Greetings from AZ

[jdub6092]

Wasn't planning to remove the swingarm, but I guess I'm glad I did. As soon as I popped off the dust seals, a good amount of rust powder formed on the garage floor.
The bearings were bone dry and obviously seized up.

This will be fun trying to get them out. Soaked the shaft bore in Metal Rescue. More parts and tools to buy.

[Redman]

. . . . . .
...
The choke doesnt seem to do anything except make it stall faster. Need to hit the throttle to keep it going until it warms up . .....,

Not too sure about that specifically, but seems like a good carb cleaning is needed.
ANd by good carb cleaning I dont mean spray some carb cleaner here and there. A complete dissasembly and carb dip, each one for 24 hours.

. . . . . .
...
..../ . .....until it warms up and after a ride, the revs increase from about 1200 to 2000 and the throttle responds slowly when releasing. .....,

Now that sounds exactlly like the symptoms of intake air leak. Either cracked boots rubber, or rubber comming off the flanges... and/or most likley the intake boot O-Rings. If the o-rings are 26+ years old they are probably so shrunk and hard that they are not sealing. When remove the intake boots (often a difficult task getting out those original screws) and look at the orings you will not even think that they used to be rubber, may seem like a hard black plastic there tht break out in pieces from that oring groove.

If you adjust the idle stop (knob inder inbetween carbs) when engine cold, but then idles too high when engine warm, so adjust the idle stop when engine warm then idle too low and dies when engine not warm. THat is sysmptom of the intake air leak.

THanks for posting pic.

[jdub6092]

Not too sure about that specifically, but seems like a good carb cleaning is needed.
ANd by good carb cleaning I dont mean spray some carb cleaner here and there. A complete dissasembly and carb dip, each one for 24 hours.

Hi Redman, The very first thing I did was completely tear down the carbs and rebuild them. I bought an ultrasonic cleaner and ran all the parts through several times. I also bought rebuild kits and replaced several jets and adjusted the float levels. Pretty confident about how the rebuild went.
After I wrote about the hanging idle, I revisited the air mixture jets. I noted that they were set to 1-1/8 turns out, but I saw a couple of you tube videos that said it should be 2-1/8, so I went with that. I then noticed I had two original Mikuni jets and two from the rebuild kits, then found two orings in one of them that apparently survived the cleaning and pipe brushes. I then reinstalled the two original mikuni jets and backed them out to about 2 turns. The choke then started to respond better, but the hanging revs, while not as bad, was still an issue. When I get the bike back together, I'll put the mixture screws back to 1-1/8 turns to see how that goes.

Now that sounds exactlly like the symptoms of intake air leak. Either cracked boots rubber, or rubber comming off the flanges... and/or most likley the intake boot O-Rings. If the o-rings are 26+ years old they are probably so shrunk and hard that they are not sealing. When remove the intake boots (often a difficult task getting out those original screws) and look at the orings you will not even think that they used to be rubber, may seem like a hard black plastic there tht break out in pieces from that oring groove.

Air leak seems to be the consensus, although I did replace the boots and orings on the intake. The air plenum did seem a little warped and was a bear to get on, but there is a tiny bit of flange exposed on two of the carbs that could possibly be a source of leak.

I purchased an oring kit, but the quantity ended 4 short of the full number needed, so I replaced all except for the fuel nipple. I plan on replacing those sooner than later.

If you adjust the idle stop (knob inder inbetween carbs) when engine cold, but then idles too high when engine warm, so adjust the idle stop when engine warm then idle too low and dies when engine not warm. THat is sysmptom of the intake air leak.If you adjust the idle stop (knob inder inbetween carbs) when engine cold, but then idles too high when engine warm, so adjust the idle stop when engine warm then idle too low and dies when engine not warm. THat is sysmptom of the intake air leak.

THanks for posting pic.

That's pretty much my problem. Hard to start and need to hold throttle slightly open for a minute or so for a stable idle while adjusting to 1200 rpm. Then after a few trips around the block, the idle shoots up to 3k rpm. Adjusted idle screw down. Back and forth.

[jdub6092]

Thanks, I was pleased with the outcome, the original owner was impressed, the grin on his face when he took it for a ride after I delivered it back to him was worth the effort.

All in was a little over $3,000 CAD so about $2,200 US.

Well, I'm not sure if I should have read your rebuild thread, because I'm starting down that rabbit hole myself and using your thread as a guide.
One thing I wanted to ask is did you paint the rims on that 650e? They appear to be a dark grey which gives an appealing offset IMHO. Also, when using the VHT caliper paint, did you use primer or clear coat and did you bake the parts afterwards?

[Kiwi Canuck]

Well, I'm not sure if I should have read your rebuild thread, because I'm starting down that rabbit hole myself and using your thread as a guide.
One thing I wanted to ask is did you paint the rims on that 650e? They appear to be a dark grey which gives an appealing offset IMHO. Also, when using the VHT caliper paint, did you use primer or clear coat and did you bake the parts afterwards?

Ha ha that is a deep rabbit hole but worth every minute once it's completed.

I did not paint the rims, I just cleaned them up with warm water and scotchbrite pads to get the oxidation off, the paint on the spokes is the original Suzuki paint just cleaned up best I could.

VHT caliper paint, normally I use gloss but have also used satin with good success.

I cleaned the calipers in the ultrasonic at 80 degress celcius (which is max temp) for about 1 hour or so and then used a new 3M scotchbrite pad to clean off the old paint, You don't need to remove all of it just anything loose, if there are any imperfections you can use sand paper or a file for deeper dings and then finish with 340 grit sand paper then the 3m burgandy or green pad.

I always wash the calipers in really hot water and warm up the paint in hot water before painting as it helps the paint flow nicely.
I don't use primer or clear coat, just the paint, 2 light coats about 10 minutes apart and then a 3rd heavier coat to make it look wet, let it dry in a warm place for a 3-4 days or more before curing.

I usually cure parts in a home made oven,(heavy card board box lined with aluminum foil) I put a 100 watt incandesent light bulb in there for a few hours and keep an eye on it, the temp you want is 200 F max. you can't rush this part or get the temp much above 200F or the paint will start to bubble and you will need to start again. (don't be temped to use your home oven unless you like the smell of VHT Caliper Paint in all your food for the next month.

Once cured the VHT caliper paint is resistant to brake fluid as long as you wipe any spills up right away.

Good luck and hope you can post some pictures of your progress.

Here is a picture of one of the wheels showing the original OEM paint a little faded but still quite OK.

David.IMG_3932_zpsci0ajaqo.jpg?width=590&height=590&fit=bounds.jpg