Carb identification

[Guest]

Since this basket case bike is the first one I've owned that is carburetted I'm slowly learning about carbs. I was trying to see if it had a jet kit installed by the PO since it has a 4-1 exhaust system with pod filters but when I opened up the cover of one of the carbs I could not see any needles with notches or anything else like that. There were a couple of nuts that had metal tabs bent over them so I just let them be. However I am curious what kind of carbs the bike has. I noticed that the covers are not round and somewhat flat as in some pics I've seen so could somebody tell what kind they are from this pic?

Thanks,

Raz

[Sandy]

As they say a picture is worth a thousand words.

http://www.thegsresources.com/files/vm_carb_rebuild.pdf

This sort of info can be found at the "In the garage" link on the main page. Lots of good info as well as from the Grand Poobah of Suzuki info.

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/

[razooki]

Thanks Sandy great info. So I have VM carbs. Excuse my ignorance but were these stock for the 1980 GS850s?

Raz

[tas850g]

its no newer than a '79. Looks very similar to my 850 but i can't see a kick starter so it may not be. I have 102.5 mains and 15 pilots but mine is all stock.

[tas850g]

yes you have vm carbs. Last year on bikes was '79.

[razooki]

Tas, I don't have a kick starter and the ownership papers say 1980 so I'll assume it's an '80 model. To check for a Dyno Jet kit install to I take out the top or the bottom? As I said I removed the top cover on carb #1 but I did not see much.

Raz

[tas850g]

The title may say 80 but with those carbs it's a '79. The vm carbs will not fit on an 80. My '79 has some of the options that an 80 has but mine is clearly a 79.

You take off the bottom (float bowls) and take out the main and pilot justs. It may be easier to take the carbs off the engine take out the jets. There are little numbers engraved on the side of the jets. Look through over the links that are in the previous posting and this should explain a lot.

[tas850g]

I mean main and pilot JETS.

[razooki]

Thanks Tas.

[tas850g]

No problem.

[blowerbike]

suzuki 4 cyl. GS series got vaccum carbs in the US in 1980.
canada may of still used mechanical carbs on a few models in 1980 and beyond.