New Owner needs Help!

[Octain]

If I'm not mistaken, the old wires can be removed from the old coils. They look like they are one piece but other forum members have had luck chipping away at the glue and pulling them out. There is a spike that they push onto and you can simply epoxy new ones in.

Yep!......

[brian]

Hello everyone,

I'm back, and now I'm more excited than ever. She's running...sort of...

Here's where I'm at:

1. She'll start (I had a problem with the ignition coils, I bought new Dynatek coils and got those installed)
2. After I get her started I can get her to idle at the 1500rpm range for about 2-3 minutes. (choke off)
3. After she warms up, the idle jumps to 3000 to 3500rpm. I have no idea why?
4. I have played with the idle screw soo much I am beginning to think that's not the problem, but I don't know.
5. I'm trying to get her to idle at about 1000 so I can connect my manometer and sync the carbs...but no luck soo far.
6. Plugs are clean and clear
7. I have had to stuff the air box with a towel to get the air right for the intake. My air box is sealed properly, but would start unless I restricted the air more than the air box allowed. I know it's not right and I don't want to do that, but she wouldn't start otherwise.
8. When she's running, she sounds great, the throttle is responsive, no bogging, but the inability to tune properly is frustrating.

Where do I go from here?

If there is previous post that someone can direct me too, that would be helpful I would be thankful. I don't want to be too intrusive to others, but I really need the help and direction.

You have all been soo helpful...thanks!

[chef1366]

I don't remember what year and model bike you have.
It's possible you need to put new o-rings on the intake boots.
You say you did not clean the carbs with new o-rings?

[brian]

1980 GS 850 GLT

Carbs were rebuilt with everything new.

Intake boots are brand new too.

[chef1366]

A climbing idle is a classic example of an air leak.
What about the petcock?

[brian]

Climbing idle...I wish! Let's call it a jumping idle.

It's like someone cranked on the throttle, then held it steady.

Petcock is rebuilt and working perfectly.

Where would I look for an air leak? I'm already getting too much air to the intakes anyway. I don't that's it, but I'll check anything at this point!

I appreciate your time...thanks!

[brian]

It's a spongy air filter that came with the bike.

It's clean, but I don't think that the sponge in the inside makes a tight seal at all. That's why I tucked a towel in the air box with it.

Would that somehow explain the jump in idle?

Everything else around the outside of the air box is sealed perfectly.

[brian]

Hello everyone,

I'm back, and now I'm more excited than ever. She's running...sort of...

Here's where I'm at:

1. She'll start (I had a problem with the ignition coils, I bought new Dynatek coils and got those installed)
2. After I get her started I can get her to idle at the 1500rpm range for about 2-3 minutes. (choke off)
3. After she warms up, the idle jumps to 3000 to 3500rpm. I have no idea why?
4. I have played with the idle screw soo much I am beginning to think that's not the problem, but I don't know.
5. I'm trying to get her to idle at about 1000 so I can connect my manometer and sync the carbs...but no luck soo far.
6. Plugs are clean and clear
7. I have had to stuff the air box with a towel to get the air right for the intake. My air box is sealed properly, but would start unless I restricted the air more than the air box allowed. I know it's not right and I don't want to do that, but she wouldn't start otherwise.
8. When she's running, she sounds great, the throttle is responsive, no bogging, but the inability to tune properly is frustrating.

Where do I go from here?

If there is previous post that someone can direct me too, that would be helpful I would be thankful. I don't want to be too intrusive to others, but I really need the help and direction.

You have all been soo helpful...thanks!

Good Morning, I'm still looking for some help with the above listed problems. Any ideas?

[waterman]

I would still be a little hesistant to declare that carbs are not the issue with your bike. If it were mine, I would pull carbs and double check that passageways are clear and floats are correctly set and jets are correct. Here if they were cleaned as you have stated, a quick shot of aerosol carb cleaner sprayed through the small passageways will verify if it truly was cleaned properly. I would measure float levels and make sure that adjustment screws tips are clean and not broken off from over zealous PO. May even check static fuel level in bowls to ensure floats and fuel valve working right. Until I can visually confirm carbs, I don't rule them out. Previous owners can take short cuts or simply just don't do a thorough job.

While I had carbs out, check the condition of carb boot o rings, making sure they are sealing properly and in good shape. If the past owner had replaced them, you should encounter rounded cross sectional orings, not the typical, hard flattened degraded orings from original build.

Then put it back together after a visual carb sync and see what is happening.

I know this can be daunting since you may not be well versed in these carbs but a lot of us see these carb parts in our sleep. Take pictures of carbs and post up your questions, we can usually get these running correctly again. Hang in there, you can do this.

