Idiotic mistake

[Mark Walsh]

Ok, Well, I finally did it. I accidentally left my Pingle manual petcock on and forgot to switch it off. Whelp, as one could imagine, I find myself in a pickle.

Many of you probably know exactly what will follow:

I hadn't realized until I hit the start button. Less than a second on the switch, normal starter engagement and POP, puff from the spark plug on cylider 1(?)-left most cyl.- I dont believe I got actual cycled combustion, because I IMMEDIATELY released the switch & clutch and starter returned to full stop. It was then I found my Pingle petcock had been very so slightly left open.
I then pulled the tank and all plugs- which all.looked great but on both left bank cylinders I found fuel -slight misting on inner left, actual accumulation in leftmost cylinder.
Oil, obviously had ungunked the cylinder walls and leaked into the crankcase.

Now, the part I worry about-
What steps do I take now?
Obvious things such as drain/change the oil, replace the petcock just to be 100% sure, pull float needles and clean them/replace O-rings most likely....but will it live? Did I kill this thing?


To more clear, I am talking of my 83 GS1100E.

Sucks too, because I JUST changed my oil. But are there any additional.steps I should take? Aside from the obvious of remembering to turn my petcock to the "OFF" position.

 

[Guest]

You probably didn't do anything to worry about and I don't see needing to do any more than oil and filter change. I don't see any need to open the carbs or replace the petcock unless you see it dripping when it's suppose to be fully closed.

 

[Big T]

I agree with Rick- change oil and filter
Let it warm up for a minute or two before you ride it

Mistakes -experience

 

[Mark Walsh]

Excellent gentlemen!, much appreciated guidance on that one. Oil / Filter change, cylinder vacuum and not much else, as with the tank off, petcock closed and dry as a bone, so no need for replace (nice!) Thanks guys, I'll keep you posted on the end result.

 

[Mark Walsh]

I agree with Rick- change oil and filter
Let it warm up for a minute or two before you ride it

Mistakes -experience

Warming Up from cold / warm for this girl is a ritualisticly lengthy process, these GS's take time! Its funny how impatient my.friends on more modern bikes have holding up while I warm.up the bike hahahah

 

[Steve]

Warming Up from cold / warm for this girl is a ritualisticly lengthy process, these GS's take time! Its funny how impatient my.friends on more modern bikes have holding up while I warm.up the bike hahahah

You can change that in about 1 minute. :-k

Find your mixture screws. Hint: They are on the top of the carb outlets. Turn each one of them 1/4 turn counter-clockwise.

I don't have an 1100, but my 850, my wife's 850L and my son's 1000 (all shafties, of course :encouragement can be ridden within about 30 seconds of start-up.
I consider them "ready to ride" when I get crisp response to quick throttle movements. I leave the "choke" ON until I am in about third gear, then turn it OFF and keep on going.

Let me know if you need video proof.

.

 

[Tom R]

You can change that in about 1 minute. :-k

Find your mixture screws. Hint: They are on the top of the carb outlets. Turn each one of them 1/4 turn counter-clockwise.

I don't have an 1100, but my 850, my wife's 850L and my son's 1000 (all shafties, of course :encouragement can be ridden within about 30 seconds of start-up.
I consider them "ready to ride" when I get crisp response to quick throttle movements. I leave the "choke" ON until I am in about third gear, then turn it OFF and keep on going.

Let me know if you need video proof.

.

Agreed - with the carbs clean and adjusted properly, shouldn't be more than a minute before it's ready to ride. I can ride mine within a minute even when it's in the 40's.

 

[JTGS850GL]

2nd the riding within a minute. These bike being cold blooded is simply a lack of proper adjustment/maintenance. Neither my GS850 or my GS1000 are cold blooded.

Personally, I would scrap the Pingle valve. I hate the idea of forgetting to turn off the valve each time. I'm just too forgetful for that. You're now experiencing the result.

 

[Mark Walsh]

2nd the riding within a minute. These bike being cold blooded is simply a lack of proper adjustment/maintenance. Neither my GS850 or my GS1000 are cold blooded.

Personally, I would scrap the Pingle valve. I hate the idea of forgetting to turn off the valve each time. I'm just too forgetful for that. You're now experiencing the result.

I do have a good second tank (that isn't dented or missing clearcoat) that perhaps I could reinstall an OEM vacuum petcock, other than Zuk OEM, is there an over-built OEM alternative/'upgrade" to a factory vacuum unit?

 

[JTGS850GL]

The stock vacuum unit is good for 30+ years. Pick up a new one and be done with it.

Partzilla has them for a reasonable price:

http://www.partzilla.com/parts/detail/suzuki/SP-44300-49572.html

 

[Mark Walsh]

Thank You Gentlemen for all your guidance, drained and refilled the oil/filter, and 1/4 turn cc on the adjustment screw for quicker warm up times, works like a charm and goes as it should!!

 

[MaurieG]

You're extremely lucky. Same thing happened to a Honda CBX1000Z I had imported from Kansas. Hydraulic lock, #1 rod with 45deg. bend!

 

[Hinermad]

You're extremely lucky. Same thing happened to a Honda CBX1000Z I had imported from Kansas. Hydraulic lock, #1 rod with 45deg. bend!

Ouch!

When I had the Triumph I left the petcock on, and besides gas getting into the oil it also drained into the airbox until it was almost an inch deep. I was actually able to ride the bike a couple of miles that way until it stalled & wouldn't restart. I was lucky it didn't launch me into the next county.

 

[850 Combat]

I put a hydraulic lock on my first GS850 when the stock vacuum petcock failed. I thought maybe there was a slight vibration after that. I don't know. I drove it for years and years after that. With a Kawasaki 1000 Concours, that will pretzel the rods. For grins, you could pull the plugs and stick something in to the piston and mark it. 1 and 4 should be the same. 2 and 3 should be the same.

 

[Mark Walsh]

I definitely consider my unfortunate forgetfulness, lucky- in this case. A friend of mine had this happen on his Kawasaki ZRX1200 when his vacuum petcock failed and had to have the very damaged engine rebuilt.

I had hoped that I didn't cause any damage in the fractions of a second that the starter button was pushed, I think that the GS spirits were watching- or this motor really is a tough cookie. I intently (and I mean whole head orbiting the engine) listened during warm up for any odd noises, clicks, taps, sputters or anything and all sounds and seemingly runs as it did pre-hydrolock (pre-almost hydrolock?) Still sounds like a sewing machine!

Took it out for a rip to see if it "felt" the same, it did...pulled with that nice smooth torque at anything above 2K and the 'wake up' at 5.7K was blurringly quick as always.

I think I got very very lucky this time! (Hopefully the ONLY time I forget my petcock-off ritual)

Mixed blessing, as if I had toasted the valves, I would have brought the whole mill in for some refreshing. A motor repaint, get the gears 'cut' (showing occasional signs of 2nd gear 'popout' under heavy load) and have all the seals replaced...who knows...maybe even some bore size punch. Then that would then entail me disassembling the entire bike and doing a nuts and bolt, frame up at that point lol