Please Help, Bike won't stay running

[ReedZ]

Hi All,
I'm getting to the point with my bike where I feel like i could take my sledge hammer to it.

I've got a 79 GS425
I just got it out for the season about a week or two ago and i've been having trouble starting it. I choke it, start it, it would idle up and then drop down and then i'd turn off choke and throttle till it warms up. Which was fine for the first two times i road it.

Well the past 3 days i've tried to start it, it floods then i get it going but as soon as i take my hand of the throttle it dies. If i keep on the throttle, it will start back firing etc. but as soon as i let go of throttle it dies again.
I pulled the plugs, left side looks normal, right side soaked with gas. I'm not a carb expert, but i pulled the bowl off on the right carb, cleaned them out, blew out the needle and seat put back together, same problem. I've finally given up for the day because the battery is now dead from trying to start.
I'm not sure what to do next and i'm really getting frustrated with this thing. Since i've had it, i've spent more time fixing it than riding it.

Any idea's on what i should try or do next?

[jimfj]

Are you getting spark on the side with the gas soaked plug? Do a spark check with the plug grounded to the block.

I had a 425 that I went through completely. It took awhile but that motor is a nice one. When I started mine I set the choke and fired it off. Let it run on choke till it idled down and then some. Never did I throttle it to warm it up faster, the minute I tried, it would be a PITA.

Try setting the idle higher so it will run at about 1300 to 1500 when you take it off choke and let it warm up that way.

Where do you an the bike live, maybe I could help, I'm in KC.

[Nessism]

Any idea's on what i should try or do next?

Pull the carbs off, take them apart and soak the bodies and jets in carb dip, replace all the rubber o-rings including those on the intake pipes, put back together followed by syncing.

The carbs are very sensitive and must be tended to properly or you will continue to have problems.

[ReedZ]

Thanks for the replies.
I agree with you on the throttle. I never had to touch the throttle last year when i used the bike. i just choked it and it would start, then took choke off and it would idle properly. It's not doing it though this year.
Nessism,
I think the carb stuff is maybe a bit beyond what i'm comfortable doing myself.

Is there anything else i should try prior to pulling carbs? certain adjustments, etc.??

I'm going to see if i can get a guy to come look at it today. In the end if the carbs need to come off and be cleaned, etc. as you've mentioned, i think i'll have someone that knows what they're doing do it. lol

[PAULYBOY]

ReedZ, sadly, as with most of us here that aren't in CoCal and can ride 12 months a year, you WILL end up doing your carbs. Just do it. Also, do the coil relay modification. Really. DO IT! NOW!!!

[Roostabunny]

I think the carb stuff is maybe a bit beyond what i'm comfortable doing myself.

Hey ReedZ,

I didn't even know what carbs did before I got my GS, and I tackled the rebuild successfully with help from these guys. In fairness, I have a friend who's a pro motorcycle wrench for Phoenix PD right down the street in case I screwed up, but I didn't screw up. Didn't even call him until I had the carbs back on and the bike running so I could go use his sync guage.

With the GSR Carb series and my shop manual side-by-side on the bench got the whole job done in a weekend (counting 4-12 hours of soak time per carb). I really took my time and replaced all the parts suggested in the Carb series (as well as new float bowl gaskets).

Anyway, my point is that it's not as complicated as it sounds and it'll totally de-mystify your carbs from now on.