Wont start......

[dj3671]

1982 GS650GL wont start. I just replaced the head gasket, did a valve adjustment, and replaced the valve cover gasket, new plugs, and installed pod air filters.

The bike started before the top end rebuild. Sometimes to get it to start I would have to adjust the idle screw and always use the choke. The bike did idle without using choke after warmed up.

Now when I try to start the bike it just turns over and over and gets very close to starting up with the choke. It turns over and fires but will not start.

I have tried adjusting the mixture screws to 2 turns, 2.5 , 3, and even 3.5 turns out but bike will not start up. It seems to be closest to starting at 3 to 3.5 turns out.

Im not really sure what to do to get this bike to start.......maybe cleaning the carbs? I cleaned them a few months ago but just do not know what to do. Any help is appreciated.

[cowboyup3371]

Did you prime the carbs the first time? If it's been sitting for that long then everything will be dry.

Also, what's the battery condition? Is your air box back on?

[Nessism]

Did you rejet the carbs after installing pods? Pods drastically change the jetting needs.

Another thing to do is verify cam timing.

Good luck

[dj3671]

Oh yea I did the timing, forgot to mention. The pods are what I am gonna use, so now air box. So maybe I should increase the jet size?

[dj3671]

Battery is fairly new, honestly have tried to start the bike so much in the past few weeks that I have to use my battery charger. And the bike has started twice since rebuild. It was running off choke both times and wasnt running long enough to warm up.

Once I got the bike to start, by adjusting throttle free play and idle pin, the bike would not want to start the nect time I tried and I would have to readjust the settings even though they hadnt moved)

[TheCafeKid]

You HAVE to rejet for pods. Period. And with those carbs (vacuum type) you'll be better off finding a dynojet kit for it than trying to rejet it by hand. The stock needles in those carbs will not supply enough fuel, fast enough, to feed the bike and it will stumble, stutter, buck and generally run pretty sh*tty above 1/4 throttle or so. The Dynojet kit supplies needles that are much more tapered and designed to work with the added airflow of pod filters.

Well worth the $125 or so to keep from having a crappy running bike, headaches, frustration and loss of hair (cause you'll rip it out tryin to tune those carbs by hand...trust me, been there, done that, wrote a book about it...it's got lots of pictures...and I'm nearly bald )

[tom203]

Oh yea I did the timing, forgot to mention. The pods are what I am gonna use, so now air box. So maybe I should increase the jet size?

You'll have to- follow the advice regarding dynojet kit-, but this doesn't explain why it won't start. If it sorta ran a few times after rebuild, cam and spark timing must be ok, so this is likely to be fuel delivery problem. How long did it sat with old gas in it? What do plugs look like after you crank and crank?

[dj3671]

Understood on the dynojet kit....but I would like it to start regularly first lol.
Unless I misunderstood and it will not without the new jets.......

I put the bike on reserve (where it was when it started the last few times) and it started right up with a little adjustment to idle pin. Once running, off the choke, I turned the idle pin in and it held idle.

Now it starts right up......... I didnt really change anything because now the fuel is back to "on"

[TheCafeKid]

Understood on the dynojet kit....but I would like it to start regularly first lol.
Unless I misunderstood and it will not without the new jets.......

I put the bike on reserve (where it was when it started the last few times) and it started right up with a little adjustment to idle pin. Once running, off the choke, I turned the idle pin in and it held idle.

Now it starts right up......... I didnt really change anything because now the fuel is back to "on"

I'd be checking my petcock for proper flow then. Two things: any time your bike sits for a few days, especially with pod filters, you'll need to turn the petcock to "PRIme" as the fuel in the bowls will evaporate. Trying to fill them on the "ON" or "REServe" position may require a bit of unnecessary cranking as a properly working petcock won't flow in those positions without the vacuum of the motor spinning over.
But, you should check that yours is functioning properly. Disconnect the fuel line from the petcock and attach a spare piece of fuel line. Make sure the line is long enough you can lead it to a jar or a gascan or something to keep from getting fuel every where.

Turn the petcock to "PRI". This should be the only position where fuel flows freely without the engine turning over. Verify it's flowing.
Turn the petcock to "ON". The fuel flow should stop. If it continues to flow at or about the same rate and doesn't stop fairly quickly, your petcock is bad.
If it stops flowing, try cranking the motor over and see if it flows again. If not your petcock is either blocked or shot.
Same with the REServe position.

If it doesn't pass, replace it. Don't try to rebuild it. Success rates on rebuilds are low. Petcocks for your bike are around $45 new from Z1Enterprises, so it's best just to buy a new one and not worry bout it for a long time.

[tom203]

Understood on the dynojet kit....but I would like it to start regularly first lol.
Unless I misunderstood and it will not without the new jets.......

I put the bike on reserve (where it was when it started the last few times) and it started right up with a little adjustment to idle pin. Once running, off the choke, I turned the idle pin in and it held idle.

Now it starts right up......... I didnt really change anything because now the fuel is back to "on"

It's a miracle.... or there wasn't enough fuel in tank to run in "on" position!

[dj3671]

Lol I will check out the petcock!

And im thinking its just weird.....cuz the bike now starts and runs in the "on" position and I havent added any fuel :P

Or my reserve position is broken and acts as a prime

P.S. what stage of dynojet would you all recomend? Everything should be stock except for the air filters

Thanks all

[TheCafeKid]

Lol I will check out the petcock!

And im thinking its just weird.....cuz the bike now starts and runs in the "on" position and I havent added any fuel :P

Or my reserve position is broken and acts as a prime

P.S. what stage of dynojet would you all recomend? Everything should be stock except for the air filters

Thanks all

Buy a stage three kit. This will include stage one and two, stage three will have two sets of jets, you'll probably use the smaller of the stage three set, and it includes the all important needles. Those are what make it worth the money. And, this way if you ever put a 4-1 pipe on your bike you'll have the necessary larger jets to do so.

[dj3671]

cool thank ya