Won't start cold. Jetting too aggresive?

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  • Steamroller
    • Jan 2026
    #1

    Won't start cold. Jetting too aggresive?

    I've got an '83 gs650. It has pod filters and shorty mufflers on it with the Dynojet stage 3 kit. Rode great all summer. I let it sit for over a month. It ran a few days ago. I did a few laps around the neighborhood and it went just fine. However, after a while it just would not make hardly any power with the throttle above idle. Now I tried to start it today and I could only get it to idle for a minute on full choke. It is 55 degrees F today in Iowa (Hardly even cold yet). I could try it again with some starting fluid, lighter weight oil, and maybe a space heater.

    Thoughts? Is the jetting just to aggressive for the colder weather? Anyone else with these mods run into this problem?
    Tags: cold start, wont start cold
    • Guest
      #2
      Check your battery.

        Comment

        • Steamroller
          #3
          >Check your battery

          Battery was fine. I will probably have to put it on the charger since I wore it down a bit by cranking on the starter so much.

            Comment

            • Guest
              #4
              Well, if you didn't make any changes, then it's probably bad gas or something got into the fuel and clogged something up. I've seen posts where rust breaks loose from inside the tank and clogs up the needle jets.

              I'd start by draining out all the gas, including what's in the bowls and put fresh gas in. It could be your needles or floats are gummed up and is letting just enough gas in over time to fill the bowls and get it started but not flowing enough to keep up with demand. I would also check all the spark plugs by pulling them and making sure each has a nice fat spark. Also, take a look at the color of the plugs and let us know what they look like.

              If all that checks out and the problem still persists, it's time to pull the carbs and go through them.

              Jetting isn't going to change on it's own and 55 degree's is not could enough to create a major jetting change requirement in my experience.

                Comment

                • Guest
                  #5
                  Make sure you have gas in the tank... sounds stupid, but I've been known to overlook something that simple

                  Also, check the fuel line isn't kinked. Is there a fuel filter on the line?

                    Comment

                    • Steve
                      GS Whisperer
                      • Jun 2005
                      • 35924
                      • southwest oHIo
                      #6
                      Actually, "aggressive" jetting will work BETTER in cold weather.

                      When is the last time you checked your valve clearances?

                      .
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                        • 850 Combat
                          Forum Guru
                          Past Site Supporter
                          • Sep 2006
                          • 6018
                          • Spokane, WA, and Hampden, ME
                          #7
                          Tight valves can cause difficult cold starting.
                          sigpic Too old, too many bikes, too many cars, too many things

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                            • Guest
                              #8
                              Tight valves are not going to cause the bike not to accept throttle...And it's hard starting cold, not hot when the clearances are tighter.

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                                • tkent02
                                  Forum LongTimer
                                  Past Site Supporter
                                  • Jan 2006
                                  • 35571
                                  • Near South Park
                                  #9
                                  OK don't check the valves then. That'll work fine.
                                  http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...tatesMap-1.jpg

                                  Life is too short to ride an L.

                                    Comment

                                    • Guest
                                      #10
                                      Originally posted by Sci85
                                      Tight valves are not going to cause the bike not to accept throttle...And it's hard starting cold, not hot when the clearances are tighter.
                                      Not true........

                                        Comment

                                        • Guest
                                          #11
                                          I'm not saying don't check them. Its always on the list of must do items. I am saying that based on his description of the problem, tight valves are most likely not the issue. The OP stated the bike ran just fine a few days ago then started having problems. Valves don't get tight and cause a bike to not take,throttle overnight.
                                          Last edited by Guest; 10-30-2013, 12:29 AM.

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                                            • tkent02
                                              Forum LongTimer
                                              Past Site Supporter
                                              • Jan 2006
                                              • 35571
                                              • Near South Park
                                              #12
                                              Originally posted by Sci85
                                              Valves don't get tight and cause a bike to not take,throttle overnight.
                                              Maybe or maybe not, but tight valves turn into burnt valves, they can cause all kinds of problems.
                                              Can't hurt to check, might be the problem.
                                              Might not.
                                              It's probably a carburetion issue going by the modified intake and no mention of doing any testing of jetting, but tight valves could certainly be contributing to the problem.
                                              Could be anything from ignition to gas tank venting to a clogged exhaust, he didn't give us much information to go on.
                                              Last edited by tkent02; 10-30-2013, 04:25 AM.
                                              http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...tatesMap-1.jpg

                                              Life is too short to ride an L.

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                                                • Guest
                                                  #13
                                                  Maybe or maybe not, but tight valves turn into burnt valves, they can cause all kinds of problems.
                                                  True. Didn't think about that one.

                                                  Hopefully he's done some troubleshooting and will reply back with the outcome.

                                                    Comment

                                                    • tom203
                                                      Forum Guru
                                                      Past Site Supporter
                                                      • Aug 2010
                                                      • 8925
                                                      • Norway,Maine
                                                      #14
                                                      Either no gas or bad gas (sat idle for month). mine started fine at 42 degrees yesterday and behaved/ran normally unlike me who was freezing!
                                                      1981 gs650L

                                                      "We are all born ignorant, but you have to work hard to stay stupid" Ben Franklin

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                                                        • Steamroller
                                                          #15
                                                          The bike ran great all summer with the dynojet and pipes/pods.

                                                          I took the tank off in order to mess with some electrical stuff and it sat for about 4-5 weeks. Is that long enough for the gas to turn bad?

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