Are my carbs supposed to look like this???

[Tackleberry828]

OK. The bike is a 1980 GS 550L. I bought it sight unseen for $600.
So I got the bike running after some electrical issues, but it kept flooding and dying and didn't want to idle.
So I took the carbs apart to clean them and saw this...
IMG_4758.jpg
Is that the fuel pickup from to bowl? And what are the parts called, so I can fix it. Or CAN I fix it?

Thanks in advance for any help.

[glib]

OK. The bike is a 1980 GS 550L. I bought it sight unseen for $600.
So I got the bike running after some electrical issues, but it kept flooding and dying and didn't want to idle.
So I took the carbs apart to clean them and saw this...
[ATTACH=CONFIG]51891[/ATTACH]
Is that the fuel pickup from to bowl? And what are the parts called, so I can fix it. Or CAN I fix it?

Thanks in advance for any help.

You are missing some parts unless you already removed them. Like the floats and needle valves and main jets. Have you read through the stickys in the carb/fuel technical section?

[glib]

I believe what you are pointing at is the tube that supplies fuel when the choke is on.

[JTGS850GL]

No need to fix it. Looks like someone replaced the carb for one from another model/year. The tube being open is OK. Just make sure the rest of the jets are the same.

[Tackleberry828]

Ok. So it's only for when the choke is on! Cool! Then I guess the little bit of gummed up fuel that came off when I dipped was the problem.

Thanks guys!

[Tackleberry828]

I will check the jets too. Thanks for the tip. I sorta had an inkling that the big hole was for a bigger bike, but I was only like 1% sure.

[Nessism]

Your carb cleaning method is poor. You need to take them all the way apart. Check the tutorial linked in my signature.

[GSXR7ED]

Or....for just over $200 have one of the members here rebuild them for you! I had Steve rebuild mine.

But if you prefer not to...there's instructions as Nessism suggested.


Ed

[Tackleberry828]

Your carb cleaning method is poor. You need to take them all the way apart. Check the tutorial linked in my signature.

Respectfully, I wasn't finished when I took the pic. I just stopped when I noticed one that was different. I kept them on the rail until the end so I could keep the parts separated by carb#.

Thank you you for the link though. I will look through it and see if I missed anything.

[JTGS850GL]

If you didn't do them by the tutorial, then I can bet you did miss some aspects. Float seats and needle jets need to be removed along with the pilot screws that are located behind the block-off plug. If those were not removed then you didn't do the job you needed to in order to get the smallest passages cleaned out.

[Guest]

I don't think he's gotten that far yet.

[GSXR7ED]

Let's not scare off the guy yet...geeze.

Moar pics of your work please. Wait....are you ready for scrutiny? These people are helpful and mean no harm.


Ed

[Gorminrider]

differnt enricher tubes.jpg

hmmm-

No need to fix it. Looks like someone replaced the carb for one from another model/year. The tube being open is OK. Just make sure the rest of the jets are the same

hope so! ...just cruising here and I can't recall if these "enricher tubes"are solid brass drilled or if there's a drilled jet inserted in a tube- if so, looks to me like someone tried to clean out the hole and thereby either pushed it up the tube or pulled it out entirely...?
But hey, if some fateful difference is noted starting up, you'll know where to tinker...a peculiarity for sure and I'd be interested to know if you find it a problem later.