Hard to Start...

[natedees]

Hi All,

I have a 1982 GS550L. Last year's project was completely taking apart, cleaning and rebuilding my carbs, setting the screws, synchronizing, etc... thanks very much to the forum's help. The bike runs strong and correctly, idles great, no problems.

However, if I let it sit for let's say a week, it becomes very hard to start - I feel like the choke isn't choking enough, like it's not quite getting enough gas. New spark plugs, new battery, starter is fine, because it always starts, it just seems like it takes a while to fire up. Sometimes I'll try it for 5 minutes, then give up, come back 10 minutes later, and it fires right up.

Any suggestions for how to allow it a little more gas perhaps, or other ideas?

Thanks.

[nabrams]

What you describe is not uncommon for these bikes. Typically, the gas in the float bowls has evaporated and the bowls need to be re-filled.
Apply full choke. Put petcock lever on "prime", crank for 3 seconds (no throttle). Repeat this several times (this will fill the bowls) and the bike should at least start sputtering a bit. If not, then you may have insufficient valve clearance which causes low compression which causes difficult starting.
After starting move lever back to "ON" or "RES".

[chef1366]

Try pulling the choke all the way out and without touching the throttle starting it. If you have a center stand and if your going to let it sit for awhile us it.
Also check choke cable. If you dipped your carbs your brass choke jet should be clear.

[MelodicMetalGod]

Try pulling the choke all the way out and without touching the throttle starting it. If you have a center stand and if your going to let it sit for awhile us it.
Also check choke cable. If you dipped your carbs your brass choke jet should be clear.

I just started up my notoriously hard to start 1985 GS550ES this morning for the first time in over a month. It took a bit of coaxing, but it fired up and held idle in neutral. Temperature was just about freezing (32 degrees F), choke as wide open as I could get it without breaking something, throttle for only the first 5 second crank, then NO THROTTLE for the next cranking sessions of 5-10 seconds each. After about 5 sessions it began to suputter, after 10 it would catch but not hold idle, around the 15th session it fired up and held idle until I shut it down. Obviously, my carbs still had a bit of fuel in the bowls. May have been because I may have flooded it the last time (a few days ago) I went to start it.

[chef1366]

Put your petcock on prime for a minute or two first.

[natedees]

I had not thought of putting the petcock on prime first. I also don't use the center stand, and the bike is leaning a bit as there is a 5 or 10 degree slope in the parking spot. Choke cable should be fine. Thanks for these great suggestions.

[bradleymaynar]

I have the same problem when I let my 1100 sit for a while. When I know it's going to remain in the garage I make sure to hook up the battery tender. Then, depending on how long, I'll shoot some starter fluid (it's not an ether base fluid) into the air box. Typically, with the choke on, it takes less than 5 minutes to get it idlinig. I also have a throttle lock so that I can make sure the throttle stays open a bit.

I usually ride to work, regardless of weather/temperature, but when I know that the bike is not going to be ridden, I follow the above and make sure to get it running the day before. That way I know, for sure, that it's going to start for me the following morning.

Brad bt

[MelodicMetalGod]

Any update on the bike?

[Steve]

The more I read threads like this, the more I appreciate a well-setup carburetor. 8-[

On both of my GSs, my son's 650 and my wife's 850, I use almost full choke, NO THROTTLE, thumb the starter button. Adjust the idle speed with the choke setting to be about 2,000 rpm. Put on helmet and gloves, get on and RIDE. After shifting into about third gear (50 yards or so from the driveway), turn the choke off and forget about it until tomorrow.

With either bike, if you decide not to ride off right away, the choke can be turned off within a minute and it will sit there idling smoothly for as long as you want. \\/

Just for information, I can't give you jet numbers and screw settings right offhand, but the 850 is all stock (airbox and exhaust), the 650 has pods and what I believe to be a MAC header (with glass-packed baffle).


.

[rmarrs]

Yeah, my 82 650GL is hard to get started if it sits for a week or so. I was joking with a friend of mine that I needed to wire up a can of starter fluid like nitrous on a button next to the starter. As long as I ride it once a week, it's in good shape. The guy who owned it before me threw the wrong choke cable on, so that's a manual process every start. 2 minutes of holding the choke out and it's good to go. I'm in the process of bringing her up to date. Just picked up the new airbox & filter, redline syn oil and a new gasket set (for when she springs leaks). I'm hoping to put some new paint on her later this year. I still need to clean up some of the chrome, and reupholster the seat, then she'll look good as new. Aside from the rough start, she's pretty reliable. Two weeks after I bought her, she survived a 5 hour trip and back for a weekend. Unfortunately some other bikes in the family didn't survive that weekend.