[BassCliff]

Good Morning, I'm still looking for some help with the above listed problems. Any ideas?

Hi,

1. Visit my website.

2. Click on the READ ME page and pay particular attention to the maintenance lists. There are also links to pertinent information and guides.

3. Read the rest of the tutorials on my website which concern your carbs, airbox sealing, intake repair, etc.

4. Affect repairs as necessary.

All of the regular maintenance items critical to these bikes have been addressed on my website. They're all there in one handy location with lots of pictures. Even if they are not for your specific motorcycle they will be beneficial because the procedures are basically the same for all of the GS models.

EDIT: You have a 1980 GS850G so most of the information on my website will apply directly to your motorcycle.

Let me know if you have any questions.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[brian]

Guys thanks for the advice,

I'm going to the title and tag transferred over today, I will start to pick apart the carbs and intake starting tonight and over the weekend.

I stopped by a motorcycle shop this morning and the owner (old school guy, retired military) told me pretty much the same as what I read here. He threw in one more idea, that the vacuum petcock off the tank may acting up and dumping more fuel through the vacuum line once the engine warmed up? Anyone ever heard of that?

He had a simple check of starting the motor, letting it warm up, and once the rpm's spiked, pinch the vacuum line with a pair of needle nose to see if it goes back to normal? Any thoughts?

And I definitely need to figure out the airbox issue. My sponge like air filter on the inside is extremely loose and oily (I'm not sure it's the stock filter) does anyone have pics of what it's supposed to look like? The guy I spoke to this morning said that it was supposed to be cardboard? And I'm open to ideas of where I can get a new one (or replacement one).

The K&N open air filters interest me (I like the look), but I would have to rejet the carbs, wouldn't I?

Again, thanks for all the advice...

P.S. I think I'm to the point of starting from scratch with carbs, petcock, airfilter, sync...etc...etc. I was just trying to find an easier way...and I know that's not the right attitude...I just wanted to go riding.

[BassCliff]

And I definitely need to figure out the airbox issue. My sponge like air filter on the inside is extremely loose and oily (I'm not sure it's the stock filter) does anyone have pics of what it's supposed to look like? The guy I spoke to this morning said that it was supposed to be cardboard? And I'm open to ideas of where I can get a new one (or replacement one).

Hi,

These articles from my website apply directly to your motorcycle.

Air Intake Repair:
Airbox removal, intake boots and O-ring replacement

Airbox Sealing
(by Mr. Roostabunny)

Valve Adjustments (8 Valve)

There's lots more where that came from.

What kind of air filter do you have? Generally the air filters to use are the UNI brand foam air filter. Yours will take UNI part# NU-2436.



I also use the air filter from K&N, part# SU-1200.



Both of these filters bolt into the "filter element", a cage-like assembly that holds the air filter itself. Then the whole assembly slides into the airbox. Usually you have to replace the weatherstripping on top of the assembly to form a tight seal between the airbox and the filter element. It's all explained in the "Air Intake Repair" and "Airbox Sealing" guides linked above.

Please visit my website (link below in my signature file) and read all the GS850G goodness there. You'll be glad you did.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[Kcwiro]

This may sound silly but have a look and make sure your carbs are seated in the boots. Do the spray can trick where you zip some fluid on the boot to ensure they are sealed. I had one that was sneaking and it drove me nuts.

Best rules on troubleshooting your GS - start small and work your way up.

Oh and PICs PICs =)

[brian]

Ok guys, here's where I'm at after working on this and running around to get the tag and registration taken care of...

1. Completely sealed the filter inside the airbox (needed new weather stripping between filter cage and airbox) and removed the towel from the inside of the airbox...wouldn't start...so...
2. With airbox installed, stuffed towel in opening in rear of airbox and adjusted the idle screw a little...and finally got it to idle at 3000rpm constantly. I let it run for about 10 minutes or so, and it seemed to like 3000rpm. If I adjusted idle screw down (even a little) it would eventually die out and shut off.

*But she sounded great!

3. Now that I'm happy with the airbox sealing, and know that the towel trick is just a patch...I'm left with tearing down the carbs and checking all the needles, jets, and settings.

I am going to follow the carb teardown and build up procedures on this website to the letter! I'll take pics as I do this and let you know what I come up with.

If anyone has any advice as what I'm looking for, ahead of time, that would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks to all, and wish me luck tomorrow...

P.S. I really hate having to do this...

[BassCliff]

Hi,

Follow the carb cleaning tutorial. It's very complete.

For extra information, there are countless numbers of threads with carb cleaning discussions. Just do a search. Here's one...

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?p=1380260

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff