GS650G carb cleaning, erhm what the heck?

[Guest]

Happy holidays to all!

I started carefully tearing into my carbs following the excellent tute found on Cliff's site. Unfortunately, like everything else on this bike, there is always something amiss. Though I've taken carbs apart before, I haven't seen anything like this.. This bike had sat outside for over 2 years before I picked it up, the previous owner saying he redid the carbs a year prior to that.. so we're guess 3 to 4 years since this bike saw new fuel in it (and by the smell of it.. ughn)

It appears that the rubber plug dissolved in the float bowl, causing all kinds of mayhem.. gum like tar consistency, sticky to everything it touches and a pain to clean out.. Just about everything near the needle (the part that touches the float) is crusted up in something, similar to rust but it's not rust as far as I can tell.. but what a mess.

We're unable to get carb-dip in Canada, so I've been hosing this one carb with spray type carb cleaner with some effect.. but nothing to cheer about.

I'll eventually get this sorted out, but what might have caused the plug to melt away like that, and most importantly, how to ensure it doesn't happen again? I have a funny feeling that the previous owner may have cleaned out the carbs after a while and the product didn't react well with the type of rubber of the plug?

I'm unable to get most of the jets out due to this stuff slimed in the tubes.. ergh.. what a mess it makes.. and stink..

http://www.eastcoastphotos.com/gs650g/num.4-carb-a.jpg

http://www.eastcoastphotos.com/gs650g/num.4-carb-b.jpg

[harley10]

You weren't kidding that is bad ,there must be something that will work, someone here will have a solution, brian

[tkent02]

I have seen those plugs turn completely to goo, not even a little bit resembling a plug shape. At lest they are still available.

Try an ultrasonic cleaner.

[azr]

Try boiling the carbs, I've used a couple of different products, vinegar, simple green, ect.... Google it there'll be tons of links on the subject. None work as good as Berrymans (I always bring a can home everytime I go South ) but they do the job.

[Agemax]

ultrasonic cleaner wont touch that gooey mess, unless you use sommat seriously strong in there. dip them with something, try white spirit with a dash of acetone in it

[Seaking]

Thanks for the tips, folks. I'll most likely try the simple green boiling pot method etc to get the majority of the junk out.. I don't have access to an ultra sonic cleaner but methinks one might be needed down the road..

I opened up the other three and this #4 was the cleaner one of the lot. #1 had a deep green slime buildup on everything in the bowl. What ever dissolved the plugs also seemed to have done a number on the o-rings, gooeyed them up as well, though not to the point of being like tar.. The brass jets and needles etc have a coating on them that sludged brown when wiped off with carb clean but still aren't clean..

How durable are the floats? they seem to be have a caked on layer of something other than the rubber over them.. Being old plastic (?) I worry of melting them with the wrong chemical or heat or such.

Well I wanted to learn about carbs.. hoof.. this is gonna take a while..

Thanks again!

[Charlie G]

Look out Maine. Here comes Seaking!

cg

[SVSooke]

Try to get the stuff I found in this thread http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=178816 .You have to go to the counter and ask for it.You really don't want this stuff out on the shelf.

[Steve]

I have used the Yamaha dip (mixed at the recommended 3:1 ratio) with good results.

Dipped overnight, just like in Berryman's, couldn't really tell any difference, except for the odor.

.

[steve murdoch]

In Ontario we can get that Kleen-Flo at Parts Source.

http://www.partsource.ca/

Check your auto parts stores, Seaking.

[SVSooke]

I have used the Yamaha dip (mixed at the recommended 3:1 ratio) with good results.

Dipped overnight, just like in Berryman's, couldn't really tell any difference, except for the odor.

.

Yamaha Canada does't carry it.The Klean-Flo is the only one we can seem to get this side of the border.

[Phred]

There is a product that was developed for the slaughterhouse industry by Benjamin Moore paints called M-83 or KP-83. This is an emulsifier that turns grease into detergent. I use it a lot for cleaning kitchens and bathrooms prior to painting, and on saw blades as it takes off pine pitch in seconds.It is latex based, really cheap, about $6.00 CDN for a spray bottle or it is available concentrated by the gallon. While waiting for my ultrasonic cleaner to arrive, I thought I would experiment with it on some carbs. I dipped the carbs in a container of it and in half an hour I could remove about 95% of the sludge with a small paint brush. The only thing about it was that when I left the carbs in overnight they turned a dull grey. Will have to do some more experimenting with the ultrasonic cleaner to find out if it is effective as a cleaning agent. However it does work well as a degreaser.

[Seaking]

Try to get the stuff I found in this thread http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=178816 .You have to go to the counter and ask for it.You really don't want this stuff out on the shelf.

Thanks! I'll have to hunt and see if I can find it locally.. Maine is a long way to go just for a can of 'stuff'..

[eil]

Wow, that's nasty. I have to suspect that when the PO said he cleaned the carbs, he really meant that he dumped a batch of carb cleaner in through the fuel line and then let the whole mess sit for three years.

(And in case you don't already know, you're supposed to keep carb cleaner well away from the rubber and plastic bits on your carbs. Rubber and plastic are petroleum products and carb cleaner is designed to eat petroleum products as efficiently as possible.)

[Seaking]

I was wondering if it was carb cleaner or perhaps ethanol fuel sitting in the bowls since he last ran the bike 2 or so years ago that did all that.. Regardless, it's gonna be a bit of a clean up to get these puppies running again..

Cheers!