sneaking carb issue

[glenlloyd]

Hey all, not to rehash the carb problem issues but I've searched and read and still am unsure where to start with my carb problem.

I recently bought a 1982 GS1100EZ which ran "fine" when I got it but slowly developed a chugging problem off the line. It got steadily worse and became unridable recently. Last night I started it and now I have a backfiring issue with flame out the muffler (albeit small and in the dark).

'82 GS1100EZ
kerker header/exhaust
k&n cones (not my choice but no OE airbox)
BS34SS OE carbs

Last night I dismantled the carbs and pulled the diaphrams and cleaned everything out as best I could with spray cleaners, the problem however persists. Prior to pulling the carbs I checked the spark plugs and found three fairly consistently carboned black, the other, plug #2, looked tan and uncarboned.

I checked the pilot screws (idle screws?) and found vastly different settings from bottom, carb #1 4.5 turns out, #2 3.25 turns, #3 2.5 turns out and #4 5.5 turns out. I have fuel pooling at the rear of carb #4 into the cone filter, a tad bit also of this in carb #3, none in #2 or #1.

My plan now is to check float height and see what condition the pilot needle is in, otherwise I don't know what to do here. I'm not great with carb work I mostly know diesel injection, which is of no use with this!

Any help, direction (already looked at BS32 manual) is welcome.

Thanks
Steve A

[glenlloyd]

The situation has gotten better. I took the advice posted elsewhere about opening the air screws 2 turns and working from there and although I'm not totally happy yet this has resolved the chugging issue and the bike now pulls off the line smoothly.

I still think there's more to be done and it'll probably involve a complete carb cleaning to satisfy me on this.

[chef1366]

With the dark plugs I'd check the voltage at the coils at the O/W wire.

[glenlloyd]

With the dark plugs I'd check the voltage at the coils at the O/W wire.

Thanks for the tip, I'll do that and report back.

steve a

[almarconi]

Since you recently purchased the bike, you should completely disassemble and properly clean the carbs. Make a note of the jets that are in the carbs. I am going through a similar situation with a bike I just got that was supposed to be re-jetted. Once I got into the carbs, I found that this was not the case. Jets were all stock. With pods and a pipe your carbs will need to be rejetted. A dynojet stage 3 is probably the easiest route. You may already have one in there, but until you take the carbs apart there is no way of knowing. Once you get everything back together, make sure to bench sync and then vacuum sync the carbs.