• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

1983 GS1100 carb/ignition bugaboo

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

Guest
Okay, my new 1983 GS1100E and I just got back from her first 75 mile shakedown ride. Here is what I noticed, and am not sure if it is ignition/electrical or fuel/carb so will post this same question in the electrical forum. If I roll the throttle on smoothly, she accelerates like a liter bike should, up to about 5Krpm, then it feels like either one or two cylinders quit sparking OR one or more carbs ran out of fuel. If I smack the throttle open she immediately shows the same symptoms IF I am between 4 and 5Krpm, at lower rpm she takes right off. I am trying to use my vast but aged memory to think where I should start, my first thought is ignition. I don't want to pull the carbs just yet, hopefully it will be just a minor hiccup and not a massive undertaking. The bike has a tach that is wired to the ignition, and the needle starts fluctuating between 3500 and 4000rpm, never going above 5K. Could the tach be wired wrong as to cause the ignition to malfunction, or should I look at another component? Could the float levels be too low as to cause fuel starvation when I crack the throttle? Thanks in advance for the advice.
 
Just how many sections do you have this posted in? I saw at least THREE.
 
I would suggest hot wiring your coils to rule out the ignition. On the other hand I don't know why you think you might have carb problems . Did you put on pods or do anything that would require rejet?. Make sure the carbs are clean and your petcock is flowing.
 
Last edited:
Sorry, I put it in electrical, carb and the general GS owner forum. If I posted too much I apologize, you have my permission to excoriate me in the appropriate manner.
 
The stock airbox is still on, as are the stock pipes. I felt maybe carbs as the symptom to me seems like maybe starved carb? I was thinking float level was low and the carb got sucked dry when I whacked the throttle. I am sorry, my aged brain has forgotten how to hot wire the coils. Thanks.
 
I would gess your problem is in fuel/carburetor aria. Since you have a later model GS, the electronic ignition system rarely fails. But as Posplayr said make sure your getting proper voltage to your coils. Good luck.
 
If this is happening as soon as you take off (after the engine has warmed up) then it's unlikely to be fuel starvation.

Floats don't miraculously changed heights, even when you rebuild the carbs. It takes a significant effort to bend the tang. As long as the float is in the vicinity of the prescribed level, the bike should perform pretty well. If they are too low (not retaining enough fuel in the bowls) you would get starvation after some moments at full throttle. If the floats were set too high you might get some flooding and choking at slower speeds.

If you are not able to get her above 5K rpm then I would guess main jets are not supplying fuel. I had this once, see here:


I had put the throttle slides together incorrectly. The needles were incorrectly assembled and the main jet was not opening. You didn't do what I did, did you:

P1100717.jpg


Correct assembly of course is the left one. The way I had them was forcing the needle into the main jet shutting it off. You can also, either put extra washers just above the spring or change the position of the c clip (if you have that type of needle) to adjust when the main jet starts to open. Although, like float tangs, if the carbs/bike was working before then nothing should have changed only that you may have reassembled them incorrectly.
 
Thanks, I am going to go through the electrical on Thursday, I hope the gods of voltage and amps look kindly on me. Will post results.
 
Thank you for all the info, it helps tremendously. The needle position is unknown as I did not do the carb work. The kid I bought it from told me he had cleaned and adjusted the carbs, and yes I am old enough to take what he said with a large grain of salt. I am trying to avoid pulling the carbs but it looks like I am going to have to anyway, as working on them is much easier on the bench and I might as well check the jet size and put them back to stock configuration.

Do you know stock jet sizes for my 83 1100? I know I can find them online, just thought you would know off the top of your head.
 
oregonjake said:
Thank you for all the info, it helps tremendously. The needle position is unknown as I did not do the carb work. The kid I bought it from told me he had cleaned and adjusted the carbs, and yes I am old enough to take what he said with a large grain of salt. I am trying to avoid pulling the carbs but it looks like I am going to have to anyway, as working on them is much easier on the bench and I might as well check the jet size and put them back to stock configuration.

Do you know stock jet sizes for my 83 1100? I know I can find them online, just thought you would know off the top of your head.
Click to expand...

I do know but you should practice using the factory manual.
 
Alternatively, there's a sticky at the top of this forum section that gives the info.
 
Okay, lesson learned. I'll look it up, and buy a factory service manual.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top