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GS850L 1981 Idles fine and revs with choke, but bogs and dies when under throttle.
Hi -new to GS resources, but looks like a goldmine of info. Thanks in advance to the helpful and knowledgeable folks.
Just picked up a 1981 GS850GL, 22k miles. Beautiful cosmetic condition, but had not been run in several years. I figured it would need some attention, and have been going thru little by little. Want to get it running well before I do brakes, tires, lube, clean/shine, etc.
When first tried to start it (with a jump of course), I turned the gas to prime and after a few mins it was leaking fuel out of the airbox. I figured it was stuck float needles, causing the carbs to overflow, and spilling into the airbox then out. So there began my carb work.
Removed air box and carbs. Sure enough most of the float needles were gummed and stuck. Dismantled each carb one by one, dipped in cleaner all the parts and jets (not the rubber parts or diaphragm). Cleaned with carb cleaner parts that I could not dip. All orifices and jets looked nice, reassembled carbs. Did NOT dissemble the pilot air screw on engine side (the one that is sealed at factory with only a pin hole on cover) – just cleaned it out with wire and carb cleaner. Throttle plates looked synched from visual observation. After reassembly of carbs, slides went up/down nicely.
Air cleaner element was sticky, and element holder was missing foam on top that gets squeezed between elements and top of air box. Did not fix.
Checked gas valve, filter, lines, all looks good. Vacuum valve seems to work, and on Prime gas comes out nicely.
Put it all back together, and no leaking gas now !!!! Jumped it and used the choke, and it started up right away ! Yeah…. Making progress. Blew lots of white smoke (figured it was clearing itself of 6 years of dust), and revved pretty good with choke on, and idles great with no choke. With no choke, when giving it any amount of throttle above idle it would just bog and lose power, even on very slow throttle advance. DARN. Looks like more work to do.
I sprayed some carb cleaner by air boots before and after carbs, and sure enough, when sprayed by intake boots to cylinder head, the idle changed just a bit.
Back to work.
Pulled out air box and carbs again. Pulled off intake boots to cylinder head, and replaced the orings. Man, the old ones looked and felt like plastic – they just cracked and crumbled. Also, put new foam on air cleaner holder top surface on perimeter, and reinstalled air cleaner nice a snug into housing. Reassembled all items.
Even replaced valve cover gasket and cam chain tensioner gasket while I was at it, since these items has been leaking slightly.
All back together. Starts just like before, revs ok with choke. Idles fine by itself without choke. However, when rolling on throttle, it still bogs badly and wants to die. After warming it for about 3 mins, it seemed to be willing to go a little past idle with very delicate and slow throttle turning, but anything close to normal still bogs. All of this is while bike is parked on side stand in neutral. Have not ridden it yet due to flat front tire.
Checked plugs, and they all look ok, not wet, and not heat damaged (although they are very old plugs).
So now I am miffed. Idles fine, and runs at higher rpm with choke, but with no choke it only idles and doesn’t want to go much higher rpm without bogging badly. I am guessing this is lack of fuel, but I am not an expert and am not sure what to troubleshoot next.
Have not checked timing or valve clearance, and have not cleaned the air filter and have not replaced the plugs. I was thinking that those items might help it run ideal once it is running just ok. Right now, just trying to get it running ok without choke.
Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks !!!!!
Just picked up a 1981 GS850GL, 22k miles. Beautiful cosmetic condition, but had not been run in several years. I figured it would need some attention, and have been going thru little by little. Want to get it running well before I do brakes, tires, lube, clean/shine, etc.
When first tried to start it (with a jump of course), I turned the gas to prime and after a few mins it was leaking fuel out of the airbox. I figured it was stuck float needles, causing the carbs to overflow, and spilling into the airbox then out. So there began my carb work.
Removed air box and carbs. Sure enough most of the float needles were gummed and stuck. Dismantled each carb one by one, dipped in cleaner all the parts and jets (not the rubber parts or diaphragm). Cleaned with carb cleaner parts that I could not dip. All orifices and jets looked nice, reassembled carbs. Did NOT dissemble the pilot air screw on engine side (the one that is sealed at factory with only a pin hole on cover) – just cleaned it out with wire and carb cleaner. Throttle plates looked synched from visual observation. After reassembly of carbs, slides went up/down nicely.
Air cleaner element was sticky, and element holder was missing foam on top that gets squeezed between elements and top of air box. Did not fix.
Checked gas valve, filter, lines, all looks good. Vacuum valve seems to work, and on Prime gas comes out nicely.
Put it all back together, and no leaking gas now !!!! Jumped it and used the choke, and it started up right away ! Yeah…. Making progress. Blew lots of white smoke (figured it was clearing itself of 6 years of dust), and revved pretty good with choke on, and idles great with no choke. With no choke, when giving it any amount of throttle above idle it would just bog and lose power, even on very slow throttle advance. DARN. Looks like more work to do.
I sprayed some carb cleaner by air boots before and after carbs, and sure enough, when sprayed by intake boots to cylinder head, the idle changed just a bit.
Back to work.
Pulled out air box and carbs again. Pulled off intake boots to cylinder head, and replaced the orings. Man, the old ones looked and felt like plastic – they just cracked and crumbled. Also, put new foam on air cleaner holder top surface on perimeter, and reinstalled air cleaner nice a snug into housing. Reassembled all items.
Even replaced valve cover gasket and cam chain tensioner gasket while I was at it, since these items has been leaking slightly.
All back together. Starts just like before, revs ok with choke. Idles fine by itself without choke. However, when rolling on throttle, it still bogs badly and wants to die. After warming it for about 3 mins, it seemed to be willing to go a little past idle with very delicate and slow throttle turning, but anything close to normal still bogs. All of this is while bike is parked on side stand in neutral. Have not ridden it yet due to flat front tire.
Checked plugs, and they all look ok, not wet, and not heat damaged (although they are very old plugs).
So now I am miffed. Idles fine, and runs at higher rpm with choke, but with no choke it only idles and doesn’t want to go much higher rpm without bogging badly. I am guessing this is lack of fuel, but I am not an expert and am not sure what to troubleshoot next.
Have not checked timing or valve clearance, and have not cleaned the air filter and have not replaced the plugs. I was thinking that those items might help it run ideal once it is running just ok. Right now, just trying to get it running ok without choke.
Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks !!!!!
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