Hanging idle after repairs

[81gs1100]

The float height effects all the circuits. You should also verify the fuel level in the bowls.

Since the idle drops when you add choke this would suggest to me that you are lean on your pilots. This sort of makes sense since the screws were only open about 3/4 of a turn. When you replaced the pilot screws was the rubber washer, metal washer and spring installed on the screw?
The order should be spring, metal washer and then rubber washer.

Backwards: If the bike runs better giving it more gas, (choke) then it is lean, if the bike dies or starts to stumble, too rich.

[TheCafeKid]

Uhm.. thats a neat little theory, but one that i've always considered pretty bogus anyway.... the "CHOKE" isnt truely a choke, but an enrichening circuit. However, as soon as you open the throttle, at all, you destroy the vacuum that circuit was using to pull fuel. Also, if you look at how the choke works when you accuate it, you can see the choke barrel slide out and leave an opening in the diaphram housing. In my reasoning, this is the "stumble" or hiccup that some people feel when they open the choke with the bike in heavy throttle. The diphrams lift is momentarilly disturbed. My 1100ES is pretty close, according to plug chops, to just about mixture perfect in all throttle ranges (except idle, oddly enough) and whether or not it was rich or lean when I was tuning it, and other bikes, I got nearly the same reaction from playing with the choke lever... This is why I think that little test is pretty much useless.

[supertech411]

I'm having a similar issue with my GS550T, except there are times when it will idle normally. Usually the idle hangs when it's hot also. I'm posting because someone said an ignition problem could cause similar symptoms. Do the coils gradually loose their ability to provide spark, or do they just die? I'm wondering if my coils (The bike is a 1981) are weak. If someone could elaborate, that would be great.
Also, why would the bad seal on an airbox cover cause problems? I understand a bad filter to airbox seal affecting things, but not why the cover seal would.
Good luck fixing your 850!