Not the only one

[Blastr2783]

Found this on cycle chaos "i have 1980 suzuki gs 850.....anyways sat for 3yrs got it started and then would not go over 4500rpm.....so took carbs off and rear rubber boots were all melted and 1 carbs diaphrams was all melted....so had all carbs redone and all new rubber boots front and rear of carbs.....then road probably 100-150miles before winter came and put in storage.....started it up 3 times in winter to make sure carbs would stay free and started and rev great.......then today take it out of storage and ride it 30miles and again wouldnt go over 4500rpm....so get to garage take air box off and rear rubber boots are melted again but diaphrams still seem fine.........DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING THIS??" seems to be indemic to the model.

[cowboyup3371]

Starting it up 3 times in the winter - how long each time? Did he just run it for 5 minutes and shut it down or take it out for at least 20 - 30?
If he's not making it over 4500 rpm I'd question when the last time the valve adjustment was done, how much varnish is in the carbs (not just bowls but in the passages you can't see), and the condition of the airbox.
What's around the boots for them to melt that way?

[Blastr2783]

Starting it up 3 times in the winter - how long each time? Did he just run it for 5 minutes and shut it down or take it out for at least 20 - 30?
If he's not making it over 4500 rpm I'd question when the last time the valve adjustment was done, how much varnish is in the carbs (not just bowls but in the passages you can't see), and the condition of the airbox.
What's around the boots for them to melt that way?

The one I just bought has the same damage. Got the carbs off going to tear into them tommorow and see just whats going on inside em. And going to check the valve adjustments as well.

[cowboyup3371]

Make sure you properly dip them for 24 hours; don't just go off how the bowls look. Follow Ed's (Nessism) procedures on Basscliff's site or in his signature block.

[DanTheMan]

Hey, I got my GS850 in '05, 25k miles, it had been sitting for a couple of years, run a couple of times a year, mine have never melted down yet. Am I doing something wrong? I guess I just don't have the right touch?
It may be endemic to improper preps prior to riding a bike that's been sitting for quite awhile.
On the trail with the 4wd club I belonged to, we had a person with a Ford Exploder having the "won't rev" symptoms, just like that. After we cleaned the dead mice, the mouse and squirrel nests out of the intake and the air cleaner, it worked fine. Hmmmmmmm, y'think maybe..................?

[Blastr2783]

Hey, I got my GS850 in '05, 25k miles, it had been sitting for a couple of years, run a couple of times a year, mine have never melted down yet. Am I doing something wrong? I guess I just don't have the right touch?
It may be endemic to improper preps prior to riding a bike that's been sitting for quite awhile.
On the trail with the 4wd club I belonged to, we had a person with a Ford Exploder having the "won't rev" symptoms, just like that. After we cleaned the dead mice, the mouse and squirrel nests out of the intake and the air cleaner, it worked fine. Hmmmmmmm, y'think maybe..................?

Mine was in this condition when I bought it just never seen melted boots and airbox before. Your right it is most likely some kinda improper maintence, but found three (2 gs850's and one gs1100) with the same problem. Just wondering if this was one of their weak spots, kinda like early yamaha starters and tranny's.

[DanTheMan]

Not a weak spot as far as I know. I know about that 1100 too, that's 7981GS's bike. I think if the airboxes had been opened and inspected prior to the meltdown, the cause would've been discovered then. Of course, the other choice for the meltdown if all was well within the airbox would be overflowing carbs due to carbs being all gummed up, or a leaking petcock, float valves stuck open, causing fuel to flood the airbox. I know that when I had a stuck float on #2 carb, my bike wouldn't idle, and when I shut it off, some fuel would leak out of the airbox drain onto the ground. Combine the fuel with a carb backfiring, and you'll have a melted airbox and boots.

[BassCliff]

Hi,

I've had mine for five years now and ride the snot out of it, about 10,000 miles a year. I keep the fluids changed, air filter clean, valves adjusted, carbs cleaned and balanced, wiring harness and charging system clean, etc. My bike has given me no grief at all, except when I wrecked it.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[tkent02]

Do you mean melted as in it caught fire inside the air box?

[Blastr2783]

Do you mean melted as in it caught fire inside the air box?

That is what it looks like, except the damage would be greatmer if it were a fuel fire. The rubber stuff. boots and the seal between the lower and upper box melted and mangled and carbonized, while the plastic boxes and snorkle are meerly distorted.

[Dave8338]

Something is up with the bikes that you have been looking at. Any chance that someone has used a Ready Heater or similar, to warm things up? Any chance that a PO read a few suggestions on here and got things WAY TOO HOT in an attempt to make the boots flexible?

The boots don't just melt...

[Nessism]

Maybe some idiot used starter fluid and it backfired though the carbs and melted stuff. Not good.

[Blastr2783]

It looks like old damage. I rode the bike when I bought it, just long enough to go through the gears and listen to the valve train did not get over 40 miles an hour. Got the bike home and was gonna take a real ride and could not get it over 60 so turned around and brought it home. Just got to the tear down today and discovered my small project is bigger than I thought bit it is cool, I enjoy a challenge.

[Steve]

...so took carbs off and rear rubber boots were all melted and 1 carbs diaphrams was all melted....so had all carbs redone and all new rubber boots front and rear of carbs ... so get to garage take air box off and rear rubber boots are melted again but diaphrams still seem fine.........DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING THIS??" seems to be indemic to the model.

Hey, I got my GS850 in '05, 25k miles, it had been sitting for a couple of years, run a couple of times a year, mine have never melted down yet. Am I doing something wrong? I guess I just don't have the right touch?

..., but found three (2 gs850's and one gs1100) with the same problem. Just wondering if this was one of their weak spots, kinda like early yamaha starters and tranny's.

I must not have "the right touch" either, Dan.

- We have had my wife's 850 for seven years now. Still has original boots on both sides of the carbs. 66,000+ miles on the odometer.
- Five years ago, we got an '81 850 for #2 son. No problems with boots on that bike.
- Three years ago, I got an '81 850 that I called "Freebie" for obvious reasons. It had a different airbox on it (an '82), so I doubt the boots were original to the bike. No problems during the short time I had the bike.
- Two years ago, I got an '80 850 with low miles on it (13,500). I had rebuilt the carbs for the previous owner a couple of years before, there were still no problems with that bike, either.
- Last year, #2 son got an '80 1000. Have not yet had a need to go through the carbs (got it from a good GSR member ), but it does not show any signs of problems.
- The 650 that #1 son got about nine years ago came with pods, so it does not count in this discussion, even though it has had no problems, either.

What am I doing wrong.

.

[Blastr2783]

I just want to make sure I don't do anything to facilitate this when I get mkne back together. My XS11 just turned over 60,000 and want the same for GS850 when I'm done.