'85 Suzuki GS 550, needs carb work

[slloth]

I am looking at this bike. The guy says it runs strong but needs carb work to keep running. Says it only runs for 40 seconds or so. Is this something that can be fixed by a semi mechanically inclined person or would you have to really know what you where doing? If I do get this it will be my first motorcycle.

[slloth]

nothin?...

[chef1366]

We have a whole write up on how to tear down and clean the CV carbs like the GS550.
Click here

Not a scary or hard job. Just have good tight fitting screwdrivers and a little mechanical know how.
Plus we'll help you if you hit any snags.

[slloth]

We have a whole write up on how to tear down and clean the CV carbs like the GS550.
Click here

Not a scary or hard job. Just have good tight fitting screwdrivers and a little mechanical know how.
Plus we'll help you if you hit any snags.

Sweet! Thanks! :-D

[p_s]

BTW everyone selling a bike that needs work says it just needs a little carb work. Okay, it probably just needs carbs and intake rubbers and a valve adjustment, and maybe new coils ... nothing you can't do, but still.

[Suzuki mad]

If you have mechanical skills, time and money anything is possible.

Just be patient and work slowly and methodically through each of the problems.

Suzuki mad.

[pjm204]

bring someone that knows what they are doing when you look at it. Just because it runs doesn't mean it won't require a ton of work, ask me how I know. I recently bought a gs400 and did the oil, valves, filter, brakes, paint, some electrical stuff, and I find out the engine has a nice knock. I unfortunately didn't get to hear it run.

[robertbarr]

Make sure you can find carb kits first. That bike uses the siamesed 2-barrel carbs, which aren't all that common.

[renobruce]

Make sure you can find carb kits first. That bike uses the siamesed 2-barrel carbs, which aren't all that common.

I just tore apart a set of those carbs last night. Piece of cake. Just orings on the needle valve assembly and on the pilot fuel screws (same as other CV carbs). Probably some orings on the fuel tubes too, but we didn't remove the carbs from the rack. Buy the CV kit from www.cycleorings.com If you take them apart for cleaning, make sure you put the main jets in where they belong... the middle two jets are 97.5 and the outer ones are 90. Set your pilot fuel screws at 2 turns out. Float heights at 20.5mm +/- 1 mm. These carbs also have a boot that you can remove between the carbs and airbox (kind of nice!). Make sure you get them back together right and sealed up properly. Let us know if you need any help!:-)

[Calvin Blackmore]

What Robert says is painfully true your only source will be OEM as I have never found an aftermarket supplier

go gently on the bowl gaskets as they are very mush reusable.

you can shoot aersol carb cleaner inot the various jets and orifices providing you remove the diapragms which may be affected and are not available anywhere
last time i sw them available they were insanely expensive areound 130 a piece

I just disassembled mine last night and did a basic can cleaning (dipping is inly needed if the things are severley gummed up i.e circuits blocked solid )

I did this cos I had the carbs off to put on my natty new intake boot o-rings.

bike now starts with less than a second of starter with full choke no throttle and runs pretty nor more climbing and falling of idel speed.

a veritable miracle reulted from this replacement so suffice it to say while you have the carb off hit up Robert Barr for an o-ring kit with nice stainless allen fasteners.

So many folks come here with idle and fuel issues and do not want to bite the bullet and replace the rings and fully clean the carbs. from that point do the valve clearance and you will likely see a massive improvement.

The removal of these wildcards is easy and lays the groundwork for moving on to the ugly realm of electrics and ignition if need be.

oh an yah can get the eom factory manual from repairmanualclub.com it is beyond fabulous.