1983 Suzuki Gs550 won´t start when warm...?

[Guest]

Hey all.

Hope to get some help from other members.

So first a little bit of info from me.
This bike has been running fine for almost 2 years now.
But U know ho it is.
The minute you decide to fix one little thing.
All hell breaks loose, lol. (Yeah I just used LOL, cause I´m forty and old school)


Anyways. I had this bright idea that I should change the throttle wire.
It was acting up on me. and also I felt like fixing the low rpm:s when warm.

So up there at the throttle handle. I saw some black electric tape that I have missed since I bought it.
Unwrapped it,
And man oh man what gift.

Former owner had completely somehow ****ed this up.
So there was no adjustment to be made here. it was also glued in place???
Which was made so that it would not move. The tape I guess, was used to hold it together and cover up this crap fix.
So then I went ahead and started it up.
And Sweet Jesus, I almost shat myself.
The rpm:s rushed to 6000.
Imagine having that happen to you on the road, or at a red light.
Seems that it moved way to freely with that mumbo jumbo ****fix removed.

Off it came, I managed to score a new one in at a local biker store for 10 Euros, that might be like 12 buckarooos to you Yanks.
Or if you are british, irish, scottish or use the british Pound, 9 pounds, sorta

But now, it is hard to start back up when warm.

This is a really peculiar problem to me.
I have done nothing else to the bike except this: (since replacing the throttle wire)

Cleaned all the grounds I could found. Wd40 and in some cases a slight touch with wet sandpaper, the nice kind
It is charging properly. Battery is new this spring. It has proper juice.

All hoses and vacuum hoses are connected the way they are supposed to.
Electric wires connected the way they are supposed to.
Changed all fuses, they were pretty darn old and almost crumbled in my hands.
Fixed the fuse box so it´s contacting point are nice and shiny, Wd40 and some sand paper. with a gentle touch.

After the weekend I will slacken the throttle wire, and adjust the idling screw instead.

Any takes on this? why it is doing this.

Remember I am new here.
Which means I am learning to use this forum and all of it´s search options.

I am truly sorry if this is a double post. And if some of you have read this a thousand times already.

But if you come by Sweden I´ll fetch ya a beer and bad stories

Cheers!

[tom203]

"But now, it is hard to start back up when warm."

After it's warmed up, but before you shut it off, how's the idle? I take it this 83 gs550 is sporting a lovely pair of dual throat carbs?

[Snoochiewooo]

"But now, it is hard to start back up when warm."

After it's warmed up, but before you shut it off, how's the idle? I take it this 83 gs550 is sporting a lovely pair of dual throat carbs?

The idling, when proper warmed up is around 1000 rpm:s
I was fiddling around with the wire though. What would the proper idling rpm:s be?
Can not remember what I had with the old wire.
might have been lower.
It runs on all four. And nothing is out of the ordinary than the fact ot is hard to start when warm.
When warm it will not fire up.

It has 4 carbs dual or not. There is 4 there
I have to read up on if they are dual or not

Superstoked to fix this

Thanks again.

[tom203]

The fiddled with wire is unlikely to cause a bad idle or hard start when warm...

do your carbs sorta look like this - but hopefully alot prettier?

the idling screw that you are refering to is the one between the carbs ,right?

[1948man]

When it's warm, does it turn over vigorously but not fire or does the battery seem to have a hard time spinning it? I always start my bike in neutral. I figure if the clutch isn't totally disengaged and I start the bike in gear with the clutch pulled it might strain to turn over. I sometimes notice mine seems a little sluggish on warm starts. I've always figured the clutch safety switch is just a little glitchy.

[Snoochiewooo]

The fiddled with wire is unlikely to cause a bad idle or hard start when warm...

do your carbs sorta look like this - but hopefully alot prettier?

the idling screw that you are refering to is the one between the carbs ,right?

Like the front of an old Desoto.
Christine better not haunt me now hahaha.

Well. The two seem the same. I think my four carbs are closer together though.

The idling screw is in between 2 and 3. Pointing towards the airfilter.

[Snoochiewooo]

When it's warm, does it turn over vigorously but not fire or does the battery seem to have a hard time spinning it? I always start my bike in neutral. I figure if the clutch isn't totally disengaged and I start the bike in gear with the clutch pulled it might strain to turn over. I sometimes notice mine seems a little sluggish on warm starts. I've always figured the clutch safety switch is just a little glitchy.

I always when possible.
Start in neutral.

It starts like a boss.

Full schwaaaang in the battery

Except for Jessica Alba, I am missing somethinh here... 😜

[Cipher]

check your valve clearances.

[BigD_83]

Some of the classic models of GS persisted in Europe for awhile so you may not have the dual throat carbs.

Post some pictures for us. We don't get to see enough of the European offerings, and they had some of the best paint jobs.

I agree with Cipher, it's probably time to get into the top end. Hard cold starts are typically a problem with tight valves, but if you've never adjusted them, and ride as frequently as Sweden's weather allows, it's time to do it (interval is around 8000km)

If you have adjusted the idle adjuster down too far, you may have completely closed the butterfly valves. Could be time to pull the carbs, and make sure they are sorted out, too.

[Snoochiewooo]

Some of the classic models of GS persisted in Europe for awhile so you may not have the dual throat carbs.

Post some pictures for us. We don't get to see enough of the European offerings, and they had some of the best paint jobs.

I agree with Cipher, it's probably time to get into the top end. Hard cold starts are typically a problem with tight valves, but if you've never adjusted them, and ride as frequently as Sweden's weather allows, it's time to do it (interval is around 8000km)

If you have adjusted the idle adjuster down too far, you may have completely closed the butterfly valves. Could be time to pull the carbs, and make sure they are sorted out, too.

Howdy hoo

Pics are coming up tonight, U betcha.

Just finished tweaking the throttle wire.
And it seems the problem has gone away.

Just for the record.
I have to salute everyone in this thread for helping out.
Beeing superfriendly, and totally awesome.
Thanks dudes, and dudettes?

While fixing the wire, I have done an oildchange.
New airfilter, dipped in oil, and squeezed out the extra oil.
New front brakes.
Hm, gotta pick those new tires while at it

Never touched the idle screw.
But might have to. will se after riding tonight, what happens.
The wire has some slack. so that the carburettor bridge bottoms out.
So there is no tension in the wire pulling the bridge up.
My brain has come to the conclusion, that this might have been the case.
Overfilling the carb with fuel when throttle wire was a tad to tight.
Which means pulling the bridge slightly up allowing fuel to have a little free passage.
But hey, I dunno. I am by no means an expert
Or something in the tank got loose and is now blown out.

Stay tuned for some pics.
It really is one helluva photogenique little bike I have to say.
Born in 1976 (me that is) it really brings back memories from what I saw on the streets when dreaming big as kid.
Damn it, now I have to watch The Goonies again.

Cheers!