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Running rough

  • Thread starter Thread starter toejams1
  • Start date Start date
T

toejams1

Guest
OK, forgive my ignorance. I am not much of a mechanic and I admit that (However, thanks to this forum, I am learning more and more daily). Anyway, earlier this week my bike (1983 GS850GL) started running very poorly at high speeds (over 50 mph). It would bog down, lose power, and eventually stall. My brother had the exact problem happen just last weekend on his Honda. He had installed an in-line fuel filter (where there wasn't one previously) and it was restricting the flow from his tank to the carbs. He removed the filter, and it solved his problem. Knowing that, and doing some reading on this forum, it sounds like I was having the same problem. So, I decided to replace the fuel line and remove the in-line filter on my bike. I am pretty confident that was the problem after looking at how the PO had my bike rigged. Different sizes of hose clamped together with a brass fuel filter on the line. I got the new fuel line on, but had a helluva time getting it attached to the carbs (between the 2nd and 3rd - very hard to reach). I got the line on there, but couldn't get it clamped. There was no fuel leak, so I drove it for awhile to test it. The bike ran great, even at high speeds. I was very happy with myself for correcting the problem (it doesn't take much to please me).

It was at this point my problems started. I was not comfortable not having a clamp on that fuel line, so I went to my brothers house so he could help me (he is much more mechanically inclined than me). The only way we could get a clamp on the fuel line was to take the air box off so we could reach it. We did that, installed the clamp, and re-attached the air box. Well, since we did that, my bike started running very poorly (poor power, hesitates). It was late last night when we were working in it and dark, and I had to get home. I am assuming I have some sort of leak from the air box to the carbs, where we didn't get a good seal (we had a helluva time getting that air box back on and lined up). I plan on looking at it when I get home from work this evening. I am just calling upon the vast wealth of knowledge on this forum to tell me if my line of thinking is correct here, or should there be something else I should be checking. Like I said, the bike was running perfectly, before we took the airbox off and re-attached it.

Sorry my post was so wordy.
 
toejams1 said:
I am just calling upon the vast wealth of knowledge on this forum to tell me if my line of thinking is correct here, or should there be something else I should be checking.
Click to expand...
Your logic appears to be sound.
 
What type of condition is the tank in? It may be that you have rust/dirt deposits in your carbs now. I had a very similar problem with an old Honda I'd been given. The tank was a rusted out nightmare, before I Kreemed it, and I could get the bike to run about a mile down the road before the rust clogged the tiny orifices in the carbs.

By removing the dirty filter you may have inadvertently allowed crud to reach your carbs directly. Easy way to check is to pull the float bowls and see what's laying in the bottom.

Brad bk
 
Actually,

The tank seems in pretty good shape, but there are a couple of small rust stains inside (very minor, but I realize it wouldn't take much to clog). That thought actually occured to me. However I rode about 25 miles after I changed the fuel line, before I took the air box off. It seems the suddenness of the problems after taking the air box off triggered it. I actually planned on painting the tank and properly Kreeming it over the winter among other things. I will check the float bowls if I cannot find an obvious air leak.

Thanks for the quick responses. The people on this forum are some of the most helpful people I have ever come across.
 
Hey, I just noticed that I am no longer considered a "Junior Member". :)
 
toejams1 said:
Actually,

The tank seems in pretty good shape, but there are a couple of small rust stains inside (very minor, but I realize it wouldn't take much to clog). That thought actually occured to me. However I rode about 25 miles after I changed the fuel line, before I took the air box off. It seems the suddenness of the problems after taking the air box off triggered it. I actually planned on painting the tank and properly Kreeming it over the winter among other things. I will check the float bowls if I cannot find an obvious air leak.

Thanks for the quick responses. The people on this forum are some of the most helpful people I have ever come across.
Click to expand...

Kreeming the tank won't hurt, though a lot of members recommend going to a radiator shop and having them do much better job. While it's many times more expensive, it takes away any worry of rust ruining the DIY sealing.

You only made me think of that old Honda because I can remember how proud I felt to get it running only to have to push it a mile back to the house because I hadn't treated the tank. Mine was a cave of rust, though. :lol:

Brad bk
 
It was an air problem. It took a quite a few attempts (and some colorful language) but I finally got a good seal, and the bike is running well again. Thanks again for the help.
 
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