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I'm getting too old for this--maybe

Discussion in 'XJ Technical Chat' started by tabaka45, Jun 9, 2020.

  1. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    TCI is the black box with the big plugs, near your regulator— the square aluminum finned thingy
     
  2. Minimutly

    Minimutly Well-Known Member

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    I would pass over the coils - you lost both together, and they're very seperate. Not sure about the tci - how much electronics does each "side" share?
    Fuse holders?
    Maybe carry a screwdriver with you so you can verify carbs full if it happens again? But it doesn't sound like fuel to me.
     
  3. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    Still sounds like fuse or relay
     
  4. jayrodoh

    jayrodoh YimYam Premium Member

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    I looked though the wiring diagram this AM, if it is cranking I wouldn't suspect fuse as it wouldn't crank if that were faulty/bad connection. The sidestand relay could cause a crank/no start situation if faulty though. I read through the thread and I think you already confirmed that there is spark when it is not starting, can you confirm?
     
  5. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    I’ll hafta go back and read through the whole thing again, too
     
  6. Polock

    Polock Well-Known Member

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    will the safety relay do this kind of thing?
     
  7. jayrodoh

    jayrodoh YimYam Premium Member

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    The starter interlock one would not, but the sidestand one sure could. If it failed closed, was iffy, or triggered improperly it would ground out the TCI and cause a crank/no start. Not sure I've ever seen one do that but I guess it's possible. I'm waiting to see if he confirmed that there is spark when it is not starting. Need that info to move onto next step.

    The more I think about it, either being faulty could cause an issue.
     
    Last edited: Jun 17, 2020
    cgutz likes this.
  8. tabaka45

    tabaka45 Well-Known Member

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    yes, there is spark when it is turning over and not starting. That's why I am thinking some fuel problem. Right now, it seems to be starting and running fine, although I hav not ridden it. Waiting for the weekend when I have time to get the trailer is needed. I still can't understand why there is air in the fuel line even though it is sloped up and fuel is flowing freely through the fuel line. (same thing happens with my Honda Rebel, but it has never been a problem.)
     
  9. Polock

    Polock Well-Known Member

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    i have that magic bubble too, it's there when i leave and gone when i get back, then it reappears
     
  10. tabaka45

    tabaka45 Well-Known Member

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    I don't think mine ever goes away, but I'm going to try and see if I can get it to go back into the tank through the petcock with it on prime.
     
  11. jayrodoh

    jayrodoh YimYam Premium Member

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    Air bubble is normal, even if you can get the tank high enough for the air to rise up into it the bubble will come back eventually as that is the highest point. Fuel will flow just fine. All my bikes with clear lines/filters have it. My golf cart has two clear filters on it lying horizontally, they are barely 1/4 full at all times as there is nowhere for the air to go.

    Weird issue, definitely a head scratcher. Check carb bowls for fuel right after it dies? Maybe try a new set of plugs? Long shot that they would all be bad but I had a lawnmower once that was super finicky and after pulling the carb three times I changed the plug, has been fine ever since. Plug looked good and sparked but apparently didn't under compression.
     
  12. tabaka45

    tabaka45 Well-Known Member

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    Plugs probably have 5-6 thousand on them, but look perfect. I have a plug cleaner so I'll give them a good cleaning and verify the gap and see if that solves the problem. The whole thing sort of spooks me.
     
  13. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    Common issue on snowmobiles......we all always carry extra plugs with us for this very reason.
     
  14. jayrodoh

    jayrodoh YimYam Premium Member

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    I meant to replace them altogether, I cleaned the crap outta that lawnmower plug and it didn't change a thing.

    It was actually your repeated mention of a "bad plug" that got me to finally try a new plug. I used to think that a plug not firing under compression was BS but I'm a believer now ;)
     
  15. Rooster53

    Rooster53 Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    So the pickup coils should be considered. If you lose one pickup coil the bike will not start (assuming the 85 TCI is similar to the 82), but will spark on two of the cylinders, which happen to be the two with the bad pickup. They are known to fail when hot so getting the bike back on the road and maybe carrying a meter to check the resistance when / if it dies might work. Nominal resistance would be 120 ohms +/- 20% and they should be open if checked to chassis ground (engine).
     
  16. tabaka45

    tabaka45 Well-Known Member

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    Walked out this morning, hit the starter switch and it fired up almost instantly--with no choke. Idled fine. The air bubble is right as the line goes into the petcock and actually gets a little larger when it is running, but I can see fuel passing through the line. Rode it about 6-7 miles, around the neighborhood and then on the highway. No issues at all. Darn--I hate intermittent problems. I guess I will just ride it around town for a couple of weeks to restore my confidence before venturing out on any highway trip. Thanks for all the suggestions.
    PS--The bubble still bothers me.
     
  17. tabaka45

    tabaka45 Well-Known Member

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    hypothetical question. I keep my bikes on a battery tender when in the garage, so each has a pigtail connection attached to the battery. None of them still have the caps that seem to tear off easily. So, if the plug end were to get wet from rain could it short out the bike in some way. I've ridden in some hard rain in the past and never had a problem, but that doesn't mean something couldn't happen.
     
  18. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    I’d think that to be unlikely for this
     
  19. Minimutly

    Minimutly Well-Known Member

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    If it could short out it could short out - rain has nothing to do with it.
     
  20. cgutz

    cgutz Well-Known Member

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    I have an intermittent problem with side stand switch sometimes not allowing bike to start..but I think it usually prevents cranking...if I recall (62 year old brain cells might be failing).

    I also have a permanent bubble in my fuel filter, but it has never been an issue.
     

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