still no luck 81 gs 850 carbs

[cutlass79500]

well i bit the bullet every passage clean new orings boots clamps runs a bit smoother with the choke on full idles great soon as you touch the gas it dies . i still need to put the air box back on but should be able to coax the revs up slow slides work fine move up and down when you blow in the port on the back of the carbs even tried partially blocking the air flow into the carbs . the only thing i saw that i didnt like was the plugs that go under the piolet jet kinda soft but seemed to seal fine . friday i will put the airbox and tank on it been using an external fuel supply . set the float levels at .88 all passages have been cleaned holes rodded out with a peice of wire carb cleaner blowes right thru with the air hose . followed all instructions on here on rebuilding the carbs to a tee. been a mechanic for 30 years can rebuild these carbs with my eyes closed sounds like carbs but cant find anything wrong former owner said it ran fine just took a few min to warm up .

[Steve]

... runs a bit smoother with the choke on full idles great soon as you touch the gas it dies . i still need to put the air box back on ...

Right there is your problem.

If you really want to see how it runs without going through the hassle of installing the airbox, fold a shop rag in half and drape it over the carb intakes. Use a zip-tie to hold it to the outer carbs, keeping it somewhat tight over the inner carbs. It will work well enough to go around the block, but is not accurate enough to do jetting checks.

How far out did you turn the mixture screws? Most of us agree that somewhere between 2 and 3 full turns is a good place to start.

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[cutlass79500]

idle screws are set 2 turns ran out of time tonight but will install the airbox friday.make sure all is sealed tight

[Steve]

OK, 2 turns is a good place to start. Like I said, if you want to hear it run above idle, try the folded rag over the intakes.

Oh, re-reading your original post, I wasn't sure if I was reading it correctly. When you use the choke, it starts OK and idles?
How about after it warms up a bit?
Even without the airbox, it should warm up and run (idle) without the choke.

Without the airbox, you will not have any throttle response above idle. Even with the airbox, if you are still on choke because the engine is cold, throttle response will be limited. By richening up the idle mixture, that problem will be minimized, if not eliminated. You will likely need no more than 1/2 choke, some report not needing any at all until air temps get below about 50. I think the screws are 2 turns out on my wife's 850L. The bike needs about 1/2 choke to get it going, but by the time the helmet and gloves are put on, it's ready to ride. By the time we get out the driveway and into second gear, the choke is off completely.

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