Another project GS550ES, needing some help...

[Jbeaber]

As posted elsewhere, the Por-15 kit has been applied. Just waiting for a brand spanking new stock petcock to install. That should take care of fuel delivery. I will still install a fuel filter. It certainly can't hurt.
So, in the mean time I changed the oil in the bike. I have gotten the bike running on all four cylinders. I was hoping that after I took care of the fuel delivery, I would be able to put the bike on the road briefly to make sure everything else worked (make the the bike would move!).
So, after the oil change I put everything back together. I needed to run the bike a bit after the oil change. For a while, only one half of the engine would get going. Then the other half (which I have had a lot of trouble with) joined in the party. Now, however, the engine will turn over once and sound like it is going to start, then die. Subsequent attempts to get it started completely fail. I think I'm going to dive back into the carb system and make sure everything is as it should be. I have time while waiting for the new petcock. The air filter is a train wreck and needs to be replaced. I have taken it out of the system for now. Does this sound familiar to anyone?

[Jbeaber]

It moves!!!!

Hot Damn, she's back on the road! Lots of things figured out recently. I got a new petcock for the bike yesterday. I installed this into the newly por-15'd fuel tank and filled her on up. It was so nice to finally have a constant source of fuel that did not involve a funnel. The bike can run nicely with the new fuel tank. It does have a problem, though. It's not experiencing a vacuum from the the carbs. It runs well on prime, but not on 'on' or reserve. I need to check the pull on it while the engine is running. Just ran out of time tonight.
I did have a second interesting issue that isn't 100% fixed yet. Whenever it runs there is white smoke from the exhaust. The amount of smoke increases with RPM. What we think is going on is that in the years of sitting, the bike has accumulated a significant amount of moisture in the tailpipes. If you look at a GS550ES, the tailpipes are ever so slightly pointed up, perfectly designed to collect rain for a bike abandoned outside for a long period of time. It's going to take time, but it should all burn off. It was leaking a little from the exhaust pipes, dripping a nasty black liquid. That has reduced as I have run it more recently.
So, need to play more with the petcock to get the vacuum pulling fuel down. I need to get the the fork seals and tires dealt with. I also need to gather a bunch of things to make it street legal. All the turn signals were broken and there were no mirrors. Right now I am just so damn happy to have the engine running and have shown that the bike can run. Woohoo!!!!\\/\\/\\/\\/

[TheCafeKid]

Hey J..your fuel problem..Did you infact install an inline filter to your fuel line?? That may be part of the problem if you did...especially if its not in a near straight up and down fashion. Just a thought.

[Jbeaber]

I actually chose to forgo the fuel filter. It looks as though the Por-15 kit really did it's job. i have looked around the interior of the fuel tank as much as I can and am very satisfied with how it came out. The kit is definitely worth doing if you have the time and patience for it. I will do some testing tonight on the petcock function.
1. Take the fuel line off and put a tube on the petcock in its place running to a collection cup. Put vacuum line portion normally connected to carbs in mouth and suck. see if fuel flows.
2. Disconnect vacuum line from tank with tank on prime. Start bike and see if I can feel a pull.
Then take it from there.
Does anyone have experience in knowing if removing the California emissions equipment might have an effect? I have sort of plugged up the holes in the carbs, but can do a better job. If a better job needs to be done, what have people plugged up carb holes with?

[TheCafeKid]

Woah woah woah...what holes did you plug up?? Got a pic?? I doan think any holes need to be plugged up anywhere..

[Jbeaber]

So, there is a tube that comes out of each carb (2 for each carb assembly). All four of the tubes connect in a plastic linker. A single tube leads off of the linker to where the emissions system used to be. It's now gone. I have plugged up the hole in the linker, just one hole.

[TheCafeKid]

Huh...First ive NEVER dealt with one of these bikes, so dont take what i say for the gospel. Are they perhaps vent lines? If so you shouldnt plug them up. Secondly, you may actually be better off pulling the tubes off completely. Again i'd check with someone who has a better knowlege of your particular bike, but i would chance to guess that's in fact what they are, and they probably hooked up originally to some type of filter or something to keep the gas fumes from venting cleanly to air. Thanks Cali...anyway let me know what you find out as now my own curiosity is peaked.

[Jbeaber]

I'll definitely keep posting. Always good just in case someone else runs into the same problem down the road. Tonight I am going to look into getting new signals and mirrors for the bike. It has none and now the bike seems like it is worth spending money on. Then i hope to check out the petcock function as described above. Also, going to contact a shop about tires and fork seals. I tried to replace the fork seals on my last project. I did the labor twice with no success then went to a professional. This time, going straight to a pro. Save myself the time, mess and frustration.

