Idle problems

[Do Little]

82 GS550L

So I've been working on this bike for entirely to long, and I finally got it running, kinda. It won't idle, at all. I've tried messing with the idle adjustment and I get nothing. It will idle with the choke on, but it's still kinda sketchy. If you keep it revved it runs fine at anything over 1500-2000 rpm and runs down the road just fine. It starts fairly easy to if you give it some gas, just won't idle.

Somebody suggested the floats might just be sticky, but I've cleaned the carbs and they should be in good shape. And I got the stock air system, so I'd prefer not to have to take them off again, last time I was ready to put a 12ga slug in it and be done with it. He suggested using higher octane gas and some of those carb cleaner additives and just run a lot of gas through it and it might work itself out. Do the carbs just need adjusted?

[Larry D]

Where are the idle air screws set ? Should be about 2 1/2 turns out from lightly seated.

[tom203]

82 GS550L

So I've been working on this bike for entirely to long, and I finally got it running, kinda. It won't idle, at all. I've tried messing with the idle adjustment and I get nothing. It will idle with the choke on, but it's still kinda sketchy. If you keep it revved it runs fine at anything over 1500-2000 rpm and runs down the road just fine. It starts fairly easy to if you give it some gas, just won't idle.

12 ga slug? NO, give it a chance-it's 28 years old! You said it starts easy and "runs down the road just fine"- be patient, the bike is doing its part, just needs a little help from you! Your problem is very, very common- search this forum- lots of folks with same model have gone thru this.Give us a little history on this classic wanting a good home!

[Nessism]

Have you rebuilt the carbs using the forum tutorial and replaced all the O-rings yet? Replaced the O-rings on the intake boots? Adjusted the valves?

30 year old vehicles need maintenance.

[BassCliff]

Hi Mr. Do Little,

You received your "mega-welcome" in this thread: http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=163104

It contains the "magic procedures" for a good running GS motorcycle. Shortcuts will cause frustration. It all starts with really clean carbs and a tight air intake system. Then adjust the valves, sync the carbs, repair the charging system, and you should be good to go. Then you have to work on the "stop" part.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[Do Little]

Maybe I exaggerated a little bit with the shotgun. I'm thinking of just taking it to a mechanic to get the final tune up done. I think this is maybe a little out of my mechanical range at the moment, I'm not to familiar with carbs yet. I understand the general concept, just not how to adjust them very well. I was just double checking here to make sure it wasn't some obvious problem I missed/overlooked. I thought I'd read about similiar problems on here before, but I couldn't find anything.

The bike stopped running on the previous owner, wouldn't spark. One of his coils was bad and his plug caps looked horrible, I swapped out coils and plug caps and it fired right up. All the intake boots and o-rings are brand new, the old ones fell apart. Carbs have been disassembled and cleaned. New gaskets on the bowl, all the o-rings in the carbs looked good, somebody had replaced them at some point before I got it. Not sure on the air screws, havn't messed with them much, I'll try them out next time. The engine sounds pretty even to me, all the cyclinders seem to be firing good. Throttle responds well, not sluggish at all, no hesitation. Once the RPMs get down around idle speeds it starts cutting out and dies really quick, but a quick flip of the throttle and its good till the RPMs drop again. No problems on the road, I've had it up through 4th gear in the 40's with no problems.

[tkent02]

Typically not idling is due to clogged passages in the pilot circuit, or even the pilot jets themselves. It runs with choke, and it runs with open throttle, both of these supply fuel through an alternate path. At idle with the choke not used, fuel only gets there through the idle circuit.

[Do Little]

Now that sounds promising. I've done a lot of petcock switching and tank work and fuel line swapping, so that sounds like a definate possibility. I'll have to take them off and give them another good look over.

[tom203]

Well, Mr. Do Little, it sounds like this bike is responding to your initial advances quite nicely. You have a running bike that just needs more tender loving care. Odds are the best mechanic you'll find is that guy in the mirror. Just go to Basscliffs site and follow the yellow brick road to happy motoring.
What's the mileage and how long did it sit waiting for you?