registered owner and Never been wrecked or dropped always kept in climate controlled garage and only has 10000 miles. any troubleshooting tips????? new to xjs all together im a kz guy but couldnt leave this bike there to die.

 

There is a whole laundry list of thing to do on these bikes. Obviously with frozen calipers, you will need to rework the brakes front AND rear. Stuck in gear could indicate the chain guide inside the case is disintegrated and catching the gear mechanism, or... friction plates were stuck together from sitting and neglect (Smacking with a hammer may have freed them, works with VW Beetles too :lol: ). As for the warning light, could be a few things. Check the oil, check the battery, likely will need to replace it. Spark could be TCI, but my problem with no spark on my 82 XJ750 was the sidestand safety switch was corroded and just needed cleaned and a new rubber boot/seal (I think the safety switch(s) also triggers the warning light but need clarification). Found it by pulling the main safety relay and got spark. From there, I checked safety switches till I narrowed it down.

This is a wonderfully friendly and helpful forum, and these guys will surely help you on your XJ Resurrection.

GET A REAPAIR MANUAL!!!

 

thanks for the insight. ill heed ur advice on the manual, pdf most likely. never heard of side stand safety switch. ill def check that first seeing as when i used the center stand a handful of corroded rusty poop fell out.
as far as the brakes everything is free now, do u still recom a full turnout on em?

 

ABSOLUTELY. X2 since you have dual discs.

The factory recommended lifespan on the brake lines was 4 years; the master and caliper seals, two years. You're way beyond any designed-in safety margin; and you sure don't want to pop a line on that monster when you're trying to get it stopped.

VALVE CLEARANCES. Often neglected; lots easier on the XJ (shim over bucket) then some KZs with the shims under the buckets.

 

i use to go to a site that had almost any repair/service manual for any bike, anyone remember or have a link for the 82 xj1100, going to go after the k/s safety switch mook told me about

 

mook1al, quick question, do i need to find the main safety relay or can i just disconnect the quikconnect on the switch cable

 

Why are you going to hell? God doesn't like it when you get a good deal? Perhaps He lead you there just so you could see that bike and save it from it's hell?
Get a manual and go over every inch of the bike and do all...<repeat> ALL routine maintenance, get new tires and completely recondition the entire braking system....change fluids...adjust valves....clean and sync carbs...
That should keep you busy for a couple of hours...
Welcome.

 

On mine it was under the left side cover by the TCI...small metal square tin can looking relay. Not sure where it is on the 1100, haven't had one of those. I unplugged it and got spark. I do not recommend leaving it unplugged as it will override all of the safety switches.

Just disconnecting the switch won't do, I think with the side stand down, it completes the circuit allowing spark. Finding the main relay is just a quickie to see if the ignition will fire.

Hopefully someone with an 1100 will chime in here and speak more knowledgeable about your specific model more so than I can.

 

With the side stand UP, it completes the circuit to allow spark. You definitely don't want it to start running away from you with the side stand down. Some of the bikes are even wired in such a way that the ignition is disabled unless the bike is either in neutral, or the side stand is up. That way you CAN'T start it with the stand down unless you're in neutral, AND if the bike is started in neutral it will automatically stall if you try to shift into gear with the stand still down.

I know, some have made jumpers for the clip and disconnect the relay. I've done that too....for emergency purposes, and on my main ride, at one time, I bypassed the switch cuz it went bad I made myself pull it up by hand, each time I got on, only forgetting once, and got a quick reminder in my own yard when the bike jumped sideways. No problems, and barely moving, but a good scare. I never forgot to pull it up by hand again. I don't want to get into horror stories of why/why not etc....... BUT here's just one--just a couple years back a local bike shop owner/builder/repairer was out for a ride on his special edition Harley. He made a left turn in an intersection, his kickstand was down and he didn't know it....it caught the pavement, flipped the bike into the curb and he was pronounced dead at the scene. And yes, he WAS wearing his helmet. The next day I put in a new switch.

Lighter note.........congrats on a good score! Spend the time, learn from us, and you'll end up with a really nice scoot.

Recommendation--don't by manuals, pdfs, etc..... spend the 10 bucks and order the XJCD.....it will have EVERYTHING in it, PLUS a whole lot more.

Dave Fox