1980 gs550l

[Anonymous]

Hello, I just wanted to start out by thanking you in advance.

I got my bike from my neighbor in Mar '04. I have cleaned the carbs several times and cannot seem to figure out whats wrong. She has a hard time around 7k rpm in any gear. She misses and sputters. Direct result of this, top speed of 60 mph. HELP PLEASE! This is my first bike, but have learned a lot. Also I have a spot for a choke knob on my handlebars, however I have no knob or cable. THe carbs are equipped for it tho. I have to pull out the shaft on the #1 carb. Thanks again!

[gspaul]

Is every thing standard on the bike?
Have you checked for air leak's between the carby's and head, use a fine water mist with the motor running, if you have a leak it will misfire.
Have you checked you valve clearence?
I don't think you have point's ignition, but if you do have a look there.
New spark plug cap's wouldnt hurt.
How's the air filter.

[Anonymous]

Thanx!

I was told to try WD-40 on the carb connections..probably the same. Didn't change idle at all. Also, she idles higher and higher the hotter she gets. It's been 95-100 degrees (Northern Utah) and she's idling about 4 grand at 5 pm.

[gspaul]

Sounds like a leak try water.

[Anonymous]

I tried your suggestion w/ water. I don't know if maybe I'm doing it in the wrong place. I'm misting water all around the front and rear of the carbs on the rubber boots, and the whole area in general. I tried at low rpm and at high rpm. I also tried when it was hot. I didn't notice a difference at all, the same result as the wd-40. Am I doing it right? THANX!

[gspaul]

If you had a vacumn leak it would have shown up.
As I said before, any mod's to the bike, like the exaust!
Have the carb's been balanced?

[Anonymous]

As far as I can tell the bike is stock. The carbs have not been balanced. I'm assuming thats my next move. As far as the valves, I haven't opened up the top yet.

[gspaul]

OK do the valve clearance before the carb balance.

[Anonymous]

OK I suppose that my Clymer should explain the process for that. I've never opened an engine before, frankly I'm kinda frightened! I really do appreciate the guidance tho!

[gspaul]

The clymer is OK for doing the valves, it's not as hard as you might think, and often you can go 10000klm before they need to be looked at again.
You can often get away with reuse of the valve cover gasket( I have done it a couple of times when I had to)But as this is your first time get a gasket,it need not be made by Suzuki, and also the 4 half moon rubber cam end plug's.
Any problem's just ask!

[Anonymous]

I have read thru the Clymer. Are you referring to the process of getting the valve compressor and removing the valves? Checking the valve guides? I'm not sure, I don't see anything that refers to the Valve Clearance Test. Thanx!

[gspaul]

Look in the engine tune up section( valve clearance adjustment) it's all there.
Ask if there is something you don't understand.

[Anonymous]

OK, thanx! I found that in the Clymer. I don't know how I missed it...
So how important is this tappet depressor? Is there something I can use as a substitute? I don't quite understand the purpose of that, but the rest of it seems pretty straight forward. Will I most likely have to purchase new shims? She has 23070 miles on her. I do burn a bit of oil. Smoke is light by you can smell it. I also have no real knowledge of her life before Mar 04. Thanx!

[Anonymous]

I was just reading back over this again and saw a question I didn't answer. I removed all three baffles in either exhaust. But she was worse before I did that. Also I feel much safer riding now. I notice that everyone notices me. No close calls this whole year! I hope that was not a bad decision...Also the air filter appears to be a sponge mophead. I assume that thats not OEM

[gspaul]

What the tappet depressor does is push the tappet down so that you enough room to pull the shim at the top out.
I never bought the tool, I use a plastic coated centre punch, with the point of the punch resting on the outer edge of the tappet,and useing the cam as the fulcrum I lever it down.
I guess you will need some shim's,some of them you can use on other valve's, check and record all gap's first.
By removing the baffles,you changed the back pressure, thus changeing the air/fuel ratio! But we can get back to that later.
The standard air filter is foam and can be cleaned and reused.
Read the relevant part in the manual for the valve's again & again & again.
Do not want you to make any mistakes!
Hope this help's you.