Plugs are pitch black

[Mr Toga]

Hello everyone. Having some problems with my bike. Its having a real hard time running under load. Looking at the plugs, they are pretty much pitch black. I understand that its running rich. Very rich. I've gone through and cleaned the carbs twice already. I'm pretty sure the choke is disengaged. They all are pushed in. What's the best way to diagnose the carbs? I'm thinking it might be the needle and seats (I really screwed them up taking them out and had to drill to get them back to an okay condition) but am not sure. Any suggestions?

On a similar note, the bike is a pita to start. As soon as I push the button, its fires, for about a second. After that, it takes quite the effort to get her going. This only occurs cold though. And yes, I adjusted all of the valve clearances.

Thanks in advance everyone. You guys have been priceless to me so far.

[Nessism]

I'm thinking it might be the needle and seats (I really screwed them up taking them out and had to drill to get them back to an okay condition) but am not sure.

What does this mean? How do you drill an needle and seat?

[Mr Toga]

I bent the sidewalls back then had to drill the very tip in order to get the needle to fit in

[twr1776]

#1 Today, 04:28 PM Mr Toga I'm thinking it might be the needle and seats (I really screwed them up taking them out and had to drill to get them back to an okay condition)

+ 1, I was not aware you could drill them either.

[doctorgonzo]

Root of my running super rich for quite some time.... I put the spacers on the wrong side of the e-clip on the needle... DOH! I discovered this when I tore the carbs down a few weks ago. I must have been smoking some good stuff the night I did that.

[Mr Toga]

Root of my running super rich for quite some time.... I put the spacers on the wrong side of the e-clip on the needle... DOH! I discovered this when I tore the carbs down a few weks ago. I must have been smoking some good stuff the night I did that.

They go on top of the clip correct?

[jacora]

Did you check the float heights??
Probably the carbs are running flooded.
jacora

[tkent02]

Yes, the thick one goes on top.

Are you talking about drilling the needle valve and it's seat that controls the level of fuel in the float bowl? Or did you drill the needle jet where the jet needle goes? The needle with the clip that goes in the slide?

It sounds like maybe your needle valve on the floats were damaged and are not controlling fuel into the bowl, and the fuel level is too high, so it is running rich.

[Mr Toga]

I drilled the Needle Valve. Tkent, this is my thought as well. I was wondering if there was a way I can test that to make sure it is the problem. I'd hate to spend $100 on needle valves and seats if I don't need to.

[tkent02]

Test the fuel level in the carbs while the engine is running. The tast is in the Suzuki manual, with the correct spec for your bike. You need to make up some special drilled bowl drain screws so you can attach a small clear hose to the drain screw, hold the hose alongside the carb when the engine is idling, the fuel in the hose will be at the level of the fuel inside the bowl. It should be something like 1 mm or maybe 2 mm below the surface where the bowl joins the carburetor body. Again, the spec is in the manual.

This will tell you if your floats and needle valves are doing their job.

[jacora]

You can find 4 complete kits for less than $80 in eBay, have spare extra kits is a good idea.

http://motors.shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=gs1100+carburetor&_sacat=&_trksid=p4506.m270.l1313&_dmpt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&_odkw=honda+cbr900+rotors+front&_osacat=0

Or make some search in the following link; http://www.preferredpowersports.com

[Guest]

Test the fuel level in the carbs... It should be something like 1 mm or maybe 2 mm below the surface where the bowl joins the carburetor body. Again, the spec is in the manual.

This will tell you if your floats and needle valves are doing their job.

Should be 5mm below the bowl lip...

I drilled a hole through an extra bowl plug and brazed a short piece of tubing in it (although epoxy is fine). Simply run a length of clear plastic tubing from that nipple up along the side of the carb; doesn't matter how long the tubing is, it will find it's own "level" (which will be the same as what's in the float bowl).

As Tkent says, simply measure the gap between the bowl/carb mounting lip, and the fuel level in the tubing - the fuel should be lower by 5mm if the floats are set right.

[Guest]

Did you use an inch and a half drill bit?

[Mr Toga]

Did you use an inch and a half drill bit?

No, I used an inch and five eighths. Did I go too big?