Fuel meter screw broken

[79GS550]

I just started restoring a 1979 550e. The bike came in boxes, so this project is going to take forever, but all the parts should be there. I decided to start with the carbs... when i got them open they had a lot of white deposits, and were generally dirty.

NOW to the core of the matter...in one of the carbs the fuel meter screw is broken...halfway unscrewed and the head of the screw is broken. My manual tells me this is bad as this screw should not be disturbed. I was hoping some of the experts in here can tell me if I'm knee-, waist- or neck-deep in....trouble. Can this be fixed or do i need a new carb?

The Gs-Dane

[BassCliff]

Greetings and Salutations!!

Hi Mr. 79GS550,

The manual tells you not to disturb the mixture screws because of EPA restrictions at the time of manufacture. The air and fuel screws were set to a petty lean mixture from the factory. I'm not a carb expert, but there are many here. That screw can probably be drilled out and replaced. Sudco may have the parts you need, or Z1Enterprises, or motorcyclecarbs.com (see http://www.motorcyclecarbs.com/CARBU...UKI__P5191.cfm ). If it turns out you do need a new carb, there's a good chance someone here has one to offer.

Anyway, I just stopped by to welcome you to the forum in my own, special way.

If there's anything you'd like to know about the Suzuki GS model bikes, and most others actually, you've come to the right place. There's a lot of knowledge and experience here in the community. Come on in and let me say "HOoooowwwDY!"....

Here is your very own magical, mystical, mythical, mind-expanding "mega-welcome". Please take notice of the "Top 10 Common Issues", the Carb Rebuild Series, and the Stator Papers. Now let me roll out the welcome mat for you...

Please click here for your mega-welcome, chock full of tips, suggestions, links to vendors, and other information. Then feel free to visit my little BikeCliff website where I've been collecting the wisdom of this generous community. Don't forget, we like pictures! Not you, your bike!

Thanks for joining us. Keep us informed.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[tmacey45]

I had this happen to me also. There is only one way I know of... You will have to drill and e-z out the screw. If you get into the head about 1/8", you should be able to get enough grip to get it out. This is a very delicate operation, if you go too far with the bit you'll be looking for a new carb. Also you have to be DEAD center as not to get into the threads. I used a Dremel tool w/cut-off wheel to remove the extra stack so I could get a better reach and viewing angle. Be careful not to cut too much off, just above where the threads start. If you look at the pics above, you can see where I cut off the stack on the right. It was way easier to get to the stuck/stripped screw this way. It's important to take your time. The mixture screw along with the o-ring, washer and spring can be found at Z-1. Good luck!

[tmacey45]

My repair...

Pic on left is untouched carb, pic on right is repaired carb.