Starting Problem 87 GS300

[ntjoe]

Hi,

Firstly I want to say this site is great. I got my bike as a basket case for $90 bucks. Once put togther the bike would start, but leaked gas like crazy. I took the carbs out, saw how filled with crap they were, tore them down and soaked them in carb cleaner for a day and put it all back together. I know I didnt leave any parts out. Now she wont start unless I use starting spray a few times. If I dont you the spray it will just turn until the battery is dead. Once I use the spray a few times, she will start and run good. After that if she sits for more than 20 minutes I cant start her unless I use the spray for a quick shot or two. This is my first bike, so I have to admit I am a huge amatuer. Always been a car gearhead.

I searched and didnt find anything. The bike had a vacuum line from the petcock but it was unhooked. I have no idea where its supposed to be hooked up at. I dont know if this is the problem or not.

I would appreciate any help at all, and apologize for the long post, and my ineptitude.

[focus frenzy]

the vacume line from the petcock goes to a nippple on the backside top of the right carb. (right side as you sit on it)
that could be enough of a vacume leak to cause starting issues, but you also need to make sure the air filter is good and installed.
also the tiny passages the gas and air for the choke pass through may be clogged as soaking them wont always get them clean.

[ntjoe]

the vacume line from the petcock goes to a nippple on the backside top of the right carb. (right side as you sit on it)
that could be enough of a vacume leak to cause starting issues, but you also need to make sure the air filter is good and installed.
also the tiny passages the gas and air for the choke pass through may be clogged as soaking them wont always get them clean.

BLESS YOU!!!!

I made the change, and was able to start the bike WITHOUT starting fluid for the first time in ever.

Thanks for the assist. I'm going to let the bike sit for about 30 minutes, which would normally require starting fluid on a restart, and see what she does.

Thanks, Joe

[focus frenzy]

you are welcome!!!

if you ever get the desire to put a front disc brake on it, the forks and wheel for a GS 250 should bolt right up.

[earlfor]

Good job Leon!

Earl

[ntjoe]

Well, I spoke too soon. I just tried to start it again and back to the same thing. I've been looking over the carb overhaul guide and I didnt remove the needle jet using the dowel. I left it in there when I soaked the carb. I dont know if that would cause my problem, but it seems like a good place to start.

Still thanks for the help though....I'm sure I'll be asking many more here,
[-o<

[focus frenzy]

once it is warmed up how does it run??
it could be as simple as the adjustment of the choke cable

[ntjoe]

once it is warmed up how does it run??
it could be as simple as the adjustment of the choke cable

Once I have used the starting spray to get it going, it runs fine. I havent tried it with spray tonight, as they neighbors might not like it much. But before I hooked up the vacuum line it was a few minutes of spraying to get it to run, almost like it had no fuel. I have checked the bowls and it has fuel.

[earlfor]

Do you know your bike is designed such that you can use choke or throttle, but not both at the same time? If you pull out the choke and twist throttle, the throttle takes priority. Standard proceedure is to engage the choke, press the start button and manipulate the choke as a throttle if need be. Do not touch the throttle when starting the bike. Once its running on choke, then transition to throttle. Twisting the throttle cancels the action of the choke regardless of still holding choke.

Earl

[ntjoe]

Do you know your bike is designed such that you can use choke or throttle, but not both at the same time? If you pull out the choke and twist throttle, the throttle takes priority. Standard proceedure is to engage the choke, press the start button and manipulate the choke as a throttle if need be. Do not touch the throttle when starting the bike. Once its running on choke, then transition to throttle. Twisting the throttle cancels the action of the choke regardless of still holding choke.

Earl

Thanks for the info. Well, I've been gone a week on vacation with the family to Disney and got back yesterday. Now, the bike is a bear to start even with starting fluid, no matter what I do with the choke, or throttle. I'm going to mess more with it today and will advise on the progress.

I have to say I imagine my problem is something with the carbs, although once it gets running it runs fine.....

[Billy Ricks]

Thanks for the info. Well, I've been gone a week on vacation with the family to Disney and got back yesterday. Now, the bike is a bear to start even with starting fluid, no matter what I do with the choke, or throttle. I'm going to mess more with it today and will advise on the progress.

I have to say I imagine my problem is something with the carbs, although once it gets running it runs fine.....

Try using the prime function on the petcock when starting and see if it helps.

[ntjoe]

Does anyone have any idea where the problem might lie on this? From my car days I feel that the bike isnt getting gas, and thats why it only fires with starting fluid. I'm used to cars with the carbs that have accelerator pumps that shoot streams of gas when you hit the throttle, I assume the bike uses some gravity/vacuum feed. When I unhook the petcock, it does have fuel come out in PRI. I have tried to start the bike in PRI to see if that helps but nothing. Once the bike is started using starting fluid, it runs fine.

I apologize again for my lack of bike knowledge.

[ntjoe]

Try using the prime function on the petcock when starting and see if it helps.

Tried it and no good. Course now I am out of starting spray so I might need to give up at this point.

Right now it acts like it has no gas, however the tank is full and if I remove the bowl screw on the bottom it leaks out. I know its getting spark. Funny thing is when I got the bike it leaked profusely out of the left side bowl when the bowl filled in prime, but it started fine without any starting spray. I took the carbs out, cleaned them as they were filthy, and now it wont start without spray. I imagine something I did during the cleaning is causing this problem.

[Billy Ricks]

Do you have the ability to do a compression check? Valves may also need adjustment.

[ntjoe]

Do you have the ability to do a compression check? Valves may also need adjustment.

I think I have isolated the problem. I pulled the carbs apart and it appears that I didnt do as good a job as I thought I did in cleaning them out. I didnt look at the carb series on the main page for this site, and missed some things when I took it apart. For example, the pilot jets, while looking slightly different, are completely stopped up on the end holes.

Right now the carbs are in pieces soaking. We'll see how she does when shes back together.