GS 550 pods & Jets HELP!

[pjustice]

Okay, I know it is probably here somewhere, but.....

I have a '78 GS550 with a 4-into-2 exhaust. I'd like to keep the exhaust. I want to add K&N filter pods. I know there will be some re-jetting.

Can anyone tell me where I need to look, or what I need to do? Has anyone done this to a '78 550? Everyone on here just kinda hints at the fact that this is a pain in the a_ _. I know it's probably a character builder a lot like mowing the lawn to figure this out on your own. But someone out there must know.

Do I need to drill the jets out myself? Can I just buy the right ones? What are the right ones? Where can I get them? Is this a secret that can only be understood through endless frustration? Why do good things happen to bad people? and what is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?

Any help would be great. Thanks.

[tkent02]

With VM carbs, it's pretty straight forward. Bigger main jet, maybe raise the jet needle a notch, probably leave the pilot jet alone. It's better to go too big on the main and work your way down than to go not big enough at first. Save a lot of heartache and read about how the different circuits in the VM carburetors work before you start.

[mlinder]

It's trial and error. Be prepared to purchase 4 or 5 sets of jets to dial them in.

At least the VM carbs on the '78 deal with things like pods and stacks more easily than the later CV carbs.

http://jetsrus.com/ and other places have the jets you need.

[Johnny Drummond]

Hi there, I re-jetted my GSX1100EZ carbs 2 years ago to take pod filters after I fitted it into a GS1000 frame.Tkent is right go bigger on the main jet, looking at my haynes manual the main jet that is fitted as standard is a 100 try to begin at say 130 and work down (just as you would tuning a 2 stroke) richer- black sooty plugs, and the bike not going above certain revs no matter what you do with the throttle indicates too big main jetsyou will probably need 4-5 sets,BUT make an arrangement with the supplier that you get each set sale or return as long as the jets are in a "saleable condition"ie. unmarked with the edges of the screwslot crisp, this should'nt be a problem. The way I found to do this- and believe me after changing 6 sets of jets it works, is to go to a bicycle shop or hardware store and buy a tube of tyre patch soloution(that skicks the patch onto a tube), get a plain screwdriver preferrably stubby and dip the blade into the soloution so it coats the end, let it dry then when you go to change the jets the rubberised tip won't mark the soft brass of the jet.
the reason I say to try 130 main jets is a mate of mine in Scotland has a GS650 chopper that had pods and he couldn't make run,I sent him a set of 125's I had lying around and they worked perfectly but go to 130's just to be sure.Here are the email addresses of 2 companies that I found to be very good- afraid that they are both in England but speak to them and mabye they can point you in the direction of firms where you are.
www.allensperformance.co.uk
www.andy@nrp-carbs.com-this is an email adress of a sales person
Try going down a size at a time while keeping the needle in standard position that means you only change one thing at a time-it's easier to backtrack that way, oh and keep a record of what you do then you won't forget, if like me you had to leave it for weeks at a time. GOOD LUCK and stick with it no matter how good that sledgehammer in the corner looks sometimes!!!. Johnny