1978 GS850 - not starting, oh so close...

[Guest]

Thanks to the great advice in this forum(!), I was able to take a neglected (been sitting at least 5 years) GS850 and get it back running as good as new, almost... Taking the advice of this forum, I converted to electronic ignition, new coils, new plugs, new air filter, battery, rebuilt the carbs-including 24hr soak in PineSol/compressed air clean, new rubber boots, etc. Put it all back together, touched the starter and it immediately fired up. Rode it a few hundred miles in July, oh the joy... Went on holidays for 3 weeks, came back, tried to start it and no-go . put a bit of primer in #1 carb and, sure enough, it fires up immediately. Pull off fuel line, yup-fuel runs out. open plugs on bottom of carb bowls and fuel runs out. Seems fuel can get to carb, but it's not getting to where it needs to be. I did not do the gas tank cleaning business (looked clean...!) Please tell me I don't need to do the carbs over again.... . Maybe a gas tank clean in my future...?

[nejeff]

Thanks to the great advice in this forum(!), I was able to take a neglected (been sitting at least 5 years) GS850 and get it back running as good as new, almost... Taking the advice of this forum, I converted to electronic ignition, new coils, new plugs, new air filter, battery, rebuilt the carbs-including 24hr soak in PineSol/compressed air clean, new rubber boots, etc. Put it all back together, touched the starter and it immediately fired up. Rode it a few hundred miles in July, oh the joy... Went on holidays for 3 weeks, came back, tried to start it and no-go . put a bit of primer in #1 carb and, sure enough, it fires up immediately. Pull off fuel line, yup-fuel runs out. open plugs on bottom of carb bowls and fuel runs out. Seems fuel can get to carb, but it's not getting to where it needs to be. I did not do the gas tank cleaning business (looked clean...!) Please tell me I don't need to do the carbs over again.... . Maybe a gas tank clean in my future...?

There is so such animal as a 78' GS850, they started in 79'. That said, yes, you need to do the carbs over again

[Steve]

Your " '78" 850 is probably one of the early '79s that was ASSEMBLED in '78.

Yes, you need to do the carbs again (properly this time?), but since you asked us not to tell you that, I won't.

.

[knewel]

ok, well, at least i'm experienced at it now....

re: 1978, on the registration papers (original) it said 1978, I thought, that must be a mistake (I thought no such thing as a '78 850 shaft drive...). However, on checking the serial numbers, it appears that it really is a "late 1978". Let's just say '79...