'82 GS850 start problems... help!

[dewillie]

I have purchased an '82 GS850G a few months ago which had been standing in a barn for a year. I rebuilt the carburetors (used Keyster mikuni CV carburetor rebuild kits) and the bike worked fine... Well for a few weeks. At first it (cold) started from the first time, after a few weeks it started after second try (but it was very cold here so I assumed there wasn t a problem). But it got worse and after sitting 2 weeks in my garage, I coulden't get it started at all... I checked the ignition, airfilter, petcock but all ok, So I decided to have a look inside the carburetors again. All appeared to be ok, except for the o-rings of the needle valve seats, which started to perish (I guess a common quality problem with third party parts...). Replaced them, but I still can't get it started... My experience ends here, so I m a little desperate!! Does anybody have an idea what might be the problem?

Some remarks:
fuel is more than a month old, but almost half a tank left.
Spark plugs are old, but they appear to work fine.
Also the side stand warning light lights up when the contact is on, even when the side stand is up (never paid attention to this light, so I don't know if this is normal...)
the engine block itself is still in its original condition, leak free, with 52k miles

thanks!

[azr]

I've never had an earlier model with the side stand sensor, but does that stop the bike from starting if it's down? Hard starting in cold weather can usually be attributed to tight valves. Have you checked the valves? Are you getting good voltage to the coils? at least 11 volts? battery ok? you're fuel should be fine, you would have noticed if it was not when you went back into the carbs. And if your one o-ring failed what about the rest of them?

[dewillie]

In the meantime it is 54°F overhere, so I don't think the wheater has anything to do with it. I haven't checked the valves as I don't have any knowledge about them... Don't know much about electrics either, but the spark plugs do give a spark. Battery is fairly new and works fine. I noticed now that one or two spark plugs might need replacing. I ve bought new ones, but I'm not sure about the correct distance between the electrodes...

[tom203]

Silly question ,but before you rebuilt carbs- did you clean them, as in soak? I'm disturbed by the needle valve o-rings self destructing so quick- were these from this rebuild kit? Let's hope that no little pieces took a journey into the carb tunnels. Did you make sure to clean out the liitle hole at bottom of fuel bowls- this feeds the "choke" ( actually an enricher) circuit? If this gets clogged, a cold start is difficult at best. And remember, no throttle input when you crank it with "choke" applied or it won't be happy.
Spark plugs are cheap - $10 for a set, so get some and gap them to .028 inch. Head to Basscliff's emporium and find out about all the overdue maintenance that awaits. It's unlikely that it went into barn in perfect running condition.

[bwringer]

Classic symptom of tight valves... get over to Basscliff's site and get yourself educated on the ways of valve shims. It's easy-peasy if you do the required reading.

Also, carb kits are JUNK. Get your o-rings from Robert Barr at http://cycleorings.com .