Pulled the airbox and carbs

[Blastr2783]

Just got the time to tear the airbox and carbs off the 81 gs850 and found the carbs are clean but the airbox looks like some lite a fire inside it. The seal and all the boots are melted. Nowonder it did not have any power.

[Blastr2783]

The air filter was fried as well.

[7981GS]

That sounds strangely familiar...



Except mine just cut out at about 75 mph steady cruise and stopped running.
Choked to death.
They don't run very well with NO AIR.

Daniel

[Blastr2783]

what caused it and where did you replacements

[DanTheMan]

what caused it and where did you replacements

Too much fuel from being choked out from lack of air, backfire through the carbs on de-cel, voila, fried airbox and filter. Post up in Parts wanted thread for an airbox, buy a new filter sleeve from your local dealer or on line. See BassCliff's welcome page for instructions on sealing the airbos properly once you get a non-melted one.

[7981GS]

what caused it and where did you replacements

When I posted those questions here, there was not much in the way of ideas that were plausible in my situation.
There were a few that had seen it happen before and that was about it.
On my bike, it had been 100% reliable for over 6,000 miles in the EXACT condition that apparently caused the damage.
I was at a steady 70-75 cruise down the highway for over 30 miles when it stopped running.
When your speed is cut in half in less than a couple hundred feet and you are in the fast lane,
trying to get over to the shoulder, 4 lanes to your right, is quite the challenge as the cages are NOT PAYING ATTENTION and trying to kill you!
Although I had the replacement parts to repair it, I chose to just jet for pods and installed them.




Daniel

[Blastr2783]

When I posted those questions here, there was not much in the way of ideas that were plausible in my situation.
There were a few that had seen it happen before and that was about it.
On my bike, it had been 100% reliable for over 6,000 miles in the EXACT condition that apparently caused the damage.
I was at a steady 70-75 cruise down the highway for over 30 miles when it stopped running.
When your speed is cut in half in less than a couple hundred feet and you are in the fast lane,
trying to get over to the shoulder, 4 lanes to your right, is quite the challenge as the cages are NOT PAYING ATTENTION and trying to kill you!
Although I had the replacement parts to repair it, I chose to just jet for pods and installed them.
Daniel

Just bought this one from a pawn shop last week and it did not have any power when I got it home. Ordered a carb rebuild kit and a complete gasket kit for the bike and finaly got around to tearing it down today and discovered the damage. I am thinking the same thing pods and a rejet. What did you go to.

[7981GS]

Just bought this one from a pawn shop last week and it did not have any power when I got it home. Ordered a carb rebuild kit and a complete gasket kit for the bike and finaly got around to tearing it down today and discovered the damage. I am thinking the same thing pods and a rejet. What did you go to.

I ride at 4,000-10,000 feet and ended up with stock #40 pilot jets, jet needle raised 1.00mm from stock and 130 main jets.
All bikes/engines are different depending on altitude that you travel in.
You could just rebuild the carbs, replace the burnt parts and have a great running bike. It would be easier.

Daniel

[DanTheMan]

The carb rebuild kits are mostly junk. What you need are bowl gaskets, and the o-ring sets from cycleorings.com (one of the members here). A lot cheaper and the job will be better when you're done with it.

[koolaid_kid]

The carb rebuild kits are mostly junk. What you need are bowl gaskets, and the o-ring sets from cycleorings.com (one of the members here). A lot cheaper and the job will be better when you're done with it.

I agree. With this you will have completely rebuilt you fuel system. Go for it.

[Blastr2783]

thanks guys

will do as yall suggest. but already ordered the rebuild kits.

[BassCliff]

Hi,

Go back to one of your first threads HERE and go over your "mega-welcome". You'll find the maintenance lists and "how to" guides for the proper care and feeding of your GS.

If it's too inconvenient to find another airbox, then pods and a re-jet may be in order.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[Blastr2783]

Hi,

Go back to one of your first threads HERE and go over your "mega-welcome". You'll find the maintenance lists and "how to" guides for the proper care and feeding of your GS.

If it's too inconvenient to find another airbox, then pods and a re-jet may be in order.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

gotta coouple of leads on a new airbox but the boots are a bit pricey, but I think they may be cheaper and easier in the long run. Everyone seems to think pods are a pain on a gs. Been running them for the last 2 years on my XS11 without a hitch. Its my third XS and this is my first GS. The petcock on my gs doesn't have a lever its strictly vacuum controled and it leaks. Does anyone know if the selector type petcock is a direct replacement(all the nos petcocks seem to be selector types)? Read the welcome page and found lots of good info and will continue to refer to it, so many Thanks Basscliff. your welcome page really is the most helpful thing I have found on the web when it comes to scooter maintence.

[DanTheMan]

gotta coouple of leads on a new airbox but the boots are a bit pricey, but I think they may be cheaper and easier in the long run. Everyone seems to think pods are a pain on a gs. Been running them for the last 2 years on my XS11 without a hitch. Its my third XS and this is my first GS. The petcock on my gs doesn't have a lever its strictly vacuum controled and it leaks. Does anyone know if the selector type petcock is a direct replacement(all the nos petcocks seem to be selector types)? Read the welcome page and found lots of good info and will continue to refer to it, so many Thanks Basscliff. your welcome page really is the most helpful thing I have found on the web when it comes to scooter maintence.

All the GS petcocks are vacuum actuated. Your bike must be an "L" model? As far as I know, only the '80 L models had the screwdriver operated petcock. It does have two positions, On and PRIme. However, people have been replacing them with aftermarket petcocks. Question: is yours leaking and overfilling the carbs? Could be you have it on prime. Screwdriver slot vertical is PRIme, horizontal is On or Run. You might just have it in the wrong position. If you do replace it, make sure you get the right bolt spacing, it's different than the ones with a handle on them.

[BassCliff]

Hi,

Everyone seems to think pods are a pain on a gs.

Pods are a pain to get tuned only if you don't know what you're doing. In other words, they'd be a pain for me.

There are a lot of carb gurus here who have no trouble whipping up a jetting solution for pods. I'm sure that if you need help you'll be able to find it here.

Z1 sells aftermarket vacuum petcocks that a lot of people like. You can also go with a manual petcock from Pingel. Just remember to turn it off when you shut down the engine. There are adapter plates to compensate for different bolt spacings.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff