Carb help!!!

[thezmann76]

I have an 82 GS1100E that has been sitting for a while. I rebuilt the carbs a few days ago but when I start her up I have to choke the hell out of it. I currently have a t-shirt cut up and wrapped around the air filter to give the bike enough vacuum to run. Is this a common problem? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!! Thanks, Matt

[Suzuki_Don]

Put the original air filter setup back on and I'm sure it will run OK. They were not meant to run on an oily tea shirt.

[Steve]

Using 'choke' is normal. "Choking the hell out of it" is a little ambiguous.

After proper adjustment of the newly cleaned carbs, you might only need half 'choke' and only for a minute or so. There should be no need for additional vacuum, as long as your airbox is sealed at all the appropriate places and your air filter is installed. The rubber boots from the airbox to the carbs also need to have a good seal, as well as the boots from the carbs to the cylinder head. The boots from the carbs to the head have o-rings at the cylinder head mating surface that need to be changed every 20 years or so. Have you replaced them? If not, they are available from Cycle O-rings at a reasonable price.

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[xDownSetx]

My 1100ED was doing the same thing, I pulled the carbs and did a good spray down with carb cleaner and used the air compressor to blow out all the passageways. Now its running great.

Keep in mind though I've replaced all my boots. Spray some WD40 or carb cleaner on each boot while it's running to check for air leaks. It will jump in revs if you hit a leak.

[rapidray]

Using 'choke' is normal. "Choking the hell out of it" is a little ambiguous.

After proper adjustment of the newly cleaned carbs, you might only need half 'choke' and only for a minute or so. There should be no need for additional vacuum, as long as your airbox is sealed at all the appropriate places and your air filter is installed. The rubber boots from the airbox to the carbs also need to have a good seal, as well as the boots from the carbs to the cylinder head. The boots from the carbs to the head have o-rings at the cylinder head mating surface that need to be changed every 20 years or so. Have you replaced them? If not, they are available from Cycle O-rings at a reasonable price.

.

Sorry but you're wrong! The 16 valve 1100 & 1150 intake manifolds don't have o rings. You most likely need to adjust the mixture screws. When I do carbs, after I'm done I rarely have to use the choke for starting unless it is fairly cold out. I would start there. Ray.

[thezmann76]

He's right, there are no "o" rings inside the boots, and I di try to run her with the air filter in place but no luck. I've tried spraying carb cleaner around each boot while running but there was no change in idle speed. I changed the air screws when I rebuilt the carbs and set them to where the factory screws were set, is ther a general rule of thumb for setting the air screws? I'm going to pull her back apart and triple check all of the boots and replace the worn clamps as needed. I also got a nasty ticking sound in the top end, hopefully it's just a valve adjustment but I'm going to check the oil pump while I have her apart and make sure I have flow. BTW Rapidray, do you still have those locks? I may be needing them soon. Thanks for everyones responses!! Matt

[Steve]

Sorry but you're wrong! The 16 valve 1100 & 1150 intake manifolds don't have o rings.

Thanks, Ray. Most of my work has been with 8-valve engines, so I was not aware of the difference.

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[chef1366]

You should really do this

[Steve]

I changed the air screws when I rebuilt the carbs and set them to where the factory screws were set, is ther a general rule of thumb for setting the air screws?

It depends on who is giving the suggestion, and some of that depends on what mods you have done in the way of air filter/pods and exhaust system, but the general concensus is between 2 and 3 full turns out from lightly seated. Then, run the engine to warm it up and tweak each screw slowly, listening for highest engine rpm. When you are done, count how many turns out and record that for future reference.

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[AirCooledHeaven]

I have an 82 GS1100E that has been sitting for a while. I rebuilt the carbs a few days ago but when I start her up I have to choke the hell out of it. I currently have a t-shirt cut up and wrapped around the air filter to give the bike enough vacuum to run. Is this a common problem? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!! Thanks, Matt

If the bike has been standing a while with fuel in the carbs then there is a chance that your pilot jets are partially or completely clogged with varnish and other crap. This would explain the need for lots of choke, when the choke is operated the pilot jets are effectively bypassed. I would recommend a complete carb strip, clean and rebuild. There is an excellent guide somewhere on this site.

[gremlin]

i get this from every one that has cleaned a set of carbs. there was one guy at work who had a ATV given to him. his words " i have done a complete carb cleaning. what the heck else could be wrong with the ATV. "

i told him the same thing i am going to tell you. carb cleaning 101. clean it three times. if you even think your clean do it two more times. spray the heck out of all the passages. it took him a hole month be for he tried re cleaning the carbs. he was shocked at the "new garbage he was pulling out"

what happens is when you clean them. small chunks of what ever was clogging your carb will free its self and end up in all the cleaned parts.

i start with cleaning the out sides first. then work my way to the insides. taking a brake washing the grit off my hands be for even starting on the insides.

once the carbs are clean replace fuel filter and lines. do not reuse them. for a few bucks it will get rid of any headaches in the near future. chances are the fuel in the carbs dried out so will the fuel in the filter and lines. latter if there is any varnish it will work its way back in to the carbs and filter to make you cuss.