Overheating(?) Problem, help please?

[Zero5360]

I am a proud owner of a 1978 GS1000 and this spring decided I'd buy my wife a 1983 GS450E. She wanted to learn to ride and I thought it would be a good bike to learn on. I got the bike for an easy $200, but it needed new forks so I picked up a 1982 GS650 for parts. I replaced the forks, plugs, wires, oil filter and oil. It seemed to run okay, but acted like it needed the carbs cleaned. I decided that since I was gonna be fiddling in the area that I would install some K&N pod filters. I removed and threw away the factory air box, cleaned the carbs, jetted to 125 from 120, put the carbs back on and installed the K&N filters. It starts up just fine now, but I noticed today that it began to smoke. I turned the bike off and checked the source of the smoke. It appeared to be coming from the right cylinder. It was then that I noticed that the right exhaust was extremely hot and the left was not nearly as much. I could place my hand on the left exhaust but not the right. What causes this? Would it be worth my time to just swap out the 450 for the 650 that is on the parts bike? Would the 650 even fit on the 450's chassis? Any input is greatly appreciated!

[Woodsy]

sounds like its running real lean?

[Zero5360]

sounds like its running real lean?

If it were running lean, why would the right cylinder be overheating and the left cylinder not be?

[rlong74]

you balance the carbs?
Come to think of it I had that problem intermittently and it was cured with new connectors on the coils and regrounding the R/R and ignitor to the - battery post.

[tkent02]

PIpes are supposed to be hot, your question should be why is the left one cold?
Obviously the left cylinder is not firing much.
Spark, fuel, compression?
That's really all there is to it.

[Guest]

PIpes are supposed to be hot, your question should be why is the left one cold?
Obviously the left cylinder is not firing much.
Spark, fuel, compression?
That's really all there is to it.

+1, this makes sense to me.

Smoke could be just not running for a long time and crud burning off, although if you idled it stationary for any more than about 10 - 15 minutes that could be a worry.

Being a 450, I'd definitely be checking out the ignitor, they seem prone to dying lately...

Definitely tick the list off though:

- Valves
- Proper carb clean (you did it properly right?)
- Carb sync
- Electrical clean up and ensure all grounds are better than good
- Check spark plug caps and gaps
- Check coils
- Check ignition circuit

Just my 2 cents...

[1980GS1000E]

I don't know why you threw the factory intake hardware away. It's always good to have that stuff around, even if you want to try to make the bike run worse with pods for a while.