i cleaned my carbs without disassembly

[Mad Mark]

okay just posting this because i know how everyone says you have to tear your carbs completely apart and dip them and get o-rings. i was about to do it but i decided to take my float bowls off first and blast out the jets the best i could first. the left two where totally clogged (bike was sitting 10+ years with half a tank). cleaned those best i could and the bike would turn over and almost start. i realized my vacuum line wasnt closed off all the way and it started!

it was running but not that great, so i removed the carbs and while they where still on the gang plate i cleaned the slides blasted everthing i could get to without tearing down the carbs. sealed my air box put the carbs back on and my bike runs like a champ. i still have the original petcock that was siezed but i unstuck it, didnt even change the petcock o-ring.

so i was very lucky my bike is from california and was garaged so the intake boots ect... are still nice and rubbery which im sure helped alot.

but what im getting at is i tried everything to get the bike to run without having to do a huge job. if i would have listened to everyone on here i would have my carbs in pieces then i would have to get a carbtune and sink them, then it might not run right after i do everything, and i wouldnt have had to in the first place.

sorry for the rant, just wanted to say just try everything you can before you go in over your head tearing your carbs apart, you might not even need too

im going to get flamed for this i know it lol

[allojohn]

im going to get flamed for this i know it lol

Mildly maybe. But you got 90% of the way to doing it properly and the other 10% isn't difficult. So while you may be satisfied now, you may still have problems coming your way which will cause you to do the job properly down the road.
Perhaps you'll feel more confident later.....

[Mad Mark]

time will tell my friend ive put a couple thousand miles on the bike and no problems so far. im plenty confident in my machine right now it runs to perfect! except a noisey clutch basket.

[tom203]

Maybe the PO had triple dosed it with Seafoam or equivalent ten years ago- anyways, lucky you, do the carbs still have EPA blocking plugs over the idle/air mixture screws?

[exdirtbiker]

Mad Mark, you and I are cut from the same material.
And I have done what you stated above. Many times.
But after doing the whole "O-ring and dip" routine, I have been converted.
At 44 yrs old, I got my first can of dip 2 weeks ago. I love it.
If I had a whole Saturday without interuption, I could have done the whole thing without any shortcuts. All in one weeknight ? Prob not. ( Yeah, I move slow sometimes)
But I feel a lot better knowing there is one -less- thing that will leave me stranded 100 miles from home.

[bonanzadave]

Mine sat up for a few years with sh!tty gas and wouldn't run. I took the carb rack off and soaked them over night in engine solvent (5 gal bucket). Put em back on next day and it ran like new. To this day the carbs have never been apart. Now that its 30 years old I may crack a can of berrymans, buy the ol gal some orings, do the full overhaul, and celebrate .

[exdirtbiker]

And I also had a noisy clutch basket ! $##@@#%^&%^@# basket !!!

[Nessism]

Your carbs are full of hard and brittle O-rings just waiting to spring a leak and you did nothing to rectify the situation. Hope your AAA is paid up because your carbs can start spewing fuel at any time leaving you stranded.

While you are at this "neglect the maintenance" kick, you may as well neglect the valve adjustment too. When the valves get too tight, and burn themselves and the valve seats, then you can just get a new bike.

[robertbarr]

okay just posting this because i know how everyone says you have to tear your carbs completely apart and dip them and get o-rings.

put the carbs back on and my bike runs like a champ.

With no new O-rings? We don't like the sound of that. No sir-ee Bob.

[slyone]

With no new O-rings? We don't like the sound of that. No sir-ee Bob.

Hey Bob, I just put an order in a couple hours ago with ya for new seals, take care of me now..Bill

[chuck hahn]

Bet he doesnt know what a GS is SUPPOSED to actually run like in the first place. And for that noisey clutch basket...well golly gee batman!!! Guess what!! Poorly operating carbs and out of sync carbs can make that RUNS LIKE A CHAMP engine buck and kick and MIMMIC a bad clutch basket sound. All youve really done is blow JUST ENOUGH crap out to let it run halfazzed decently...but hey guys with several of these bikes and many many eyars of real life experience are all just crazy. Im not flaming you atall..I am sitting here laughing my azz off hysterically because I can just see you at 3 AM trying to wake anyone within 50 miles with a trailer to come get you.

[Guest]

Bet he doesnt know what a GS is SUPPOSED to actually run like in the first place. And for that noisey clutch basket...well golly gee batman!!! Guess what!! Poorly operating carbs and out of sync carbs can make that RUNS LIKE A CHAMP engine buck and kick and MIMMIC a bad clutch basket sound. All youve really done is blow JUST ENOUGH crap out to let it run halfazzed decently...but hey guys with several of these bikes and many many eyars of real life experience are all just crazy. Im not flaming you atall..I am sitting here laughing my azz off hysterically because I can just see you at 3 AM trying to wake anyone within 50 miles with a trailer to come get you.

I bet he's riding 10 year old rubber also on that temporarily runs like a champ bike with unadjusted valves .

[chuck hahn]

To borrow a phrase from Allie in another thread......OH THE JAPANITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[exdirtbiker]

....Poorly operating carbs and out of sync carbs can make that RUNS LIKE A CHAMP engine buck and kick and MIMMIC a bad clutch basket ....

Ummm, I think this thread just got UGLY. AGAIN.
I had a bad clutch basket. Sounds like he does, too. ( It sounded like all the main bearings were bad. )
Someone was looking for a "pat on the back".. instead, you poke his eyes out ???
Not everyone is looking for a restoration-correct solution.
There are some who want to ride a bike to work tomorrow.
There are some who have no $$$ to do it 100 % "by the book".
AND... There are some people who want to get a bike running without getting abused !!!
'Just sayin... some of you guys can be a lil' rough....

[chuck hahn]

Its not a RESTORATION repair..its a coomon sense repair

2..its not just to work...it has to bring him home.

3..Its not about money when its about 50 to 60 bucks TOPS for a can of Berrymans and the oring kit.

4...Better that I poke his eyes out now before its 3 AM and hes digging them out himself.