[LeeGS550E]

Glad to hear that the POR-15 worked out for you, as well as the bike firing up. It sounds to me as if you have a California spec bike, since you had an emissions system. Did you say there are 4 hoses that connect together to go that way, or just 2? I would think you could simply plug them off, since they would be some sort of vaccum line or recirculating line? As far as your petcock goes, do you feel vaccum at the hose, and are you sure its connected in the right spot?

[Jbeaber]

It is a Cali bike. My mechanic didn't think the emissions system would have any influence on anything. There are four tubes, one from each carb. They all connect in a plastic piece . I have the outlet of that plastic piece plugged. What would you recommend plugging with? The set up i have now is definitely not optimal. Hopefully that is not the problem for the vacuum. I am going to bring some new tubing home to see if it might be a problem and then conduct the tests I mentioned above. Hopefully this will be a simple fix. Just having the bike running and taking it out briefly last night. i also had major concerns about what the smoke was. That problem is fading in time and the bike is no longer dripping fluid. All indications are that the liquid is nearly gone.

[LeeGS550E]

It is a Cali bike. My mechanic didn't think the emissions system would have any influence on anything. There are four tubes, one from each carb. They all connect in a plastic piece . I have the outlet of that plastic piece plugged. What would you recommend plugging with? The set up i have now is definitely not optimal. Hopefully that is not the problem for the vacuum. I am going to bring some new tubing home to see if it might be a problem and then conduct the tests I mentioned above. Hopefully this will be a simple fix. Just having the bike running and taking it out briefly last night. i also had major concerns about what the smoke was. That problem is fading in time and the bike is no longer dripping fluid. All indications are that the liquid is nearly gone.

I can't really say much as far as the smoke/fluid. I think your theory about water is fine. Have you checked the oil on this bike to make sure it has not been thinned by any gas leaking into the oil? Not necessarily related, but if the cylinders had filled with gas by leaking past the needles, this could make some smoke as well. Just think out loud on that one, though.

You are saying there is a tube from each of the (4) carbs, but these bikes only have (2) carbs. Are you saying one from each side of the 2 carbs? As far as plugging them off, I would eliminate the hose altogether, and use a rubber vaccum port cap on the nipple where the hose hooks to the carb. Any auto parts store will have a package of generic rubber caps that are made for this purpose.

[Jbeaber]

So, interesting carb setup on the GS550ES. It has four cylinders, obviously. The four carbs are organized into two units. Each unit consists of two carbs that share a single float bowl. The two bodies are connected by some brackets and a metal tube that provides fuel from one side that receives it from the petcock to the other. Each individual carb has a line out of it to the emissions system.

[LeeGS550E]

Ok, I see how you were wording it now. Yes, those carbs are interesting, to say the least. Really the one off model of all the GS's. But honestly, I didn't find them to be problematic. Certainly easier to balance, due to the one adjustment. With help from an expert, I was able to tune mine to the Kerker pipe that I had on it, and I was really happy with that little motor. But then I discovered second gear had problems, so I had to swap it out for a 700 engine that showed up on craigslist. :-D

[Jbeaber]

I'm fortunate that the engine seems pretty well intact. The bike just had issues from being neglected for 6 or 7 years. The gas tank was a mess, the carbs were very dirty, lots of water in the pipes and just needing a general cleanup. The seat is in bad shape but I got a better one from the forum. The grips are trashed, but I wanted to remove them to slip some grip warmers on underneath. i also love the fact that I found a fully faired version of the bike. It's going to be fun once it is 100% up and running. I spoke to a shop about the fork seals and tires today!

[Jbeaber]

What a successful night. So, I figured out the vacuum issue. First I tested the petcock function. I put the petcock into the on function and sucked on the vacuum hose. Gas flowed. Then I went to identify the issue with the vacuum from the carbs. Damn the California specific bikes. There are so many nipples and attachments on it that I got confused. I had lines connected to several of them and felt around until I felt that little pulsing vacuum. Found it! Not the one I had connected. So, now that has been changed. So, i think I now have smooth fuel delivery and a happy engine. Life is good! So, now on to the other issues.
I removed the rear wheel with the bike on the center stand. Then using tie downs and some heavy weights I got the front wheel off the ground. I propped up the bike and then removed the front wheel and fork tubes. I will drop all of that off with a mechanic this weekend. Then the bike, on a whole, will be in good shape. I want to get some new front brake pads. They got hit with fork oil and are no longer safe. Then, the laundry list of ofther parts I need....
1. mirrors
2. turn signals
3. air filter
I'm waiting for the new seat to arrive.
Then to figure out how to get the fairings back on. So, update in a few days.....