1980 Gs550E CV Carb Cleaning and Sync Question

[Guest]

Hi Everyone,

I was putting on a new throttle on a little tracker project that I have been working on and it felt like it was about time to clean the carbs anyway(wonnt start right up anymore/Needs starter Fluid), so here I am! Hopefully this isn't an annoying and reoccurring question. Sorry in advance if so. I did search prior to posting, but couldn't find quite what I was looking for!

I found a pretty great video for CV Carbs Below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95nlrP-yn2I

1. Do you have to go to this level of detail when cleaning the Carbs? Or is there a simpler way? Should every step below be followed?

2. Do I have to sync the Carbs once they have been cleaned.

THANKS ALL!

[JTGS850GL]

1: Yes, and make sure you do the valves while the carbs are soaking. It makes a huge difference.

2: Yes

Here's a link to the manual that walks you through the process:

http://www.mtsac.edu/~cliff/storage/gs/Mikuni_BS-CV_Carburetor_Rebuild_Tutorial.pdf

Don't do any shortcuts or you'll be doing it again.

[tom203]

A simple way? Sure, pay someone on here who does this stuff for fun (and money of course)

Otherwise go here and do some reading....

http://www.mtsac.edu/%7Ecliff/storage/gs/Mikuni_BS-CV_Carburetor_Rebuild_Tutorial.pdf

avoid the temptation to skip steps - unless you'd like to do it again

Edit: must be an echo in here!

[Magicalzoomer12]

Thanks a lot Tom and JT! This will be a huge help! I really appreciate it.

I don't have a picture handy, but my petcock has no "off" Switch. It has 3 positions. "Prime/On/Res" Which makes me feel like this is the reason I am pulling the carbs again. What do you do to prevent gas from just sitting in the carbs? Or do you put fuel stabilizer in it? Thanks again fellas!

[JTGS850GL]

The "off" position isn't needed on a vacuum operated petcock.

You can put fuel stabilizer in or drain the bowls using the drain plugs at the bottom of the float bowls. Some will run the bike with the vacuum line disconnect from the petcock and plugged until the engine stalls. The last method still leaves gas in the bowls so I wouldn't recommend that.

[Magicalzoomer12]

Thanks a lot JT. What is the amount of time one of these bikes can sit without having to drain the bowl? Thanks again!

[JTGS850GL]

With proper stabilizer they can sit for up to a year. Personally I would drain the bowls for anything more then a couple months.

[tom203]

Thanks a lot JT. What is the amount of time one of these bikes can sit without having to drain the bowl? Thanks again!

Last November , I put Stabil (marine type) in gas, took bike for good last ride. No draining of anything .In early April ,I woke bike up- she started right up with no problem and runs marvelously.

[60ratrod]

Yeah, with everything that has been said here, don't skip anything. I'm pulling the carbs on my 81 kawi kz because i skipped steps. The steps i skipped were the chasing the idle air/fuel ports with wire, and i'm paying for it by having to chase my tail on a low rpm/acceleration stumble