Float Level On Gs550 Carbs

[Guest]

A question for those that are in the know on carburettors on this forum. With experience preferably. In all three workshop manuals that I have for my GS550B (1977) model, and that includes Suzuki Factory manual, Haynes and Clymer, they quote the float level at 26mm whereas all references on the forum refer to 24mm as being the measurement for the float level. Would someone more knowledgeable than me be able to give me the correct figure and explain why the differences are quoted. My bike has always run rich but with plenty of power and no evidence of lumpy running. I've discovered the float levels are set at 23mm. Would this be the reason for this? If set at 26mm would this be too lean?
Cheers. Don

[chuckycheese]

Stats?

I don't know the specs for your bike but I think there is WAY too much consideration given to the float levels. They're almost always set right to start with, almost never need adjusting and almost never cause problems. It just seems to be a 'fun thing' that people want to concern themselves with.

The chances are, if you have gas leaking out of the carbs...it's not the result of the float heights. It would be very unusual unless someone came in to your garage, took your carbs apart and adjusted your carb floats....without you knowing about it.

[Suzuki_Don]

Thanks Chucky

[Nessism]

Float height is 24mm +- 1.0mm. I believe Suzuki made a mistake on the height at one point in the factory manual but corrects for it later.

[Suzuki_Don]

Float height is 24mm +- 1.0mm. I believe Suzuki made a mistake on the height at one point in the factory manual but corrects for it later.

Thanks for that Nessism. I will go with the 24mm. Do you think 23mm would make it a bit rich. I notice that you have two 550s. Which one do you prefer to ride as far as the CV versus VM carbs go. I think the VMs are a bit harder to pull down than the CVs. Lots of bits on the throttle rod and choke rods that have to be replaced in the correct order. Will have to take lots of photos to get it back together right.
Thanks again. Cheers. Don.

[tkent02]

I don't know the specs for your bike but I think there is WAY too much consideration given to the float levels. They're almost always set right to start with, almost never need adjusting and almost never cause problems. It just seems to be a 'fun thing' that people want to concern themselves with.

The chances are, if you have gas leaking out of the carbs...it's not the result of the float heights. It would be very unusual unless someone came in to your garage, took your carbs apart and adjusted your carb floats....without you knowing about it.

Except that they are usually different. Not sure why but it seems whenever I get another bike there are always one or two floats that are way off from the others.

[Suzuki_Don]

It would be very unusual unless someone came in to your garage, took your carbs apart and adjusted your carb floats....without you knowing about it.

But I don't have a garage. I guess that would make it easier for him. Except I could see him out of the kitchen window.

[Suzuki_Don]

Except that they are usually different. Not sure why but it seems whenever I get another bike there are always one or two floats that are way off from the others.

At the present time I am still working on No. 1 carb and it is 23mm. I have not checked the others as yet. It will be interesting to see if and by how much they are different.

[chuckycheese]

Check 'em!

Except that they are usually different. Not sure why but it seems whenever I get another bike there are always one or two floats that are way off from the others.

I definitely agree with you that they should be checked! As long as the carbs are off and disassembled, you might as well check them (and I always do). My point is that so many mechanical parts do get 'out of whack' over time; I just can't understand how that could happen to float levels. By the way, I've rebuilt many carbs and have never adjusted one yet....but, checking them is part of the ritual!:-D

[Nessism]

Call me funny but I usually try to get the carbs as close to perfect as possible. There is always going to be measurement error so having the adjustment at nominal provides a little fudge factor.

Regarding the carbs at 23mm, that's on the rich end of the spec. The carbs in my 850 were consistently adjusted that way from the factory so I was happy to leave them that way.

Good luck.

[Suzuki_Don]

Call me funny but I usually try to get the carbs as close to perfect as possible. There is always going to be measurement error so having the adjustment at nominal provides a little fudge factor.

Regarding the carbs at 23mm, that's on the rich end of the spec. The carbs in my 850 were consistently adjusted that way from the factory so I was happy to leave them that way.

Good luck.

Yes. I'm funny too. Thanks Nessism.