First bike:: 1983 Suzuki GS550L and I need help.

[Wil Piotraschke]

Hello there. First of all, I must say I'm overjoyed I found this site. Finding info on the GS-series bikes is extremely hard and I'm really hoping some of you might be able to help me out with my issues.

I've worked at a hardware store for three years now (owned by my uncle) only to hear my uncle and co-worker constantly go back and forth about bikes. Mark, late 40's, owns a Honda Valkyrie and a Honda Goldwing while John, mid 40's, owns a Harley Road King. Another co-worker, Steve (early 20s) bought a 1983 Suzuki GS550L in boxes in an attempt to be "one of the guys". He put everything back together, rode it only here and there, and ran into money issues. I had been eyeing it up for quite some time and when he needed to sell it, I jumped on the opportunity (he sold it for me for only $200!). So now, Wil (17yrs old) has his first bike. A 1983 Suzuki GS550L. And I love it.

I bought the bike back in Nov. and since then have only been able to ride it once. Getting it to start at all is a complete chore and prevents me from even think of going anywhere with it until I can get it to start nicely. Everytime I need it to run, gotta pop the seat off, spray in the starting fluid, and press "start" only to hear it catch the fluid for maybe 5 seconds and die (full choke entire time). Repeat this several times (less starting fluid each time of course) and it will finally stay running. Now getting the choke off. I have only successfully done this once. I waited over 20minutes (keep in mind it's kind of cold here in Mich. right now) easing off the choke while giving it little bits of gas. The one time I got it to stay running with no choke was the one time I rode it to see that it indeed run. Since then, I have decided I need to take it in to get work done until I can do anything further.

Being a senior at high school, I have the advanced class of "Auto Tech". Since my teacher worked at a Harley Davidson dealer as a mechanic (he unfortunately got laid off over the weekend), he volunteered to help me out (when he's not showing off his own bike now that someone else has one too :roll: ). I brought it in before Christmas break and haven't had a chance to work on it until this first week back.

First things first, took the carbs off. During the removal process, the choke cable had to be removed. To my horror, once off, the wire emitted a cloud of "rust dust" which needs to be replaced. Whether it's fully broken, I do not know but I'm praying this is the solution to my starting problem. The carb came off soon after and the dismantling process has begun. Of course, this sparked the entire "Why can't the Japanese galzinize anything like Harley does" conversation from Mr. Clark (teacher). Unexpectedly, it appears the carb is pretty clean with no real obstructions. Regardless, Mr. Clark recommended I get a carb-rebuild kit which I found out do not exist for the 1983 model. What would you recommend I do with the carb now? I know I could let it sit in carb cleaner (I also heard mineral spirits) but I have distinct memories of a certain Honda Spree in which I did the same thing only to see no change in performance (it ended up in the front yard soon after I got fed up with it which was about a week later). However, I refuse to let that happen to this bike as I love everything about it.

While looking over the bike, Mr. Clark also asked what gas I had in the bike and I replied "Regular Unleaded". He, of course, instantly said that was insanely stupid of me and demanded I only put 93 octane in. Granted I know Harleys want premium (remember I sit around my work hearing nothing more Harley and Honda specs flying around), but a bike this old really shouldn't. However, I need it to run nice and since frankly, it doesn't, I went out and bought premium for it when the carbs are reattached. Is putting premium in a good move at this point or pretty much useless?

Other random things that need to be fixed: new front tire as the one now is too dry-rotted to be even remotely safe, front left fork gasket as there isn't even one there now, two new turning signal brackets for front (any have some for sale?), and possibly a new fuse/relay. For some reason, when the right turn signal is engaged, all the lights stay on completely and do not blink. I'm guessing this is a fuse or relay of some kind but once again, I'm coming to you for advice.

In the end, I've had bad luck when I get a motor vehicle that doesn't run right. I work on it profusely, buying the necessary parts, only to have it still not run/not run well and me selling it out of pure frustration. However, like I said, this is my new prized possession and will treat it like my baby (which I doubt it was by the owners before me). Thus, instead of attempting to fix it myself, I brought it to a professional to try and do the best job possible.

Any help would be more than appreciated. Am I doing things right? If not, what should I do instead? What things should I be doing? Etc.

One last thing. Steve (previous owner) has D8EA NGK plugs put in, so I went and bought the same to replace the older ones. However, my Clymer manual says to use D9EAs, not D8EAs like Steve had in. Did this/will this hurt anything by running the bike with D8EA's?

