Newbie GS700ES, carb issue?

[grooveboy]

Hello all,

First off, I just wanted to say how awesome this forum is, I've gotten tons of great info from here. Thanks!

Now, to my bike problems:

I just picked up an 85 gs700es with 19k on the clock. Bike had a fouled plug when I first went to look at it, the PO replaced the plug and she ran great for about a week. Until I apparently ran out of gas. First time this had happened to me, and I pulled a total newb move by having no idea what was going on (apparently the red mark on the oh-so-convenient gas gauge does not mean you have plenty of gas left, it means get thine petcock to reserve!), and yelled obscenities at the spitting and sputtering bike and its previous owner all the way to a conveniently located gas station. D'oh!

Now, the bike idled a bit rough and was quite cold blooded when I first got it, but this has taken on a whole new dimension. The whole way home from the gas station, idle was at about 500-600 and I kept stalling out at lights. Finally made it home, and the next day was no start. I figured I may have drained the battery with those continued restarts at lights, so I charged the battery, and re-replaced the plugs as the PO had *said* that all the plugs were new, but that wasn't the case.

After a good charge, she's running again, but exhibiting a few new issues. After a hard start, it looks like the #1 cylinder wasn't firing (sounded like the missing, and the pipe was pretty warm, but not nearly as warm as the other three). I pulled the plug, and I have good blue spark, but the plug is already sooty looking after just about 30 minutes of tinkering around. Now I know that carbon fouling usually says rich, but I'm also now having another idle problem. When I kill the throttle, the engine stays at about 2000-2500 rpm for a while and then falls very slowly. If I put any load on the engine by letting out the clutch, the idle drops, and the throttle works normally. If I adjust the idle speed with the adjustment screw, the engine will sputter and want to die, but if I get the idle to sit at 1000-1100 or so, sometimes the idle will slowly start to climb.

I've searched the forums, and this looks like it could be an intake leak, but, as I said, it looks like at least cylinder #1 is running rich, and this wasn't happening before the gas incident. Could it be a combo of a couple things? I'm kind of at a loss. Any suggestions you all can offer would be greatly appreciated.

[Nicholaschase29]

I would sync your carbs and adjusting your idle mix screws. It would'nt hurt to clean the carbs aswell. If you don't have a manual I can send you a .PDF one too.

Here is how to clean your carbs if you know know

http://thegsresources.com/gs_carbrebuild.htm

after you do that sync your carbs and set your idle screws to where it idles the highest.
If you dont have a monometer to sync your carbs, just check your butterfly plates to make sure they are all open the same amount. If you put a small drill bit under each one after turning your idle adjust way up. then put the drill bit under the lowest plate and turn the idle adjust down until it just hits the plate. then put the drill bit under each other one and adjust the sync screws.

It's not a bad idea to put new o-rings in too. They are like a buck and a half each.

Good Luck,
Nick

[grooveboy]

Thanks for the manuals, Nick! I've give the carb cleaning a shot later this week. I'm thinking that my throttle cable might be just hanging a little because of all the cold and wet we've been having here lately, too.

[SqDancerLynn1]

If you ran it out of gas ? very good posibility you got some crap in the carbs & they will need to be cleaned. You could try shutting the fuel off
Drain & refill them 3-4 times

[Nicholaschase29]

Good Luck, and if you need help just ask! You can serperate your throttle cable at the adjustment just below the handelbar, it would'nt hurt to spray some lube down there I suppose.

Have fun!
Nick

[MadMAx13]

Manual Request

I have a carb issue where there is no flat spot but the drain tubes spu gas out. Is is o-rings or do I need a rebuild. Also could I get a copy of that manual I woudl really appreciate it.

I would sync your carbs and adjusting your idle mix screws. It would'nt hurt to clean the carbs aswell. If you don't have a manual I can send you a .PDF one too.

Here is how to clean your carbs if you know know

http://thegsresources.com/gs_carbrebuild.htm

after you do that sync your carbs and set your idle screws to where it idles the highest.
If you dont have a monometer to sync your carbs, just check your butterfly plates to make sure they are all open the same amount. If you put a small drill bit under each one after turning your idle adjust way up. then put the drill bit under the lowest plate and turn the idle adjust down until it just hits the plate. then put the drill bit under each other one and adjust the sync screws.

It's not a bad idea to put new o-rings in too. They are like a buck and a half each.

