Getting access to spark plugs

[Skye]

Hello again, this is the 3rd time I've registered, I only ride in the summer and I guess my account gets deleted every winter if I don't use it for 6 months

Anyway, getting my 1983 GS750E back on the road this week. Charged up the battery and using a battery booster pack, but no luck starting yet. It's been sitting for quite a while, so not a big surprise.

I have the fuel on PRI, it's cranking but not catching. Choke wide open. Maybe I flooded it, dunno.

Anyway I figure I should start with the easy stuff, like having a look at the spark plugs. I know my way around cars but I'm new to bikes, and I don't have anywhere to really work on it (except in the alley behind my apt building).

Obviously I'm going to have to take off the gas tank to get to the middle 2 spark plugs, what's the procedure for that? Looks like a couple of bolts on rubber mounts, easy enough. What about the fuel hoses? Is gas going to start pouring out?

Thanks
Skye

 

[Guest]

No need to remove the tank to change the plugs. Get ya a longer extension for your ratchet.

Welcome (back).

 

[Skye]

Hmm ok I'll go dig some extensions and wobble sockets out of the basement and see if I can get to them.

Follow up question, is it "better" to try and crank the bike 5-6 times, then wait 30s or so and try again, over and over? Probably not doing the starter any favours. Would it be better if I tried to bump start it instead?

*Clean your carbs* *adjust your valves*

Cleaning carbs sounds like quite the operation, hope it doesn't come to that. I suppose I could have winterized it a little better.

Thanks

 

[BassCliff]

Hi,

Yes, your carbs are gummed up from the evaporated gasoline. Visit my little website (link below) and click on the READ ME page. There you will find a couple of maintenance lists. All of those items need to be addressed. Any shortcuts will leave you walking all season.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

[JEEPRUSTY]

Hmm ok I'll go dig some extensions and wobble sockets out of the basement and see if I can get to them.

Follow up question, is it "better" to try and crank the bike 5-6 times, then wait 30s or so and try again, over and over? Probably not doing the starter any favours. Would it be better if I tried to bump start it instead?




Cleaning carbs sounds like quite the operation, hope it doesn't come to that. I suppose I could have winterized it a little better.

Thanks

Short burst of the starter. And are you using fresh gas?
Did you let the gas sit in the tank and carbs all winter? Try draing the float bowls though I doubt there is naything in there but varnish residue.

You can try to fill the bowls with carb cleaner via the gas line and let it soak. It does work and there is a way to starting a bike beyond the sorry mantra of completely rebuilding the bike.

 

[Skye]

Did you let the gas sit in the tank and carbs all winter?

Sure did
I'm smart huh???

Oh yeah, how long should it take to fill the empty, gummy bowls on PRI?

 

[JEEPRUSTY]

Sure did
I'm smart huh???

Oh yeah, how long should it take to fill the empty, gummy bowls on PRI?

Depending on how bad the gas went the petcock may not be flowing at all.
DC the fule line then set it to prime does fuel flow?
If so then get rid of the bad gas and put in a quart or so of fresh stuff.

I would feed the carb cleaner into the system by spraying it ( slowly ) in via the fuel hose.

I am a redneck though.

 

[Skye]

Gas goes bad in 6 month? Huh.
What do you do with bad gas you've drained anyway?

Redneck fixes are the best fixes

 

[cowboyup3371]

Put it in your vehicle or lawn mower. But really, you will need to take the carbs off and thoroughly clean/dip them as in the tutorial on Cliff's site.

 

[Indiesol]

Carbs on these old bikes need to be meticulously clean to work properly. The jets are pretty small and are easily clogged. While you don't necessarily need to make it a habit, it's a good thing to be able to take your carbs off the bike quickly. After doing it a few times, you'll be able to. You'll figure out the tricks to quickly disconnecting and reconnecting the throttle and choke cables in the process, also not a bad thing. It's also one of those things, like valve adjustments, that you should know when it's been done last and when it needs to be done again.

Guitar string and compressed air work great to clean out jet passages.

Next fall, pick up a length of fuel line that you can dedicate to draining your gas tank and carbs. You'll be much happier this time of year when you can just fill her up and go.

 

[Guest]

The general idea with these bikes after they sit unprepared for a while is that the carbs will have to be disassembled, dipped and cleaned in barrymans and reassembled.

 

[Skye]

Got the bike started, didn't do anything much, just let it sit overnight. I guess the (old) gas probably dissolved whatever was clogged. Sounds like it's running on all cylinders. Hooray! Now to put some new gas in it and take it for a test drive.

