Hard Starting & Cutting Out over 6K

[Guest]

OK folks,

State your opinion for the most likely problem for these two symptoms on an '81 GS850G my friend is looking to buy.

Bike runs fine EXCEPT: It's hard to start and it cuts out over 6K RPM.

Bike has new battery and cranks good, but it has to crank a good while before finally starting. Over 6K it starts cutting out and losing power.

Owner has been very honest about the bike's issues. He says that the carbs have been "cleaned" recently. (Don't know if that just means some Seafoam or Techron run through it in the gas, or if the carbs have been rebuilt.) So far just communicating via emails. May go see the bike this weekend.

So, considering these two symptoms, what do you say the problem is:

Fuel related

or

Ignition related?

Thanks for any help.

[tom203]

Inadequate carb cleaning plus leaking boots and/or boot o-rings.

[allojohn]

Inadequate carb cleaning plus leaking boots and/or boot o-rings.

And valve timing.

[mrbill5491]

Valve adjustment.

[Steve]

Hard starting? My money goes to dirty carbs and tight valves.

Cutting out? My guess would be loose connections on the coil supply wires or dirty main jets in the carbs.

.

[A-train]

The cutting out smells electrical...

[Steve]

Check to see that the primary connections on the coils (orange/white wires) are tight.

If they are loose, the vibration of the engine will let them slide around a bit, and they will arc in the process.

.