Good Luck,
Nick

[Nicholaschase29]

Sure, Could you send me your email address so I can send it to you.

Once you clean your carbs let us know how it is running grooveboy.
Hopefully your bike will be grooving too! :-)

Nick

[Peter]

I have a carb issue where there is no flat spot but the drain tubes spu gas out. Is is o-rings or do I need a rebuild. Also could I get a copy of that manual I woudl really appreciate it.

My bike had the same symptoms and gas would sometimes pour out of the airbox as well. O-rings for the float valves cured it!

The carbs are a pain to get out and reinstall so even if they're working properly (sounds like they are) I'd recommend at least cleaning out the jets while you're in there. I just used solvent and compressed air.

[ScottMc1100L]

...You can serperate your throttle cable at the adjustment just below the handelbar, it would'nt hurt to spray some lube down there I suppose.

From someone who just replaced his choke cable, likely due to never being lubed...I'll agree, wouldn't hurt Lube every one of them while you're in there. Cheap insurance.

[Nicholaschase29]

I just replaced mine too :-D .

[grooveboy]

So here's the update:

I lubed the throttle cable and the sticky idle problem stayed, so carbs were next. After I drained the bowls, it was pretty obvious that there was some gunk in the carbs. I gently wrestled them out of the bike thanks to a bunch of tips I found on the forum, and the slides are a little sticky, so that's probably my problem. Now for the cleaning.....

[Nicholaschase29]

Keep going, and dont get lazy and do a half-job or you will end up taking them out again in the future. It probably would not be a bad idea to put some marvel mystery oil through a few gas tanks too. Keep us posted.
Nick

[grooveboy]

It was all going so well. Until the pre-stripped and stuck mixture screw.... Extractors don't work, this thing is gonna have to be drilled out...blah.. Any idea where I can find another one of these little guys?

[Nicholaschase29]

You can buy a whole new (used) carb set off ebay for pretty cheap, arround $40-50 bucks shipped.

Can't help you with the screw though

[tconroy]

Hello all,

First off, I just wanted to say how awesome this forum is, I've gotten tons of great info from here. Thanks!

Now, to my bike problems:

I just picked up an 85 gs700es with 19k on the clock. Bike had a fouled plug when I first went to look at it, the PO replaced the plug and she ran great for about a week. Until I apparently ran out of gas. First time this had happened to me, and I pulled a total newb move by having no idea what was going on (apparently the red mark on the oh-so-convenient gas gauge does not mean you have plenty of gas left, it means get thine petcock to reserve!), and yelled obscenities at the spitting and sputtering bike and its previous owner all the way to a conveniently located gas station. D'oh!

Now, the bike idled a bit rough and was quite cold blooded when I first got it, but this has taken on a whole new dimension. The whole way home from the gas station, idle was at about 500-600 and I kept stalling out at lights. Finally made it home, and the next day was no start. I figured I may have drained the battery with those continued restarts at lights, so I charged the battery, and re-replaced the plugs as the PO had *said* that all the plugs were new, but that wasn't the case.

After a good charge, she's running again, but exhibiting a few new issues. After a hard start, it looks like the #1 cylinder wasn't firing (sounded like the missing, and the pipe was pretty warm, but not nearly as warm as the other three). I pulled the plug, and I have good blue spark, but the plug is already sooty looking after just about 30 minutes of tinkering around. Now I know that carbon fouling usually says rich, but I'm also now having another idle problem. When I kill the throttle, the engine stays at about 2000-2500 rpm for a while and then falls very slowly. If I put any load on the engine by letting out the clutch, the idle drops, and the throttle works normally. If I adjust the idle speed with the adjustment screw, the engine will sputter and want to die, but if I get the idle to sit at 1000-1100 or so, sometimes the idle will slowly start to climb.

I've searched the forums, and this looks like it could be an intake leak, but, as I said, it looks like at least cylinder #1 is running rich, and this wasn't happening before the gas incident. Could it be a combo of a couple things? I'm kind of at a loss. Any suggestions you all can offer would be greatly appreciated.

Go to the parts store and get some seafoam spray and spray it in your fuel line to fill up the bowls.Then put some seafoam liquid in the gas tank and start it up.After it warms up run the $#$ out of it for a while and then readjust the idle.That should help a lot.It could save you from cleaning the carbs for a while.