Strange problem

[glau13]

i have a '83 GS550L which starts up and idles fine. but when i start to turn the throttle, the engine just cuts out. if i turn the throttle fast enough where it's near full throttle, the engine still runs. but anywhere in between, it just cuts out. the choke and engine cables seem fine. the bike ran fine, but suddenly it started doing this. nothing was done to the bike. it just started doing this.

[Nessism]

There's a reason why the Technical Info forum is loaded with carb related question; they are the number one cause of problems on these old GS bikes!

It sounds like you have some gunked up pilot jets. Rust in the tank sometimes causes problems like this as well. If your carbs haven't been rebuilt before it's a good time to do so. The rubber O-rings dry out and crack with age. I've been going through the carbs on my 550 and frankly I was surprised to find ALL the O-rings hard and brittle. Even it this is not your main problem, it's time and money well spent to assure everything is in proper order carb wise before you move to the electrical system to diagnose your problem.

[glau13]

i was thinking it had to do with that. well, it's almost time to put the bike away for the cold weather. i guess i can drop her off to get her ready for next year. thanks!

[rustybronco]

water in fuel?

[Steve]

I would take the time to fix it, even if you ARE getting ready to store it for the winter. Especially if it is water in the carbs. Whatever the problem is, it will not get any better while just sitting there, unused, over the winter. Best bet is to find and fix the problem, then put Sta-Bil or Sea Foam in the gas, run it around the block to make sure it's in all the carbs, THEN store it.

Oh, and before you park it for the last time, don't forget to change the oil and connect the battery maintainer. Used oil, with all its contaminants, will just sit there and etch all the bearing surfaces. Best to have fresh oil installed.

Yes, you can bring the battery inside, but if you have power available where you park the bike, it is so much easier to just connect and AUTOMATIC battery maintainer. That way you are ready to ride without turning any wrenches.

Please resist the urge to fire it up and 'warm it up' for a few minutes every week or month or whatever. You never really get it warm enough to get rid of all the condensation and will actually do more harm than good. As a rule, don't fire it up unless you are going to RIDE it for about a half hour or so.


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