Again, thanks for any info you can possibly give!
- Wil

Pics of the bike:

[tconroy]

stick to whatever your manual says and make sure you have a good battery and a clean air filter and there is no leaks around the carb boots on either side Whats do the plugs look like? Are they oiled or gas foulded? .Check your choke rail and make sure it is working properly and not sticking on.My guess would be the plugs.Get a new set and see what that does first.Is your air box lid on?Check to make sure your getting fuel from the tank.Go to bike bandit .com and look at the diagrams on your bike and you will learn where thinks are located like your turn signal flasher you need.You can pick it up at any auto parts store.just dont give up and pretty soon you will have a nice running bike. I have an 83 650 L and I havent owned a bike in 20 years so Im kinda in the same place you are.Knowledge will overcome frustration and eventually you will win!!![img][/img]

[mark]

I'd start with simple stuff. Make sure you're getting enough gas into the carbs, check to see if you're petcock is working right. Put it on "Prime" to start. Check also to see if you're hoses are routed correctly, the petcock is vacuum operated and if the vacuum hose isn't on or plugged it won't flow fuel right. There are two lines to the petcock and both need to be hooked up right.

Previous post is right, you're airbox needs to be sealed correctly for the bike to run right and you're intake manifold O-rings need to be good or you'll have problems.

It wouldn't hurt to really clean the carbs. Can't tell by looking if something is blocked. Do it right, there's a section on carb cleaning on the homepage. You're floats need to be adjusted accurately as well and carbs synchronized.

Always check for good spark too, right?

Plug check is always good. Use recommended spark plugs.

A compression test is a good idea as well to let you know the basic condition of your engine.

Maybe someone else will chime in on where you can get gaskets and other maintenance items (like O-rings) for your carbs. Keep asking and you'll get the info. that you need.

Good luck.

[Kabonkie]

First off, you'll be very happy with this once you get it running, and I'm happy to see another person with a '83 550L.

As you can see mine is being worked on as well. (See another thread for where I'm at with mine.)

For the carb kits, I made the gaskets I needed from material. The O-rings I got at my local hardware store. And at 0.37 hard to beat the price.
As far as starting, mine needs full choke for a minute or so until it warms some and I cannot touch the throttle during that warm up period. After that I can rev the engine some and as it warms remove the choke. Since you said the "dust" in the choke area, I'd clean the carbs to be sure. Carefully check the vacumn piece that pulls the slides to make sure it is supple and not cracked or has holes.

I run the low grade fuel in mine without any problems, and think running the high grade is just a waste of money. (Maybe that's why it's recomended to run in the Hardly's). My specs say to run the NGK plugs D8EA. I doubt running a slightly different plug will cause any issue, but I'd go back to the D8EA's. I run them and have gotten up to 58 mpg with them in. And as far as how well it runs, well, you'd have to ask the Colorado group that followed it last spring.

I'd also check the grounding of the right turn signal. It's simple to ground it and will tell you right away if that is the problem or not.

So this is what I'd do. Pull the carbs and clean them. Checking all rubber pieces/ O-rings. I'd make gaskets and replace them. Clean the choke area and if the choke cable is broken, replace it. If it is not, lube it. When you reinstall them, make sure they are well seated and sealed. There are several ways to check to make sure the rubber seats that the carbs sit in are not cracked as well. Check the posts, you should find it. Something about spraying them with water or choke cleaner. The light you can diagnosis, start with the ground to make sure it's well grounded then work with a meter and the power wire going to it. I'd put in the D8EA plugs, and not worry about the high octane gas.

Just my $0.02 worth.

[duaneage]

https://www.cycleorings.com

12 bucks for all of them and they are the correct size adn type.

Bite your tongue when they razz you about the bike. For 200 bucks you got a smoking hot deal. A little work on the carbs, a new tire and a choke cable (I think yours is no good0 and you are set. Use them to help you get it running and then ride with the other Suzuki maniacs.

The 550 bikes can be a little different than the other GS series, some parts are not the same.
Not to spend too much of your money but buy a clymers manual and look through it. A voltmeter is a good tool for GS bikes in general.

From your well written opening story you are very clever if not patient, an old GS will teach you patience and reward you for many miles.

[Doctor Shifty]

Hi Will,

Welcome to the Suzuki mad house, where everyone is a bit crazy, but crazy about the right stuff. Your bike looks like it's in pretty clean condition. Enjoy it.

Plugs.
Normal for most bikes is 8 grade, but if your manual says 9 stick with it. Different range plugs won't hurt the bike, but they will effect performance. The 8 / 9 numbers refer to heat range and tell you how effective they are at conducting heat away from the spark area. Cold plugs are used for high tech racing engines as they conduct easily and the engine is generating heaps of it anyway, hot plugs for just noodling around town as they keep sufficient heat there for the fuel to combust properly when the engine overall is fairly cold. Normally, higher numbers are hotter plugs, but some brands operate the other way around. 8/9 are both pretty normal range. Some people go to a 9 in winter to help the motor warm up.

Plug Boots.
A common enough problem is the old plug boots. They break down over several years and need replacing. They're cheap enough and unless you know they've been replaced in the last few years it's worth getting new ones just to make sure they are not part of the problem. When they are on the way out they will stutter intermittently and a few weeks later they are gone. Unless you know they can be a problem you won't pick it. You can tell if they are on the way out by having the bike running and then pulling the boot a little way off the plug. If the motor picks up when the boot is about a half inch off connecting with the plug then the boot is gone.

All you have to do to replace them is unscrew them from the plug wire and screw the new one into place. Probably less than five bucks each.

