Can't rev it - am I rich?

[Anonymous]

Hi,

My bike is an 85 gs550e. I had the carbs cleaned and tank Kreemed ($75 total plus $30 Kreem kit). After reassembling the bike I basically can't go anywhere! I start the bike and let it run for a bit with the choke on. I can't turn the choke down, however, without the engine dying. Yesterday I tried to rev the engine a bit, and every time I twisted the throttle it just revved down and died. After that I couldn't even start it.

I've owned this thing since 12/03 and have ridden a total of about a mile, and even had the opportunity to push it another 1/2 mile! I'm about to ditch it for something newer, but thought I'd give it this one last shot. Any thoughts?

Thanks

[MikeW665]

It sounds to me like your running lean not rich. Having the choke on lowers the amount of air making it into the carb to richen up the mixture. If it were running rich it wouldn't idle because it would load up and die, but youd have a lot of top end.

[Anonymous]

Something is blocking gasflow. If you need the choke to get it to run at all, you don't have enough gas reaching the carbs. Try tapping on the float bowls in case the float valves are stuck. Disconnect the gas line at the carbs and see if you get decent gas flow in PRI. Connect the vaccuum line up to the petcock and gently suck on it to test the ON and RES petcock positions. If all that works, pull the carbs and check float levels.
What part of the country are you in?

Harrison

[KEITH KRAUSE]

If the carbs were cleaned, it could be a poor job and you need to clean them better or something was disturbed/adjusted wrong. Do as Harrison says but before you get into the carbs try tightening all the boot clamps on both sides of each carb. Inspect the manifolds for cracking. If the bike would run, you would need to mist-spray the manifolds with water to hear if the rpm's drop, but I guess you can't. You may have bad o-rings in the manifolds. Are you sure the idle screw adjuster is opening the carbs?
Since the carbs were cleaned, I would assume the mixture screws were removed and therefore the tamper caps will be gone too. They may not be set where they were. In any case, you should be able to turn them in while counting. Write this setting down for each screw so you can put them back if this idea does'nt help. Try turning each screw OUT 1 additional turn from where they were. Test. If you go beyond 3.5 turns out, the mixture screws are not the problem. Put them back if this does'nt help.
The carbs may be out of sinc' also. If this is the problem and it won't start, you'll have to do a manual sinc' followed by a vacuum tool sinc'.
If it still won't run, the carbs need removal and inspected better.

[Anonymous]

After all that, it turns out it was electrical. Someone I know came over with his charger and hooked it up. It ran great on the charger, but it was drawing 10 amps the entire time. We figured immediately that was the problem as it warmed up great and kept running well, even when twisting the throttle (although it seems a bit lean). It ran about 5-10 minutes, we unhooked it, and it died within a minute. The battery holds a charge when charged, but the bike isn't creating a charge. It's running on ALL battery. I figure it's either the regulator/rectifier or alternator. Any guesses for either? Thanks!

[Billy Ricks]

You can check your regulator/rectifier by following the Suzuki procedure below.

With the r/r removed from the bike, fins pointing up and terminals facing you, the terminals from left to right will be A, B, C, D, and E.
Negative probe on A and positive on B you should get 6-7.5 ohms.
Negative probe on A and positive on C you should get 6-7.5 ohms.
Negative probe on A and positive on D you should get 6-7.5 ohms.
Negative probe on A and positive on E you should get 50-70 ohms.

Then switch the negative probe to terminal B and place the positive probe on A, C, then D, you should get no reading. Positive on E should read 6-7.5 ohms.

Switch negative probe to C and positive to A, B, then D, you should get no reading. Positive on E should read 6-7.5 ohms.

Switch negative probe to D and positive to A, B, then C, you should get no reading. Positive on E should read 6-7.5 ohms.

Switch negative probe to E, positive to A, B, C, and D should give no reading.

Make sure you have a good ground on the engine.

[Anonymous]

Great info. There's another way to check, I think, according to Clymers. I don't know exactly as it's in my car in the driveway and I'm not about to go out there in my pjs right now. I'll check it tomorrow and will print this out too. Thanks!