Cold Natured!

[Anonymous]

Help guys! I finally got my 78 550e running after a long winter of redoing the carbs, new to me coils, new points and condensors. And a lot of other little stuff. The bike runs like a song when it's warm, I'm tickled pink with how it performs except when it's cold. No matter how long i let it idle with the choke on it will never idle up. I can mess with the throttle and slowly get it to 2500 rpm and slowly take the choke off but it still runs falt until it gets to full operating temp. Help this is really embarrasing at work!

thanks
neal
78 gs550e
73 J-4000

[Anonymous]

Re: Cold Natured!

Help guys! I finally got my 78 550e running after a long winter of redoing the carbs, new to me coils, new points and condensors. And a lot of other little stuff. The bike runs like a song when it's warm, I'm tickled pink with how it performs except when it's cold. No matter how long i let it idle with the choke on it will never idle up. I can mess with the throttle and slowly get it to 2500 rpm and slowly take the choke off but it still runs falt until it gets to full operating temp. Help this is really embarrasing at work!

thanks
neal
78 gs550e
73 J-4000

Neal,
I think you may have answered your post in your subject title.
These bikes are cold natured. Good size hunk of steel to warm up. Nothing to be embarrased about> Be happy it runs so well when it's warm.
Charlie

[satchmo]

You're one step ahead of me. I've still got to redo the carbs. Funny how we've had to replace the same things though.

I don't have much to add, but yeah, even when working properly these older ones take a while to warm up.

Satch

[Anonymous]

true, older bikes are a little more fickle cold than newer ones but this is the only one i've ever seen with the choke on for ten minutes and never idle up, and it still wants to try to die. I've found the 'sweet spot' and can kinda get out of the drive way in under ten minutes. i still love the onry little cuss.

Neal
78 gs 550e
73 J 4000
78 honda crx 550

[robinjo]

What would happen if you installed larger idle jets?

[focus frenzy]

What would happen if you installed larger idle jets?

you beat me to it!
adjusting the pilot jet a bit richer will help greatly with this problem.
the 550's came jetted way to lean stock and had a reputation of being very cold natured.
changing the pilot jets, or adjusting the pilot bleed screws is the fix.

[Dark Jedi]

You guys are too quick for me!

Yup. richer idle helped my 550L idle better cold.

Watch your idle setting though. Once it's warm it will idle fast (Around 3500). Luckily the idle on mine was easy to adjust from a riding position.