Bike not running well, triage needed

[Guest]

82 GS1100G

here is the background:

Early last summer:
replaced bad ignitor
installed dyna green coils
carbs rebuilt per the guide here, float heights set correctly
carbs seated in boots, new intake manifold o-rings and bolts, torque is correct
stock/oem airbox rebuilt with foam seals and filter, and while not new, it's clean enough for the moment to avoid air issues
spark on all 4 plugs
fuel coming from all 4 carb float bowl drain plugs when the plugs are loosened

bike fired right up - carb sync was close enough that the bike idled ok, a bit of a stumble when throttle was blipped but no big deal, on the right track. Would have been rideable without issue.

bike sat and battery drained pretty quickly, other parts of life took over and I let the project languish for the winter thinking that I needed to address a short in the R/R

Got back into it last month, want to ride:

Installed new battery and new duaneage honda R/R

Went to fire bike up. No go. Shot of ether into #1, bike fires and runs but runs like total garbage, requires 1/2 choke or more to keep going. Won't idle, like it's running on 2 cyl. So I'm thinking carbs/fuel, or flipped coils (2-3 firing when 1-4 is signaled). Coils are correct 2-3 signal connected to 2-3 coil. Flip coils to see if problem changes because of bad coil, no impact

Pull carbs, go through them again. Some mung in the bottom of the bowls from sitting but nothing anywhere near approaching "OMG look at this crap", all jets clear. But I soak everything and go through the rebuild again.

started on setting valve gap, but only have current shim sizes so far and no metric feeler gauge to figure out what shims I need.

compression is not great, but the bike hasn't been really run in ages and valve gap not set. between 90 and 120 across all 4. valves are "close enough" for the moment given the compression I'd think. Plus it ran before with no valve train changes since then

battery full charge

reinstall carbs, airbox, fuel tank, new fuel, confirm fuel in all 4 bowls.

Same problem, runs like crap, requires choke to stay alive. stumbles hard, unridable, won't idle

thoughts?

[Rover]

If it was my bike I would get the valves gapped,double ck the carbs are clean and ride the bastard hard if possible.Need to run bikes and cars,sitting is bad.
Then see where you are at.Good luck.

[tom203]

"......same problem, runs like crap, requires choke to stay alive. stumbles hard, unridable, won't idle"

Your idle circuit passages are clogged- the jets can be wide open but the internal passages (that you can't see) are gunked up from winter sitting. Did you dip them???

[miked]

Your idle circuit passages are clogged- the jets can be wide open but the internal passages (that you can't see) are gunked up from winter sitting. Did you dip them???

yes, and blew them out with compressed air, but I'll check them again

[Steve]

I see two flags being raised here.

..., other parts of life took over and I let the project languish for the winter ... Got back into it last month, want to ride:

...

started on setting valve gap, but only have current shim sizes so far and no metric feeler gauge to figure out what shims I need.

To address the first issue, you need to do a full "strip-and-dip" carb cleaning. (<-- click the link)

To address the second issue, you don't really "need" metric feelers to do the job. A 0.0015" feeler is usually the thinnest in an INCH set, it is VERY close to the desired minimum. A 0.003" feeler is similarly close to the maximum clearance. You can do a valve adjustment (don't forget to order a gasket) while waiting for the carbs in the dip.

Yes, the carb "dip" process is not quick. You will leave each carb in the dip for about 24 hours, so it will take several days to do the whole job.

One other tool that is useful for a valve adjustment is in my signature.

.

[miked]

@Steve, did the intensive strip and dip last winter, last time was just a quickie though, will go back through an intensive again dotting i's and crossing t's

Have your spreadsheet, good stuff. Used thick weedwacker string vs zipties to get the current valve shims out and documented. I have a std feeler gauge, I'll have a look at some of the clearances while the carbs are soaking

Feeling like this is a carb issue vs something else, so I'm trying to be sure that I'm chasing the right problem. Anybody disagree?

[chuck hahn]

FYI TIP...

Take the basket out and 2 carb bodies will fit in the can side by side. gets all 4 done in two dipping sessions. You can add a few bowls in as space will permit once the bodies are in if you wish.

Bowls will easily clean up with some carb spray and a green dish scrubbie though. Make sure you spray the scrubbie and not into the bowls..it will spray back into your face!!!!

[Steve]

I'll go ya one better, Chuck.

I have two cans of dip.

.

[Steve]

Used thick weedwacker string vs zipties to get the current valve shims out and documented.

Was that a single strand or was it folded?

If it was just a single strand, you stand a chance of pinching off the end and leaving it in the cylinder.

Using a folded zip-tie (or maybe a folded weedwhacker string) reduces the chance of leaving anything behind.

.

[chuck hahn]

Steve...I am ghetto rich. Which mean I can only afford 1 can of dip at a time...HA HA.

[miked]

Was that a single strand or was it folded?

folded, worked better than the huge ziptie that I didn't have. Small ziptie I had, but wouldn't drop bucket enough to get shim out past cam lobe.

[subforry]

I think you covered this, but just to make sure. Is fuel flowing from the petcock and the fuel lines are clear? I have seen and done lots of tail chasing only for there to a hair ball in a fuel line.

[miked]

I think you covered this, but just to make sure. Is fuel flowing from the petcock and the fuel lines are clear? I have seen and done lots of tail chasing only for there to a hair ball in a fuel line.

The fuel line is not clear, OEM black rubber. Fuel line was verified clear of obstructions when I pulled the carbs the 2nd time.

But I loosen the carb bowl drain plugs enough to allow fuel to dribble out. Fuel wants to pour out if I loosen the drain plugs any further. I don't think it's a petcock starvation issue

[chuck hahn]

Its not a starvation issue as far as getting fuel to the crabs is concerned. The fuel starvation we are talking about is in getting the fuel to flow THRU the carbs. TO and THRU are worlds apart.

[miked]

Its not a starvation issue as far as getting fuel to the crabs is concerned. The fuel starvation we are talking about is in getting the fuel to flow THRU the carbs. TO and THRU are worlds apart.

agree - @Tom203 pointed out above the problem in the idle/pilot circuit, so I'm re-dipping the carbs to make sure flow is thru all the circuits. Digging in on that tonight

I read @subforry as making sure that fuel was getting TO and responded with that in mind