How long does your bike take to warm up? (older GS owners)

[houldsworth1]

Early this year I took delivery of a 1982 GS650L which I plan to fix up. It is in need of some serious TLC, but it does at least run.

So far I have only run it for about 5-10 minutes and it would not run without the choke (it was about 40f on that day). Every time I turned the choke off it immediately died.

My thought was that it needed the carbs to be taken apart and cleaned - something I just don't have the time to do right now.

However, a friend of mine with a GS650 said that his bike takes about 15 minutes before it will run reliably without choke - so maybe I am just not waiting long enough...and I thought I would ask the people on here.

Thanks.

Barry

[earlfor]

Nope. once it starts with choke, if the carbs are clean and all is well, you should be able to shut the choke off and keep it running in about 5 seconds at most. My 1150 needs one sec of choke, thats it.

Earl

[ruddy]

Your first instinct is correct: clean the carbs. If you pull them together and don't separate them, you'll be able to put them back on and run without having to sync anything. I'm not saying that they don't need synching, but you will be able to clean and replace them as a unit without messing them up.

You have to remove the float bowls, clean the jets (all three of them) and all passages, make sure the floats aren't sticking and are set at the correct height. You may have to replace the float bowl gaskets. Be sure to use good hollow ground (parallel tip) screwdrivers to remove those jets! They are soft brass, and an ill-fitting screwdriver will damage the slots.

While you're at it, you can remove the tops and make sure the slides move freely and that the diaphragms are OK.

You can find step-by-step instructions on this site for more information.

[Boondocks]

Mine runs fine without the choke, but I usually leave it on a bit to raise the idle speed if I have to stop right away (to open the gate on my driveway). If not to raise the idle speed with a cold engine, I can turn off the choke shortly after starting with good response.

[KGB]

Since it's usually cool where I live, choke to start it.
Once it's running, I ease the choke off.
Usually less than 1 minute. Enough time to helmet and gloves.

The less the better.

[Road_Clam]

My bike will start and idle good after about 3 min, but my 15+ vote simply stems from colder spring temps, and i'm thinking I am needing a richer pilot jet. My bike will have a slight hesitation for about 10 min then goes away when the engine is fully hot.

[tconroy]

if its warm out(60 or above)I only need half choke to start and quickly turn it off or it will load up.Its ready to go quicker than I am!

[tracy borchert]

if its warm out(60 or above)I only need half choke to start and quickly turn it off or it will load up.Its ready to go quicker than I am!

Ditto tconroy.

[houldsworth1]

Thanks.

Seems like my first instinct was correct.

I have bookmarked the carb cleaning instructions on this site (which has to be the most comprehensive step by step instructions I have ever seen!) and will get around to it eventually. Right now that looks like it won't happen until next season :-(

It seems a shame as I feel the longer I don't do anything with it the more I am going to have to clean/fix once. If I could just get it on the road...

As an interim solution is there anything I put in the gas or directly into the air intakes to flush the carbs to get it working to a reasonable degree (red-X or similar?) I have memories of my Dad doing this with on old van many, many years ago and watching the huge clouds of smoke this thing blew out.

Thanks.

Barry

[rckrzy1]

I use enough choke (about 1/4) to keep idle at 2-3K for a while to give the battery a good charge and return it to no choke as soon as I pull away , about 1-2 mins later. But I,m in Texas.

[semerm]

choke

I see it is related to the temperature outside. Before I have the stock airbox back on it would take 10 minutes, now less than 1 minute. Those pods made the stock jetting all messed up.

[earlfor]

You can try adding some fuel injector cleaner to the gas. That will not harm the "O" rings in the carbs and if the gumming in the carbs isnt too severe, will probably help.

Earl

Thanks.

Seems like my first instinct was correct.

I have bookmarked the carb cleaning instructions on this site (which has to be the most comprehensive step by step instructions I have ever seen!) and will get around to it eventually. Right now that looks like it won't happen until next season :-(

It seems a shame as I feel the longer I don't do anything with it the more I am going to have to clean/fix once. If I could just get it on the road...

As an interim solution is there anything I put in the gas or directly into the air intakes to flush the carbs to get it working to a reasonable degree (red-X or similar?) I have memories of my Dad doing this with on old van many, many years ago and watching the huge clouds of smoke this thing blew out.

Thanks.

Barry

[Planecrazy]

I'm in the five to ten minute group, which I thought was normal ... now I guess I'm going to have to pull my carbs and clean them thoroughly ... and see if I can join the five to ten second club!!

I'm also going to try the fuel injector cleaner step as a short term solution.

Regards,

[Road_Clam]

Racers will comment that "in theory" you require one jet size change for every 10F ambient air temp change. There are however MANY variables to jetting changes. IMO, here in New England, where morning temps will be 40F, and same day afternoon temps can top 70F, that a HUGE temp variation to try to jet. Jetting has to be a compramise. you can't get your bike to run optimum at 40F, and 70F. The fact I currently have a off idle "stumble" for about 15 min is my compramise, i'm sure it will diminish come the warmer months.

[Sandy]

On my '79 GS1000 on a cool morning, say about 50F I use about 1/2 choke for about 15 - 30 seconds then reduce it so it's on just a bit to keep the idle up at around 1200 rpm. Once I push it out of the shed and suit up it's ready to ride. Once I get rolling I just turn the choke off. Before I pulled the tank off this fall I actually tried to start it one morning when it was about 25F and the bike had been sitting for about a month, lever on prime, full choke, pushed the starter for about 4 seconds and it fired right up. Woo Hoo!