Found an old can of Seafoam in storage, should probably put some of that in the gas tank. Can is probably 4 years old but it's sealed. Can't find much about the Seafoam shelf life except this, probably ok

I have been using a product called "Sea Foam" for about 10 years now. Just dump a few tablespoons in your tank if it will be setting for awhile. This stuff is alot better than Stabil. Stabil has a shelf life Sea foam lasts alot longer. Put this in my outboard, lawn mower, snow blower and tiller never have a problem starting.

It says you can put in in the engine oil too, think that's a good idea?

Not many miles on the engine oil but it's been sitting a while, do I need to get that changed too?

Skye

 

[Guest]

Yeah, change the oil.
I'd run it without the Seafoam for now just to see how it does.

 

[Skye]

Sweet. Just took it for a ride, pumped up the tires and topped off the oil. Running great. These bikes are pretty damn strong. Chain is pretty slack. Got a big trip coming up so dropped it off at the local shop for a full check and service just to be confident.

Planning on taking it on a long ride starting Sunday, from Vancouver to Osooyos then all the way down Hwy 97 through WA and OR almost to Cali. Should be really warm and dry (instead of cold & wet like the last time I tried this down the coast on the 101). Hopefully no snapped clutch cables in the middle of nowhere like 2 years ago haha.

THis time I got spares. So something else (which I don't have) will probably break :twistedevil:

Thanks for the help & encouragement guys. THis site rocks.

 

[bonanzadave]

Got a big trip coming up so dropped it off at the local shop for a full check and service just to be confident.

I hope the shop calls you to get the OK on the items needing service. On a near 30 year old bike that would be .......everything ! A full service on your Bike at a dealer could easily top $500 .

 

[Skye]

I already did the full service thing a couple years ago at the same shop (and yeah it was about $400 IIRC), they know that, so it shouldn't be that much. Just a general check and the usual maintenance stuff. Even if they go overboard, good for peace of mind on such a long trip. Still a hell of a lot cheaper than getting anything done on my 1990 VW Corrado haha

 

[1_v8_merc]

Holy ****balls, I won't even let my Dad touch my bike....and he's a jet mechanic.
Lol, I can't imagine taking it to a shop with these so-called "mechanics" today!

Whoops sorry, didn't mean to rain on your parade!


And while I don't share the near "obssesive" carb-cleanliness behaviors of my fellow GS'ers......They definitely gotta be cleaned every once in a while.

The gasoline today contains too much Ethanol, and our bikes were NOT MEANT to tolerate it....when you let the gas sit for even 1 month....it will have trouble starting on ocassion!

Marine Gas Stabilizer is your friend....use it! lol.

If all else fails....a quick squirt of starter fluid will start any bike.
Its not pretty, and not good for the engine, just so you know!
But I'm part redneck, and get a little impatient when riding season starts!

 

[Skye]

It's a father & son Suzuki shop, they've been around forever, I trust them. No choice really - there's only so much I can do in the back alley with homeless guys going through the dumpsters. The joys of city life.

Nice avatar photo. Is that your bike? haha

 

[bccap]

I have used your father and son shop as well. When it comes to buying stuff great. When it comes to work. Any resemblance to the estimate is purely coincidental. Check out their Google reviews, to which I might be adding. Then check out Essential's which are excellent. They also have card you can get, 5 hours for 300 bucks. Apparently you can watch the work as well. This appeals to me as I would like to learn. Will let you know if I use them to do my carbs.

 

[spyug]

Today's gas is not good and goes off very quickly as the guys have stated. You should get in the habit of using a stabilizer/cleaner like Seafoam to keep things sweet. I've been using it for 6 or 7 years now and add an ounce or two to every tank. More (about 1/3 of a can) goes in for winter storage. It is very good stuff and yes you can use it it in your oil with no harm.

I had heard about this when first using it but was sceptical so I called Seafoam and got to talk with one of their chemical engineers who gave me the full low down and assured me it is entirely safe and compatable. I only use it prior to oil changes as it is great for cleaning all the sludge out of passages. Put some in and ride for about 500 miles or so then watch all the crappola come out when you change it.

With these old bikes it is a good idea to be able to do most of the work on them yourself if for no other reason than if you are far away from home or help when something goes "pear shape" as our Limey brothers say.

Good luck with your trip. Take lots of pics for us to drool over.

Cheers,
Spyug