somebody help me please!!

[Anonymous]

I just finished restoring a 1981 gs100gl this is my first street bike and I LOVE IT! rode it until the snow flew and then it became my winter project. anyway here is my problem!! I had the tank painted and when i was putting it back on i decided to add a fuel filter. the bike did not have one on it. its one of those clear ones with like a stone in it. now the bike idles fine if the choke is just a little bit on but when i give it gas its like its got no power. i rode it down the street got into second and thats it, turned around and it was all i could do to get back moving without stalling. I dont know if its starving for gas or what. is this bike not supposed to have a filter? i did not rebuild the carbs but i did put stable in the gas and ran the bike before i stared the project. It ran great! before i tore into it.

[Hoomgar]

The filter is on the petcock valve inside the tank. If you remove your petcock you can inspect it to see if it is OK. If there isn't one then someone removed it and you just need to get another one. An inline isn't needed but shouldn't be a problem either.

I would suspect that the problem you were having wasn't related to your new filter unless is is allowing air to leak in then it could be. Maybe the carbs need a good prime? Check to make sure all your connections are good with no leaks that could be letting air in and make sure you prime the carbs good and if it still does it I would think it is a carb problem of sorts. I ran with an inline in place to supplement my in tank filter for years with no issues.


Any experts available to help our GS friend?

[Don Lobacz]

I would guess that either you did not hook the petcock vacuum line up correctly or you are trying to run it without the airbox.

[Anonymous]

the air box is on and the vaccum line is hooked up the same it was before.
any other ideas?
thanks,
Derek

[Anonymous]

If you remove the in-line filter, how does it run?

[RacingJake]

Make sure you have gas in the tank

Turn the petcock to prime or RES. and take it for a ride and see if you have the same problem.

Pull the fuel line from the carbs and suck on the petcock vacum line and see if you have good fuel flow on main and RES.

Pull the carb bowls off and check the jets for trash

Make sure the filter is made for a motorcycle If it's a car filters there's to much resistance for gravity flow. They are made to work with a fuel pump.

[earlfor]

Re: somebody help me please!!

those little inline filters with what looks like stone in them are made for small engines such as chainsaws. They will not flow enough fuel for your bike. Take the filter off the bike and put the normal fuel line back in place.

Earl

I just finished restoring a 1981 gs100gl this is my first street bike and I LOVE IT! rode it until the snow flew and then it became my winter project. anyway here is my problem!! I had the tank painted and when i was putting it back on i decided to add a fuel filter. the bike did not have one on it. its one of those clear ones with like a stone in it. now the bike idles fine if the choke is just a little bit on but when i give it gas its like its got no power. i rode it down the street got into second and thats it, turned around and it was all i could do to get back moving without stalling. I dont know if its starving for gas or what. is this bike not supposed to have a filter? i did not rebuild the carbs but i did put stable in the gas and ran the bike before i stared the project. It ran great! before i tore into it.

[Anonymous]

First of all I just want to thank everyone for all the fast responces. The problem was the fuel filter, took it off and she purrs like a kitten. I cant belive it I got the filter from a dealer, needless to say ill never go there again. Anybody got any recomendations for an external filter?
Thanks Again,
Derek

1981 Suzuki GS1000GL

[Anonymous]

What kind of dealer, one that sells aquariums? I think you got a fish tank bubbler...

Anyway, all shops will have catalogues with an assortment of inline fuel filters. As long as you don't get one for a fuel injected bike you should be okay. I wouldn't bother with a glass filter either, but it's helpful to be able to see into the thing for dirt.

Steve

[KGB]

I have a little in line fuel filter, one of the clear types with the pleated element in it.
No issues. The only thing was getting the air out and getting fuel into it the after I installed it.
I set the pet c o c k to prime, cranked the engine.....away I rode.
Turned it back to it's normal setting, mine is a vacuum type.no issues.

[KEITH KRAUSE]

If the gas tank is kept in good condition, I've never seen the need for in-line fuel filters. The petcock has a fine screen that will stop dirt.

[Hoomgar]

If the gas tank is kept in good condition, I've never seen the need for in-line fuel filters. The petcock has a fine screen that will stop dirt.

Ditto, that's why I don't use them. If you keep the tank filter/screen in good shape there is no need for one. Just causes more heartache as we are seeing here.

[Anonymous]

Ditto here... i used a metal filter , the secondary off a 1984/1988 honda civic for a year .... and indeed i knew when i was almost ready tp turn on reserve..... those filter work with about 4-7 psi

external filter will work better to filter rust..... you could try one for a V8, they have the large plastic... and even metal.... try like a 1974 jeep wagoneer with the 360, i think it is a G2 from fram... but Autozone has a metal equivalent.. which i forgot the #. The most recent years have a 3 connector style for the gas return.. but the older have only input an ouput.... and on that wagoneer i can see a lot of metal flakes..... but in my case the gas tank filter... disappeared a long time ago...

cheers

Michel
81 1100E
74 wagoneer "letank"