Idling and 'popping' problem, anyone?

[Escobarclan]

Thanks for the previous feedback. 1982 gs1000 kat is idling high and low, 'popping' through the exhaust only, and an occaisional full backfire. Sprayed for vac leaks and nothing, I checked the valve clearances, and made a few adjustments but nothing big at all. Carbs have been cleaned, centrifugal idling governor is clean, oiled and good. Plugs good and gapped. New wires. Boots in new condition.

Thought maybe the carbs weren't set right, but she ran good a year ago, and noone's messed w/the settings.

I'm going crazy here, I have bald spots now.

HELP?

P.S. Is there any way to 'zero' the carbs and set them yourself without specialty tools?

[Carter Turk]

Are these CV carbs or VM's?

I don't know a thing about the VM's , but I have CV's with pods on my 83 Kat.

Any ideas what size pilot, main jet, you've got? What about the air/fuel mixture screws (how many turns out?) Needle position? Float height may have been disturbed during cleaning.

Is there a jet kit and or pipe?

Sounds like a lean condition or maybe your tank is vapor locking. Could try cracking the gas cap to see if a vent line is clogged.

Just throwing out some ideas.

[GER144]

Sounds like you need to get the carbs 'syncronized'. You'll need a few specialty tools if you're going to do it yourself (mercury sticks, locknut-style screwdriver tool, adapters, remote fuel tank, and a manual if you've never done it), OR take it to a reputable shop.

[Escobarclan]

They're CV carbs, don't know anything about jet sizes and such. It runs the same with the gas tank with petcock or shop tank using an inline filter(tank being painted). I just got done adjusting the valves, didn't need much at all, still runs the same.

The carbs do have an (air screw?) adjustment, thay are all set at about 2 1/2 turns above zero.

i just noticed one of the float bowls is leaking around the gasket, will that affect it much?

[chef1366]

Run some Berrymans through the fuel system. Sounds like you have some gunk in the carb bowls.
If that doesn't work try the carb cleaning series from the homepage.

[catbed]

the leaking float bowls concerns me. your float needle could be sticking, pushing fuel up and running you bike rich. check your float needle and see if it goes up and down smoothly without sticking. after that, set your mixture screws about 1.5 to 2 turns out, might not make a difference but its worth a try.

[trippivot]

how OLD is the gas in your tank???

you may not have a problem at all.

water condensation at lower temps is very common and you probably have some water going through the system...

especially if it ran great last year.

drain the gas and start again. FIRST

[Escobarclan]

I appreciate this guys.

There's no old gas or water in the system, I'm using a shop gas tank that was purged and filled with new gas already, original tank is being painted but the bike ran the same with it when it was mounted.

I'm gonna take em off again and see if there's anything that blows out. I'm not sure if I said this before but I did check the valves, and they didn't need much adjusting.

As for the jet setting(the ones that the book says NOT to touch) I don't really want to mess with them for fear of having to get the carbs sync'ed.

Thanks.

[Canman]

Just another thing to check. If your battery is Low on voltage it will give you the same problems