Won't Start

If you have an intake leak it will run lean. If it is running lean it will be much hotter than normal. If it is much hotter than normal it will be difficult to start back up immediately. See how it all cascades?
It is worse with air cooled engines, unfortunately.

I see.. I am going to order the new airbox boots. Will it kill the engine if I ride it around in 20 minute intervals? I know heat is bad news so I don't want to crack the block or anything..

I am just trying to get out and enjoy this nice weather.

[tom203]

Stay out of cemetaries- very bad vibes for bike and your girlfriend! Remember that these bikes left Japan running lean and so a leak in airbox makes things leaner as revs go up. Next time it's hot, but seems slow/unwilling to restart, try adding a little choke to richen it up as you crank. You'll get this all sorted out.

If you have an intake leak it will run lean. If it is running lean it will be much hotter than normal. If it is much hotter than normal it will be difficult to start back up immediately. See how it all cascades?
It is worse with air cooled engines, unfortunately.

I missed this before....."This is probably a dumb question, but is there any way I could maybe make the bike pick up when I roll the throttle? I mean it picks up, but barely at all..would that be because of the vaccum leak?"

Do you mean the airbox boot leak? Did you have air filter element in during your voyage. My bike will start and idle OK with no element and sorta run, but I doubt it would be happy if I gave it much throttle with no element.

I went for a ride again this morning across the street in the cemetery.

I rode around in second gear, when I gave it some throttle around 2-3k it would not accelerate much at all, then when it hit around 3.5-4k it would pick up good.

It was a fun little 20 minute ride. BUT, my girlfriend came to find me in the cemetery, as I came to a slow and went into first, I accidentally let out the clutch and it died. We spoke for about 30 seconds then she was off to grocery shop.

I tried to fire her back up...nothing. I heard it try to turn over just a little bit, nothing. I moved the petcock to reserve, tried... nothing. Hmmm..

I just put 2 gallons of gas in it, so I know it should not be close to empty.

I accidentally touched the manifold when I went to change to reserve. Ouch! damn it burnt my skin. Is it normal to be that hot?? It is about 55 degrees out with a nice cool breeze, beautiful day.

After sitting for about 4 minutes. I tried it again, it cranked for 3 seconds then fired up! YES.

The battery is brand new all gauges and lights are bright.


So was the engine to hot to start back up??

edit: Tom - yes the element is in, everything is put back together as normal.

[tom203]

I missed this before....."This is probably a dumb question, but is there any way I could maybe make the bike pick up when I roll the throttle? I mean it picks up, but barely at all..would that be because of the vaccum leak?"

Do you mean the airbox boot leak? Did you have air filter element in during your voyage. My bike will start and idle OK with no element and sorta run, but I doubt it would be happy if I gave it much throttle with no element.

[tom203]

Hooray! persistence will always will out in long run- nice work. Now send some of that warm air my way- only 35 here yesterday, but they are talking 70 soon and that should banish the ice that has my bike trapped in basement.

I'll drink to that!

But seriously, it is a combination of events. First and foremost, you absolutely must fix that leak immediately. I recommend letting it set until then.
Study up on the fastest idle synch while you beg for someone in Cinci to come over and CarbTune it.
Then check it out after that. If it does not run correctly we can discuss it.

And you are welcome. If you noticed, the entire community participated, that is just how we are.

Congrats, dude. This has been an epic adventure, hasn't it?
You can do the fastest idle synch while you find someone in the Cinci area with a CarbTune. Again, well done.

Epic...yes. The carbs were not as bad as I had thought. The hardest part so far has been fooling with getting these carbs on, they are still not on correctly.

I still have to take the carbs off and adjust the floats to 22.4 as well.

This is probably a dumb question, but is there any way I could maybe make the bike pick up when I roll the throttle? I mean it picks up, but barely at all..would that be because of the vaccum leak?

Thanks again for everything Koolaid! I owe you a case of beer!

Congrats, dude. This has been an epic adventure, hasn't it?
You can do the fastest idle synch while you find someone in the Cinci area with a CarbTune. Again, well done.

I know I will get **** for this, but I wanted so bad to ride tonight...

Got home, proceeded to the bike. Somehow got three of the four airbox boots seated on the carbs. one is on but not clamped.

Put on tank and new fuel line and vaccum line. Fresh fuel.

Held choke wide open, fired right up! white smoked for 2 minutes then died... well damn.

I turned the air mixture screws out once more to 3 total each. I turned the idle screw in a little bit.

Held choke out about 1/4 it fired up and ran for 5 minutes, let out choke died...

Turned the idle screw a little more in. No choke fired it up, it idles about 1100 rpm!

Granted when I twist throttle hard it dies, and on the road twisting throttle it doesn't really get up and go.

But it felt SOOO good to get out and ride for just 20 minutes!!!

Fellow GSers, I mean this not as a slap in the face. I thank you all so much for all your help.

I am still going to get new airbox boots and get it vaccum synced.

Felt so nice to ride...

Almost broke my back tonight. No luck getting the carbs on. I discovered two tears in a airbox boot, so I might as well try and find some new ones.

So close, yet so far....

[Octain]

IIRC I had to put the clamps on afterwards. Just bent them into the shape I needed then maneuvered em around the boot using various tools and a flashlight. I was using old oem clamps. In your case it might not hurt to purchase a set(Yeah, more money). Or find someone on the board who might give ya a deal. I dont have any or I'd send em to ya. You really need oem clamps instead of some makeshift radiator hose clamp.

Dude, no kidding, the carbs on this bike are a serious royal pain.
Keep at it!!

[cowboyup3371]

It feels flimsy but it doesn't take much to move it and it won't break. I used the tip of a screwdriver and barely pressed on it. If it does break, I think you'll have other issues to worry about anyway.

Because the fluid is drawn up into the jets. It has to be at the correct level for the jets to function properly.
Case in point: I purchased my GPz for a song because the OP could not get any power out of it. I did a bunch of other work to it and then rebuilt the carbs. He had the float level set too low. It runs like a striped ape now.
Second case: I picked up a second set of carbs for my GS for next to nothing. The OP said he could not get them to work correctly so he gave up. I rebuilt them and guess what: He had the float level set too low. They now reside on my GS.
If yours are set at that level then you are not measuring correctly. Please read Nessism's tutorial on rebuilding carbs and take special care to understand how to check the level. It is critical on these carbs.

Granted I have no idea what the PO and PPO have done to these carbs, but I assume someone could of messed with the floats and set them to 19.4? As 22.4 should be factory, correct?

Either way I will try again to get them to read 22.4, but the adjust pin feels flimsy.

If this is the case, why does the service manual say 22.4 on the float level? Mine is set to 19.4, the adjust tabs felt like they were going to snap, so I laid off.

Because the fluid is drawn up into the jets. It has to be at the correct level for the jets to function properly.
Case in point: I purchased my GPz for a song because the OP could not get any power out of it. I did a bunch of other work to it and then rebuilt the carbs. He had the float level set too low. It runs like a striped ape now.
Second case: I picked up a second set of carbs for my GS for next to nothing. The OP said he could not get them to work correctly so he gave up. I rebuilt them and guess what: He had the float level set too low. They now reside on my GS.
If yours are set at that level then you are not measuring correctly. Please read Nessism's tutorial on rebuilding carbs and take special care to understand how to check the level. It is critical on these carbs.