Several issues! 1979 GS1000E model

[babcockdonald]

Okay, it has been awhile since I have needed to post anything here, but the bike is acting up again.

Problems are as follows:

- Rear brake caliper is sticking and causing the pad to drag on the rotor (I think the front right one is starting to do this to)

- Rough idle below 1500 rpm's and seems to be running very rich- could this possibly be do to improper settings on the adjustment screws on the carbs?

- Engine knocks only below 2000 rpm's - could this be do to the rough idle issue or is it something else?

What I would like to know is what to check on the brakes and what the adjustment screws on the carbs should be set to (how many turns out).

Info on the bike:

- 1979 GS1000E
- stock carbs w/air pods

Any help would be greatly appreciated

[nabrams]

Knocking at low RPM (usually accompanied by an erratic idle) can be due to low compression.
Check compression on each cylinder and verify they are within spec.
A very common cause of low compression is insufficient valve clearance.

[babcockdonald]

I am not really sure what you mean by checking the compression on the cylinders. How would this be done? And what are the specs?

[nabrams]

The following is in no way meant to insult you or discourage you - I'm just trying to give you a realistic idea of how to proceed.
It's obvious from your last post that you have very little mechanical experience and that you don't have a manual and the tools you'll need for compression check, valve adjustment, etc.
You need to get a Clymer or shop manual specific to your bike so that you can know what the specs are for your bike.
A Clymer manual usually has a section that discusses what compression is, how to check it, and what tools you need for various tasks.
Using the search feature of this forum, in conjunction with the manual, will enable you to perform the vast majority of the tasks you may need to do on your bike in the future.
You'll need to spend a couple of hundred dollars on tools if you intend to work on your bike in any significant capacity (I'm not talking about simple stuff like oil changes or cable ajustments here).
You'll need to invest a significant amount of time in the learning process.
If you don't have the time or inclination then you'll end up spending a fortune on labor fees at the bike shop - just the reality.
Good Luck!

[angrypeppers]

I've got the dragging rear brake too on my bike. Was thinking of changing out the pads, but could there be some other problem?

Thx!
Chris

[Big T]

For the brakes, a dragging caliper is the sign for a rebuild.

You'll have to pull the caliper, drain the brake fluid and replace the flat O ring at a minimum.

Any corrosion in the caliper or piston should be cleaned off with a Scotchbrite (do not use anything metallic here). If the piston is pitted, it should be replaced.

Flush out the caliper, the piston, etc with Brakecleen or equivalent.

This is a good opportunity to upgrade rubber brake lines to braided steel lines.

Reassemble the caliper , lubing the piston with brake fluid ( do not use any kind of oil on your brakes) to slide it back in the caliper. REinstall the caliper. Refill your brake fluid and bleed until full pedal pressure is restored.

The brake pads have nothing to do with dragging brakes. The corrosion comes from not changing the brake fluid often enough. Be sure to apply antisqueel compound to the back of the pads when you put them back in

[angrypeppers]

Time to start collecting parts! Thanks for the info...

Chris

[angrypeppers]

I fixed the rear brake problem this morning. My rear brake was dragging more than I thought it should, and it was squeaking wicked bad too. All I did was to pull the pads and pins and clean them up a bit. The pins were caked with brake dust and grime, but the pads were still w/in wear limits, so I just cleaned the backs of the pads and the metal spacer. Took all of 30 minutes. A quick ride confirmed the squeak was gone, and the brakes still work. The brakes still rub a little, but from what I've read, that's normal. Correct?

Chris