new gs550 owner, wanting to work on it myself!

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone,
This June I bought my first bike, a 77 gs550. I totally love it. It gets me to and from school (grad school) and is so much easier to deal with Bay Area traffic than a car!
Problem is I'm having some trouble with the carbs. The bike was running great when I bought it. Then had trouble warming up. I had to have the choke all the way up. Kept getting worse. Even with the choke up, it would idle very low. I took it to the mechanic and she adjusted the valves (she had adjsuted the carbs last year for the previous owner). Problem seemed fixed. Then after a couple weeks it happened again. This time she cleaned the carbs (owch on the pocket book!). Again, worked great for a month or so, but now I'm back to the same problem. It feels like #3 is the last to warm up, #1 and 4 are good right away. I've heard suggestions that I need to get the rust out of the tank. Sounds simple enough, and like something I can do at home. What about the carbs though, is that something that a totally non-mechanically inclined newbie can do? I looked at the carb cleaning page. Besides the cleaner and wire brush to make the "special tool", is there anything else I will need?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. On my grad school budget I can't afford to take it to the mechanic all the time. I love the bike and am willing to put the time in. I just don't want to make it worse!
Thanks all!

[gremlin]

take a week end and go slow. do one carb at a time. get a board or pice of plywood and drill some holes to put the screews and small part in. or you can use some cans for the small parts. mark them so you dont end up putting #1 carb parts in to #4 carb.

a small bucket of carb dip get one with a basket is nice to have. it cost a bit but if you seal it up tight you can keep it for quite a few cleanings.

for your first time see if you can find some one in your area that has done it befor. tell them you want to do the work thay are there to teach maintance , it helps if you have some one that can point out if your going to make a mistake and to lend a hand in getting the carbs out.

after you have done a cleaning a few times its like putting air in the tire.

[jimcor]

No reason in the world you can't work on it yourself. But you're going to need #1. The shop manual. Check parts for sale on this site, e-bay, JC Whitney or your local dealer. Options include Genuine Suzuki, Clymer and Haynes. #2. The correct tools. See number #1 for help. Then come here if you have questions!

[Joe Nardy]

take a week end and go slow. do one carb at a time. get a board or pice of plywood and drill some holes to put the screews and small part in. or you can use some cans for the small parts. mark them so you dont end up putting #1 carb parts in to #4 carb.

a small bucket of carb dip get one with a basket is nice to have. it cost a bit but if you seal it up tight you can keep it for quite a few cleanings.

for your first time see if you can find some one in your area that has done it befor. tell them you want to do the work thay are there to teach maintance , it helps if you have some one that can point out if your going to make a mistake and to lend a hand in getting the carbs out.

after you have done a cleaning a few times its like putting air in the tire.

Another simple way to keep parts straight is to use an ice cube tray. The compartments are a good size for small parts and you can soak the parts in cleaner while you do other work.

Joe

[sv650]

Gas tank

Here's some hints & tips on cleaning the gas tank.

First, get a fuel filter and install it in the fuel inel between the tank & the carbs.

Then purchase the following:
- vinegar -- enough to fill your tank --- Should be some on sale now that it is canning season
- CLR, or similar rust remover -- a pint should do
- methanol -- the stuff for heating your fondue pot
- some cheap rags

Remove tank & empty of all gas. Clean with a bit of Methanol. Put into a friends gas tank. The methanol will not cause any problems for them, and will act as gas line anti-freeze. Yeah, I know -- it never freezes in San Francisco......

Fill tank with vinegar and put in a warm place for a day or so. Possibly even your oven on LOW.

Empty vinegar into the kitchen or laundry sink -- no environmental dumping fees will apply.

Cut the rags into strips about one to two inches wide. Place them into the tank. Add the CLR. Replace gas cap and shake the bejeezes out of it. Look in the tank -- should be clean as a whistle. If not, shake some more.

Dump CLR down sink. Once again, no environmental dumping fees will apply.

Place some methanol in the tank. Swish. Add to your friend's gas tank, or use in your Fondue. No environmental........

Your tank should now be clean of rust, dry, and ready to install on your bike.. Fill with gas (your friend should owe you some by now!) and ride away!

SV

[Hotblack]

DAWG!! that goes my egg carton routine one better!

[Dink]

I would suggest you may also have an issue with the fuel tap (petcock) be aware that if you are gonna fit a fuel filter you NEED one from a lawnmower shop, as Car ones all require at least some fuel pressure to work(3-5lbs) if used on a bike they restrict fuel flow.
When you number the carbs are you working from left to right as viewed from the riders seat? This is BTW the standard that all bike manufacturers work from.
Dink

[lberkhei]

As already suggested, a service/repair manual is a must. I believe your bike uses the Mikuni VM series standard slide carbs; they are similar in most respects to the constant velocity type, Mikuni BS series carbs shown in the carb clean-up series, but there are some differences.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the suggestions!

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! My roommate has a Buell, and she needs to clean her carbs too (she's done it before), so we are going to do mine then hers. By the end I should be an expert!
We're planning on the adventure the first weekend in october, so if you think of anything in the meantime, please let me know!
I'll pick up a manual, as that seems like a good place to start. Does anyone know what size fuel filter I should ask for? I assume I can go to home depot or a place like that for a filter, and ask for a lawnmower fuel filter?
In prep for cleaning my tank, my roommate and I looked at taking the gas tank off my bike yesterday. Turns out the bolt that holds the tank down is missing! So I've been riding around with a lose tank this entire time. Scary! I'd like to replace the bolt ASAP, obviously. Does anyone know which number/size bolt it is? It's a 77 gs550E, and its the bolt that attaches underneath the front of the seat. Also, it looks like there used to be a spacer. Does anyone know what kind of spacer I need, can I just use a nutinbetween the tank and the frame? That's what we could come up with last night in the dying sunlight.
I'll keep you all posted with our progress. Thanks for all your help!
Katie

[debby]

Hi Katie,

I have the same bike! Mine is a 77 GS550B which is like yours except for spoke wheels and a drum rear brake. You can definitely work on it yourself. I rebuilt the carbs on mine and they turned out fine. There's a lot of small parts so take your time and pay attention to details. And don't hesitate to post with questions - the people here are very helpful.

Regarding that tank bolt, I think it's an 8mm but I could measure mine tonight if you don't figure it out. The stock setup used a thick rubber grommet with a metal spacer that fit inside the grommet. The bolt fit inside the spacer. Those parts are probably impossible to find so you might just use a large nut under the bracket along with some rubber washers.

Good luck with your bike. I love mine, it's a great commuter and around-town bike.

Debby

[Anonymous]

Regarding that tank bolt, I think it's an 8mm but I could measure mine tonight if you don't figure it out. The stock setup used a thick rubber grommet with a metal spacer that fit inside the grommet. The bolt fit inside the spacer. Those parts are probably impossible to find so you might just use a large nut under the bracket along with some rubber washers.

I would try the dealership for the bolts and grommets and spacers. My local dealer is still able to get this stuff for my 82' 1100E and they surprisingly weren't that expensive.

[SqDancerLynn1]

Good luck! With the VM carbs for your first attempt Leave the carb rack assembled ( the 4 carbs joined) Get 5-6 cans of spray carb cleaner, Remove all of the jets, float, do not remove the slide assembly. Spray away-- Make sure to clean the gas tank & check the petcock operation. that is why you are having a reacouring problem

[gremlin]

""Fill tank with vinegar and put in a warm place for a day or so. Possibly even your oven on LOW. ""

fire and gas tanks do not mix. do not use a oven.