Bike wont start. Not sure what it could be

[Guest]

Alright guys. I just purchased a 1982 gs850gl for dirt cheap. Bike wouldnt start when i bought it. Stripped and cleaned the carbs but i still do not have ignition. I can get the bike to run on starter fluid but thats it. The float bowels have gas in them. I really do not know what else it could be. Anyone have any advice? It was a barn find and only has 8200 miles on it acording to the odometer.

[phydeauxmutt]

OK, let's just start with the basics:
1. "Stripping and cleaning the carbs" will not improve the ignition.
2. How did you "strip and clean" the carbs? Did you take them down to about 200 pieces? Or did you drop the bowls and spritz around some carb cleaner spray?
3. Have you checked the valve clearances?
4. When you say you "don't have ignition", are you meaning the spark itself or that there is no fire happening in the combustion chamber?
5. THROW AWAY THE STARTER FLUID. That stuff does not belong ANYWHERE NEAR a GS motorcycle.
6. Look at the spark plugs after one of your starting attempts. Are they wet with fuel? If so, you have no spark. If not, it will be obvious that your "cleaning" wasn't quite enough to get the fuel through all the small passages from the bowls, through the jets to the airstream leading to the combustion chambers.

Look up "BassCliff site" here or on Google, you will find EVERYTHING you will need to know about getting your bike running.

[Thefinalgamer]

OK, let's just start with the basics:
1. "Stripping and cleaning the carbs" will not improve the ignition.
2. How did you "strip and clean" the carbs? Did you take them down to about 200 pieces? Or did you drop the bowls and spritz around some carb cleaner spray?
3. Have you checked the valve clearances?
4. When you say you "don't have ignition", are you meaning the spark itself or that there is no fire happening in the combustion chamber?
5. THROW AWAY THE STARTER FLUID. That stuff does not belong ANYWHERE NEAR a GS motorcycle.
6. Look at the spark plugs after one of your starting attempts. Are they wet with fuel? If so, you have no spark. If not, it will be obvious that your "cleaning" wasn't quite enough to get the fuel through all the small passages from the bowls, through the jets to the airstream leading to the combustion chambers.

Look up "BassCliff site" here or on Google, you will find EVERYTHING you will need to know about getting your bike running.

Thanks for the reply.
1. 3 of the 4 main jets were clogged when i stripped the carbs2. 2. Removed all jets, needles and cleaned every hole i could find with carb cleaner, compressed air and a brush.
3. I have not checked valve clearances but i will now. Didnt even think of that.
4. I have a spark, coil packs tested out and new plugs. No fire in combustion chamber.
5. Starter fluid thrown in trash as requested
6. They are not wet with gasoline so i guess i will strip the carbs off again and recheck everything.
Thank you for the site. I will definitely check it out.
I have been messing with this bike for 2 weeks now and figured i would ask on this forum.

[RGM]

If it runs on starter fluid it is not the ignition. Make sure you have fresh gas. It is most likely your carbs. 8200 miles unlikely your valve clearance.

[Thefinalgamer]

Gas is fresh. Drained all bad gas out of carbs and tank. Guess i will yank the carbs off tomorrow and go over them really well again.

[hjfisk]

Thanks for the reply.
1. 3 of the 4 main jets were clogged when i stripped the carbs2. 2. Removed all jets, needles and cleaned every hole i could find with carb cleaner, compressed air and a brush.
3. I have not checked valve clearances but i will now. Didnt even think of that.
4. I have a spark, coil packs tested out and new plugs. No fire in combustion chamber.
5. Starter fluid thrown in trash as requested
6. They are not wet with gasoline so i guess i will strip the carbs off again and recheck everything.
Thank you for the site. I will definitely check it out.
I have been messing with this bike for 2 weeks now and figured i would ask on this forum.

cleaning carbs with carb spray and compressed Ir is not a total cleaning you need to strip and dip them in a cleaning tank or can Berrymens is the recommended method. Go to Basscliff 's site and follow the tutorial completly. Also search for newbie mistakes and corect them then you will be able to enjoy your new to you barn find����

[bonanzadave]

Dont over look the petcock. It has been many a source of poor starting / running GSs.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?239361-Bizarro-problem

Update. New petcock solved the problem. Running like new. Thanks to everyone for their help.

[allojohn]

Any rust in the tank?

[850 Combat]

Is the airbox on, fully assembled, and hooked up? If it is not, that will prevent it from running anywhere near correctly, although it should still start with choke (enrichment) hooked up. There is a 10mm drain on each of the carbs. You can loosen them to see if it is getting fuel. I've never had an enrichment circuit cease to function, but I know that it does happen. There is plenty of knowledge in this forum. When you disassemble the carbs, be careful to support the mounts for the float when you drive the pivot out. It is easy to break off the mount if you are not careful. Of course I'm assuming that your previous disassembly did not include removal of the float and associated valves. Disregard, it if your assembly did go that far. It is common on this forum for new owners to find a broken float mount when trying to get a GS running. The emulsion tubes can also be blocked up with stuff. I've removed and cleaned a lot of these carbs, but I've also sent them to an expert when they were so stuck together that I was afraid that I couldn't remove the float pins without breaking the mounts.

Chef1366 on this forum did an awesome job on the ones I was afraid to pound on in my driveway too much. He sold me parts to replace all of the little things lost by various owners.

[JTGS850GL]

First off, you may THINK you have clean carbs, but you don't. Go here :CV carb rebuild tutorial and do exactly what is outlined in the tutorial.

Second, stop using starter fluid. You've confirmed it's not ignition so move on.

Next, do all the required maintenance that's been ignored for the last 30 years. Go here to find the resources you'll need.

Don't forget to do the valve adjustment BEFORE you try to sync the carbs.

Last, click on the GS Greetings link in my signature and learn all that's needed to start off with.

[phydeauxmutt]

It is most likely your carbs. 8200 miles unlikely your valve clearance.

I will agree with the carbs being the problem, but will disagree (violently, if necessary) about the valve clearance being rather unlikely.

Suzuki recommended a first service at 600 miles. The reason is that the valve clearances change the most when an engine is new. The valves should have been checked at 600, 3,000 and 6,000 and 9,000 miles, so they are just about due for their FOURTH check. I'll bet that they have had no more than ONE, if they even got that check.