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**Grif** · 05-04-2006, 10:46 AM

Floats aren't too hard to set, its just a matter of pulling the carbs, draining the bowls, and adjusting the little tab at the base of the float. Hardly worth taking the thing to the shop (the shops around here charge $50 to $70 an hour).

If you've got a good Clymers or Haynes, it should list the stock float settings. Double check the heights on the floats in the 2 carbs that are leaking, and adjust as necessary.

**babcockdonald** · 05-04-2006, 10:50 AM

I wouldn't have a problem doing this myself if a) I had a manual b) knew what I was doing...

I am not even sure what the floats are in the carb. I was told by a few people to just tear it open and eyeball it to see if anything was visibly stuck on it. I looked at all for ports on the carb and as far as I can tell everything appears to be the same.

**renobruce** · 05-04-2006, 10:52 AM

Sounds like your petcock is working properly. It should only free-flow on prime. But sounds like two of your carbs have bad or dirty needle valves. I'm not sure how mechanically inclined you are, but for what you would pay to have the carbs looked at, you could buy 4 rebuild kits and do the job yourself. They may just need a little cleaning, or the float levels on those two carbs may be set too high. Where are you located? You may find someone close by that might be willing to help you.

**babcockdonald** · 05-04-2006, 10:56 AM

all of the guys that I know that do maintenance on their own bikes have never touched the carbs due to the fact that they don't have the tools to resync them. they all take them to a local shop, but they haven't had to due anything with them recently so they can't remember what they got charged.](*,)

as for being mechanically inclined... 8-[

I learn things fairly quickly, but I am a visual learner. I have to see it being done first before I know what is going on. I don't have any one in the area that knows how to mess around with the carbs. That is why I posted the thread here.

**renobruce** · 05-04-2006, 11:04 AM

Go to the home page and click on the garage section. At the bottom is info on the VM carb rebuild. If you are a visual learner, this should help alot. I had never messed with motorcycle carbs before, but with the help on this site, I was able to rebuild the carbs on both my bikes.

**Grif** · 05-04-2006, 11:05 AM

Well, if you're visually inclined, and feeling experimental, check out the Carb Rebuild How-to posted on the main site. Its a VERY comprehensive guide. And, worst case, it won't cost you much more to have them put the carbs back together if you goof it up doing it yourself (at least thats what I told myself before I dove into mine a couple months ago).

As for the manual, you really only need a couple of numbers which you might be able to get by asking, or by checking the two good carbs.

And the floats are the two black pieces that hang in the bowl (bottom) of each carb.

**Mr. Jiggles** · 05-04-2006, 11:05 AM

If you only fart with your floats you won't need to re-sync your carbs. You might want to try hitting the carb rack while on the bike with a rubber mallet. Sometimes the floats will get bound for whatever reason. It's happened to me several times after installing the carbs, once right after a complete rebuild, and a couple of semi-gentle taps cured the leaking.

BTW, sync'ing isn't that hard to do if you have the tool (less than $50) and can really smooth out the engine.

**babcockdonald** · 05-04-2006, 11:37 AM

thanks for the suggestions. I have some free time this weekend and might be able to tear the carbs off again.

I tried the tapping on the rack and it works for a little while and then the problem comes back again.

i'll let everyone know how things go with this issue. Hopefully everything goes good, if not I'll be posting again.

**mkaczmarek** · 05-04-2006, 12:28 PM

I am currently finishing up cleaning my carbs and this is my first time as well. I have a 1979 GS1000E like you and working on the VM carbs is not bad at all. The worst part to be honest was getting them OUT. The VM Carb Rebuild guide and all the books don't specify the exact procedure and "tricky" way to get it OUT. But if you say you have them out already you are half way done.

I would suggest having a digital camera handy and take pictures from all angles as you take the carbs apart.

I have the Service Manuals, Owners Manuals and VM Carb Manuals available in PDF form, if you would like copies let me know and I'll email them to you (just send me your email address), best thing is to PM me so I will know, its sometimes hard to keep track of all the posts I replied to.

Also, pick up a carb synchronizer, its going to pay off for itself the first time you use it. I got a quote of almost $400CDN to clean and synch my carbs at the local dealer and they stated vehemently that if anything breaks during the cleaning process is not their responsibility as its an "OLD BIKE" so I just ordered the necessary parts from the dealer, the rubber O-Rings from a member on here and a Carb Synchronizer (CARBTOOL II) from England, sure it was more than double the price of other synchronizers available in the States, but I figured its a worthwhile investment and more precise than dial synchronizers and sturdier than a mercury filled synchronizer.

As the other posts mentioned, if you find yourself "stuck" you can always take the carbs to the local shop and have them finish the job for you.

==================================================
1979 GS1000E

"NEVER MESS WITH A GS"
"The less you know, the more you believe."
"We thought that we had the answers, it was the questions we had wrong."

**babcockdonald** · 05-04-2006, 09:28 PM

new problem with the carbs. i got them apart and think that i fixed them. i put them back on and now i can't remember how the fuel lines hook up. does this carb have 2 overflow lines for it???

i know what the main fuel line is and there is a smaller tube that comes out the front side of the carbs that hooks into the petcock (i think) and then there are 2 longer cables that hang down to the frame that come from inbetween 1+2 and 3+4.

Is this right?????????

**babcockdonald** · 05-04-2006, 10:51 PM

latest update.

i got the fuel hooked back up and took it for a test ride. it is running the best that it ever has been now that i know that the petcock should be in the on position. the person that i bought the bike from told me that the on was actually off and that the pri stood for primary meaning that is the setting to run the bike on. it would run, but very poorly. would stall out frequently and had bad acceleration. and i would have to run the bike at 1/4 choke or i couldn't ride it.

now with having the petcock set to on it doesn't bog down at all. acceleration is great, no backfiring at all. it is like a completly different bike.

the last question that i have is how little would a float have to be sticking to be causing a fuel leak when the petcock is set to prime? the bike is running great now, but when the petcock is set to prime it still leaks fuel into the air pods...

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