Around the world on a GS850G for a cause

[BassCliff]

I have been told that the K&N filters require a jet kit on the 1000G. I would imagine the same is true for the 850. Your plugs trump whatever I've heard though. Stock jetting with the UNI filter should have been right. Perhaps gasoline is formulated a little differently in SA.

Hi,

FWIW, I go back and forth between my UNI air filter and my K&N filter (depending on which one is clean) without changing any carb jetting. I don't really notice any difference. But as Mr. Dogma states, the plugs are the determining factor.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[chef1366]

White on the ceramic is ok as long as the heat is ok. Look for spots of aluminum on the ceramic. Count the threads on the plugs. If there is color more thab 2.5 threads I'd worry.

[Skateguy50]

Based on the previous engine melting holes in 3 of the pistons and the world of effort it took to get him that engine I think it is a very serious concern

I got nothing constructive to add to this conversation... just saying Chris please stay put and get this worked out, does Z1 stock jets and could he send them direct if needed?

[shirazdrum]

Ok, here's the update:

I bit the bullet and took the carbs off. We measured the float height and they are perfect. Main Jets are stock so are all the other ones. The Pepsi can idea didn't work, since the shims are going to be only 3mm wide with a 1 milimeter hole in them, and that would take all year to make that many tiny shims. we settled on small thin washers and will try that tomorrow as soon as i can locate some.

What size is the OD of the fuel hose? Inside is 8mm i think but i what's the OD? i need it to go inside the spring and the spring is not here. Anyone has a caliper handy?

Thanks,

Chris

P.S. I found Wi-Fi so internet problem is solved.

[chef1366]

If you want to bump up the main jet I have some jets. I also have some shim washers I can send you. You can richen the idle mixture with the screws. Take them out a half turn.
The plug pictures I saw had soot on the bottom ring (good) a half to one thread of heat (good) and a clean ceramic (no particles).
Could it be the carb jetting didn't cause the melt down?

[Skateguy50]

For what its worth my initial thought was cracked old intake boots caused the melt down, but want to be sure nothing remains that will cause a similar ending.

[shirazdrum]

Well, somehow these carbs started to go lean and mean on their own, George Foreman style. We'll put an end it to it tomorrow though. Bill, thanks for the jets and shims offer, i'll see what we can do here locally and if not i'll take you up on that.

It's just hotter than hell down here. 97 degrees with 55% humidity. Wearing riding gear is like waking into an oven.

[waterman]

For what its worth my initial thought was cracked old intake boots caused the melt down, but want to be sure nothing remains that will cause a similar ending.

Another poster suggested that the alcohol content of gas could be the culprit. A quick wikipedia check states that Brazil uses 25% ethanol in gasoline. I am thinking that can't be too good for our motors. I have posted in a couple different forum areas trying to get some ideas on how to jet for that much alcohol, hopefully we can find some useful info to prevent engine failure 2.0.

[rustybronco]

Chris,

Is there any place around where you are now that sells aviation fuels? if there is, check to see what percentage of ethanol is in that fuel. if you can (do) carry additional fuel on board, you can blend it with the locally available fuels. that might be a better option than re-jetting for the area you presently in, then having to un-jet for a different country at a later date.

100LL ??? possibly one of our members who fly aircraft will offer up an opinion.

[Skateguy50]

the more I read the more I see the extremely high ethanol content as a big suspect here... I guess the solution is the go up the jetting and if it becomes problematic with other fuels bring it back down later. Not sure what else you can do as he has to take what he can get for fuel.

I know products like stabil and seafoam help with preventing the ethanol gas from gelling as quick for storage, do they help with preventing it from burning so hot as well?

[Eliseo Monteverde]

I live in Uruguay, sorry my bad english.

I have always hear that gasoline in Brazil is not very good. what about to pour a bit of two stroke oil to a full tank or Diesel?

[shirazdrum]

Ok i think the bike is ready. We took out the plastic spacers and replaced them with some aluminum ones .5mm shorter. I'm gonna take the bike out for a spin to see how the plugs look after a few miles. Stay tuned.

[shirazdrum]

I'm meeting up with Eliseo in Uruguay on the 28th. The ferry from Buenos Aires turned out to be very expensive so i'm traveling overland to cross the river 250km north of Buenos Aires. Eliseo is a machinist and has a workshop in Montevideo so if anything goes wrong or the carbs need more adjustment, we can hack at it again in Uruguay. So one more day in Buenos Aires and will hit the road tomorrow morning for crossing the Plata river.

[rustybronco]

I'm gonna take the bike out for a spin to see how the plugs look after a few miles. Stay tuned.

What did the plugs look like?

[Flyboy]

Hi RustyB
100LL has no ill effects on the bike that I know of, I ran my GS1000G on 100LL for about 4 years, and really could not tell the difference, that was seven or eight years ago, and when I pulled the bike appart for the rebuild, the moter was still running well.
No holed pistons or burnt valves.
I do find though that Avgas 100LL burns a lot drier than mogas, so a upper cylinder lube of sorts is a good idea, I just used to chuck in a half pint of engine oil with the fuel.
I never found it nessesary to re-jet or anything.
Being a poor flying student, throwing every last penny to flying, I used to take the fuel that they drained out of the fuel bowser every morning when they did the dips and checked for water.
Remember, my bike has done 375 000Km, of which, I would imagine around 60 000Km has been on Avgas.
I also live at 7500ft above sea level, where the air is a lot thinner, never had detonation.
Of course, always just do plug checks to be safe, I hope the nput helps in some way, but please don't take what I say as gospel or bet your motor on what I say. It is just mt experience.

Remember most of the general aviation aircraft and their engines were designed 30 or 40 years ago, and were built to run on 80/87 Avgas, 100LL has only been around 15 years or so.
All the Genreal aviation motors from Lycoming or Continental run 25 degrees static advance with no dynamic advance, as the rpm range is to narrow to justify dynamic advance, typically red lining at 2500rpm.