just bought an 85 GS550E, bad carb problem

[newgsman]

O.K., here is the deal. just bought an 85 GS550E, had a bad leak in the tank. used the KREEM treatment kit,(including the rust remover) and stopped the tank leak, but the bike would only run with the choke on, which tells me the idle jets are clogged, so did a complete carb cleaning,got an awful lot of tank rust sedament in the carbs. cleaned them twice, 8 hrs total, and now it will idle with the choke off, but the idle is at about 800 rpms and the idle adjust is maxed out at three turns. i have what i beleive is the air screws turned out to 2 turns,(has mikuni 32mm dual bore carbs, and had a hard time finding the specs on,probably still didn't). which i hope are the four seat screws on the top,. but i have the idle screw wound tight and idle is still low and when choke is on it almost over revs, if anyone can point me in any direction from here i would love it, just want the bike to go like it should. think i have given enough info but if you need more say the word, any suggestions would help. FYI has new battery and in line fuel filter and a clean petcock. HELP PLEASE

[Calvin Blackmore]

O.K., here is the deal. just bought an 85 GS550E, had a bad leak in the tank. used the KREEM treatment kit,(including the rust remover) and stopped the tank leak, but the bike would only run with the choke on, which tells me the idle jets are clogged, so did a complete carb cleaning,got an awful lot of tank rust sedament in the carbs. cleaned them twice, 8 hrs total, and now it will idle with the choke off, but the idle is at about 800 rpms and the idle adjust is maxed out at three turns. i have what i beleive is the air screws turned out to 2 turns,(has mikuni 32mm dual bore carbs, and had a hard time finding the specs on,probably still didn't). which i hope are the four seat screws on the top,. but i have the idle screw wound tight and idle is still low and when choke is on it almost over revs, if anyone can point me in any direction from here i would love it, just want the bike to go like it should. think i have given enough info but if you need more say the word, any suggestions would help. FYI has new battery and in line fuel filter and a clean petcock. HELP PLEASE

A sad tale of woe
truly
increment up them EPA restricted thing half turns till and see what yah get per increment.


what do you mean wound tight
is it conmpletely turned in allowing for max opening of the butterflys?

[newgsman]

well the idle screw only went three turns and then had no threads left to go any further, so right now it idles at @ 800 and there is nothing left to turn on the idle screw, and the butterflies only open slightly,. but thats how it has been set for ever(as far as i can tell). the carbs were full of rust from the tank from before i treated the tank, all the rust is gone now and carbs are gleaming clean, but have no more idle adjust left, is as far as it can go.

[Calvin Blackmore]

well the idle screw only went three turns and then had no threads left to go any further, so right now it idles at @ 800 and there is nothing left to turn on the idle screw, and the butterflies only open slightly,. but thats how it has been set for ever(as far as i can tell). the carbs were full of rust from the tank from before i treated the tank, all the rust is gone now and carbs are gleaming clean, but have no more idle adjust left, is as far as it can go.

yah cant screw in further or out further??

out means lower RPM not higher

[newgsman]

can't turn the idle in anymore to insrease the idle speed

[GSJim69]

Make sure the carbs have been cleaned really good. By really good I mean dipped in carb dip for the recommended period of time, usually 24 hours. This will take a couple of days to complete. After dipping rinse them off and spray all passages with carb cleaner. Replace all the o-rings with o-rings from http://cycleorings.com/intake.html ask Robert Barr which kit is the correct one for these carbs. I think it is the one for the CV carbs. You will have some extra o-rings that you will not need. Bench synch the carbs. Install them, set the idle mixture and then synchronize them.
Oh, by the way replace the intake boot o-rings. If you haven't they need it.
Go to BassCliff's website http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/ for tons of great information.

Edit: Also make sure that there is no more rust from the fuel system getting into the carbs.

[newgsman]

thanks for the direction, i will start there, thought they were good, but i have been here before, so i will investagate the carbs further, thanks again

[Calvin Blackmore]

can't turn the idle in anymore to insrease the idle speed

cripes are all your joints tight
intake boots OK?

regardless the thing should idle ok even with the airbox disconnected
wont run for **** when yah crak the throttel though

are you idle jets sealed

they should be thanks to the EPA

sealed means yah cant redily clean that circuit

which means they may be clogged partially thius the leanish condition

[newgsman]

fyi, the tank is rust free now, i have an inline fuel filter, a fresh petcock and a clean tank now, i have drained the gas since the kreem treatment and it is crystal clear as is the new inline filter

[Calvin Blackmore]

fyi, the tank is rust free now, i have an inline fuel filter, a fresh petcock and a clean tank now, i have drained the gas since the kreem treatment and it is crystal clear as is the new inline filter

pullthe inline filter and check the result
these things came without any filter so any thing you put on may inhibit fuel flow

christthis is almost twitter

[newgsman]

the bike comes to life with any throttle. give it a liitle twist and it jumps to life, just a really low idle and can't increase it anymore

[newgsman]

what filters the fuel besides the pick up screen in the tank? not trying to second guess you, but it would seem there should be a filter of some sorts besides the pick up screen

[Calvin Blackmore]

the bike comes to life with any throttle. give it a liitle twist and it jumps to life, just a really low idle and can't increase it anymore

the idle circuit is fed by thos nasty little tubes going down into the float bowls

i would add a tank of generic intank fuel cleaner and drive the **** out of it and bring it hom and check your idle


did you mess witht he springs and such that affect the mechaincal
synchronication of the carbs?

[newgsman]

i think the only springs in my carbs are on the air screws, but please correct me if i am wrong

[Calvin Blackmore]

i think the only springs in my carbs are on the air screws, but please correct me if i am wrong

hmm there is a spring mechanism in the connection joint between the left and right carb
if you had touched it you would know

so its just an idles issue

did you drill out the caps to get at the idels air screws?
they would make for ****y perf if still varioulsy cloged

regardless intank cleaner will celan the **** outta anything