what should be in the airbox?

[texaninseattle]

I have recently aquired a 1983 gs850g, and I dont think all of my filtration system is there. Inside the air box is a just a foam uni filter. Is there supposed to be something inside the filter to help keeps its shape and seal the air intake?..As it is right now, I cannot see how the airbox is sealing and filtering all the air. I believe this is causing a lean condition.

[67fire]

I believe that there should be a steel cage for the filter to go over. Download "bikecliff" manual for your model and you will see what was there:

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

Eric

[Dogma]

The foam filter element should be mounted in a metal cage, and the cage should have some kind of seal against the top half of the airbox. That seal is often gone or shot, so you have to make your own with foam weatherstrip. Use that on the end covers too.

If you go someplace like PartShark and look in the parts finder, you will see a ~$45 item for the filter. I hope that's not just for the foam element. You can call some places and discuss it. Z1 Enterprises is known to be helpful with this sort of thing, with good prices. I'd call to make sure it's not just the foam part. After that, maybe someone here has one. And after that, you have to camp on eBay.

[Big T]

Ah, Previous Owner Syndrom (POS)

Just get a stock filter , or spring for a K&N.

The Uni's no great shakes

[lurch12_2000]

I have recently aquired a 1983 gs850g, and I dont think all of my filtration system is there. Inside the air box is a just a foam uni filter. Is there supposed to be something inside the filter to help keeps its shape and seal the air intake?..As it is right now, I cannot see how the airbox is sealing and filtering all the air. I believe this is causing a lean condition.

Sounds familiar...I had the same thing on my newly purchased '81 850G. PO just stuck a UniFlo foam filter in the airbox without the metal cage, probably thinking that's all that was needed....like it was going to magically suck itself up to the intake openings to do any good!!
I just picked up a new OEM cage/filter already oiled up from the dealer for $48(cheaper than on-line order plus shipping). I have a great local Suzuki dealer for parts on these old GSes...you may not? I put some 1/2" wide x 3/16" thick self sticking foam weatherstrip around the top of the new cage and carefully slid it in on the rails inside the airbox and secured in with the one philips head screw that may/may not still be there in yours. This will create a nice tight air intake and probably last for many more years.
You can try and find a used cage off a parts bike for $5?, if you can find one, and then buy just the foam filter for another $15....or use the UNI filter you have and use 2 screws to mount it properly to the used metal cage...there should be 2 holes already cut in your existing foam filter.
Fix the airbox situation, FIRST, before troubleshooting (valve adjust, carb synch, intake o-rings, etc...) any thing else!!

[Odinist]

Ah, Previous Owner Syndrom (POS)

Just get a stock filter , or spring for a K&N.

The Uni's no great shakes

If you run stock pipes, and get a K&N filter (NOT pods), do you need to rejet?

[texaninseattle]

Thanks for the help guys

[Steve]

If you run stock pipes, and get a K&N filter (NOT pods), do you need to rejet?

With my wife's bike, I did not rejet and have had no problems.

Wit #2 son's bike, it has a 4-into-1 pipe and a K&N insert in the stock airbox.
Mains are now 120 (stock is 115), pilots are stock, mixture screws are 3 turns out.

.

[Odinist]

Cool, thanks Steve!