Air Filter.
Another important bit of info is that the air filter and airfilter box on these motors is critical. If your filter has crumbled (which is likely if it hasn't already been replaced) then the motor will not run happily. If your box is not sealed properly the motor won't like that either. These things result from the jets in the carbies. The bike is jetted for that airbox with that filter. Make a change and the motor is not happy unless you jet the carbies to suit.

Exhaust Pipes.
Yours look to be in pretty good condition, but check them out anyway. If the baffles are rusted they will flow more air and this will have an impact on the jetting. It won't matter much at low speeds but as the speed rises the bike will run leaner and therefore hotter. The pipes are part of the jetting decisions of the designer. Air filters, jets, and pipes are a complete system. Change one and you need to balance up the others. Your mechanic, and perhaps your school, will have a laser temp probe. Just aim the light at each pipe immediately after a run to heat it all up. All pipes should be the same. One hotter means it's running leaner. Sometimes the inside pipes are hotter anyway as the air doesn't cool the cylinders so much.

Electrical.
Check every connector. Pull them apart carefully, clean them up with steel wool, push them together well, make sure they are fully inside the plastic cover. Especially check every earth connector. This is the most important single electrical duty of a GS owner. These bikes are famous for electrical problems relating to dirty connectors. Cleaning your connectors is like giving up smoking.

O-Rings.
The carb boots into the head have an o-ring groove cut in them. Take off the boot and replace the o-rings, but ONLY WITH O-RINGS THAT CAN LIVE IN GASOLINE. There are two types of o-rings - those that survive in gasoline and those that go soft and wobbly. Get the right stuff. Cheapies will not do it for long. If you start sucking air past a bad o-ring you will run lean, therefore hot, and run the risk of burning a hole in a piston.

Carbs.
O-rings need to be the sort mentioned above. There is a guy on this forum who sells kits of them.
There is also a carb rebuild section with lots of photos. Check it out.

I'm sure that if you spend enough time on this forum, ask lots of questions, and learn your bike, you will end up teaching that HD rider teacher feller a thing or two down the line. :-)

And advice from an old bloke.
Wear a helmet, wear a jacket with armour in elbows and shoulders, wear boots with decent ankle side-on protection. The lower to the ground the body-part the more likely the injury - the higher from the ground the body-part the more important for your survival. I know 17 year olds are bullet-proof and can survive thermo-nuclear exposure and have no need for kevlar, therefore you need to get riding gear that looks hot, or cool, one or the other - whichever makes the girls think you're OK. :-)

Advice 2.
Every one else on the road is out to get you. This is not a joke. Drivers will run you down and then say they didn't see you. On the bike you have to keep watch for yourself and for every other motorist within 100 yards, even for the ones still around that corner that you can't see yet.

Kim

[gsracer]

2 Things..

1. Take a MSF rider course, as an Instructor I highly recommend it.

2. Dynojet makes 2 kits, a stage I and a Stage III. I assume the Stage I would be the one to choose for yours with the stock pipes. They list for about $175, but recently I saw them on eBay for around $100.

Also, and I mention this as I had to replace the choke cable on my 83 ES 550. You have to get the stock replacement ($40), no aftermarket available new from Motion Pro,etc.

Hope this helps.

Good Luck and ride safe!

[Wil Piotraschke]

Hello again!

Thanks so much for all your help with this. Although I know this will be a work in progress, knowing I have somewhere to when I don't know what to do will really help a lot!

CARBS: I dismantled the carbs and bought a gallon of carb cleaner for them to soak in tomorrow. Hopefully, this is will solve any problems I may be having/will have with the carbs. However, after taking off both the top and bottom covers, I have yet to find a single o-ring... :?

CHOKE: I will probably go out this weekend to pick up the new choke cable (only $23 from Suzuki).

SPARK PLUGS: The plugs will be replaced by the correct specs (D9EA) although it is not a priority right now. The spark plug wires will be replaced however when I go get the new choke.

AIR FILTER: I feel like an idiot as I completely over looked this. The fact of the matter is that I've never even had the cover or filter on the bike since I've had it. I will put both on tomorrow now that I know they are completely necessary.

Once again, thank you for all your help! I'll keep you updated once all the new parts get put in.

[Stinkwheel]

Hello there,

All the advice given so far is good stuff but if i could add my thoughts....

I've got a 1981 GS550e, its pretty clean and tidy and has had a recent engine re-build just before i got it. Its now done 63,000 miles.

If i leave it standing for more than a couple of weeks it displays very similar behaviour to your bike and a quick squirt of easy start stuff in the airbox gets it going every time.

I know my bike runs lean (weak) because it has a Yoshimura exhaust system on and Its not been set up with bigger jets. Previosu owner wasnt sure he was keeping the exhaust on you see.

So basically what im saying is, sounds like yours is running even leaner to cause similar troubles.

Maybe just try rasing the needles up a clip position, will short term richen it up.

Also cold weather and sitting around wont help matters, its a bit cold here at the minute and my problem is worse.