MY 650GL will not stay at an idle

[jwlawrence]

I bought an 1983 GS650 GL about a month ago, on the advice of an friend. The bike had possibly set for some time for some time with little, or no use. The bike has a excelant apperance \\/ but as with anything that has set with little or no use, the fuel system "gummed up". I cleaned the petcock, and carbs out (I did not fully disassimble the carbs, I took the "top" and the fuel bowl off 1 at a time). The bike now starts with a touch of the button, and idles at 1000rpm just as I would like. After a few seconds at an idle the bike gains to about 2500 to 3000 rpm on it's own. On the advice of my GS loveing friend I Lubed the cables (all of them), but now I am lost as he is out of town for the summer. He is doiing an internship at Black Hills HD and I have trouble contacting Him. what should I do to my 650? Thank You in advance!

[kalessin]

This is the classic symptom of leaking engine intake pipes (also often called "carb boots" or their o-rings, which is a common problem. The rubber engine intake pipes go between the carbs and the engine head, and the o-rings are right between the pipes and the head.

To diagnose this, (easier if you take the gas tank off and connect it up with a long piece of fuel line and set the petcock on "pri"), start the bike and carefully (work outside and with eye protection!) spray a little carb cleaner or engine "starting fluid" right around the rubber pipes between the carbs and the engine head. If the idle goes even higher, you have an air leak.

If this is the case, you need to remove the airbox, remove the carbs, and inspect the pipes and o-rings. Sometimes it's just the o-rings that need replacing (around $8 for four), sometimes you need to replace the pipes if they're hard and cracking (around $80-100 for four).

[nabrams]

If the bike has been sitting for a while (more than two months), you will HAVE TO go through the "bike-has-been-sitting" routine. It's been discussed many times on this forum (search for posts by me on this procedure). There are many items in the check-list, and it will take you quite a few hours to get through them if you've never worked on bikes before.
If you don't go through the list ("air leak checks" is one of the primary items) you're sure to be in the dark and frustrated for weeks, playing guessing games.

[jwlawrence]

Thanks for the info

I thank both of you for the info. I am new to bikes but have worked on all kinds of other stuff. As I said, for a 1983, It looks very good. I'm sure it has been setting for a while. I'll look up and print out the suggestions and see if I can get it to quit it's "self reving" bull. I just thought, It didn't do this untill I cleaned out the carbs. I'll also check and make sure that I got them in good. Thank you for the help.[-o<

[tconroy]

I thank both of you for the info. I am new to bikes but have worked on all kinds of other stuff. As I said, for a 1983, It looks very good. I'm sure it has been setting for a while. I'll look up and print out the suggestions and see if I can get it to quit it's "self reving" bull. I just thought, It didn't do this untill I cleaned out the carbs. I'll also check and make sure that I got them in good. Thank you for the help.[-o<

Spray some wd-40 around the intake boots where they connect to the carbs and also the engine. I had the same problem with my 650L when I bought it.Get new o-ring and check your boots for cracks.The o-rings are cheap and well worth it.While your at it replace thos phillips head screw that hold your boots on with hex head 6mm screws from ace hardware or someplace and tighten to 6ft. lbs.It take some tinkering but its well worth it when your done. I also have an 83 650L and I love it.It take me 250 + miles a week and thats just to work and back.

[jwlawrence]

thank You all

this sounds like something that I could have brought on, or at least made worse when I cleaned the carbs. I have rode the bike 27 miles, mostly home when I bought It, so it could have had a problem and I didn't know it. thank you all, I'm going for the WD-40. Later

[tconroy]

this sounds like something that I could have brought on, or at least made worse when I cleaned the carbs. I have rode the bike 27 miles, mostly home when I bought It, so it could have had a problem and I didn't know it. thank you all, I'm going for the WD-40. Later

mine sat for 2 weeks and when I fired it up it would'nt idle at all. I cleaned the plugs and the air filter and re-oiled the air filter and it has run good ever since.These ol' bikes like to run alot more than they like to sit! I try not to let it sit for more than 2 days without firing it up.It also give me an excuess to go ridin!!! sorry for the misspelled words,I just switched from windows98 to xp pro and cant find the darn spellcheck thing!