Help, Chicago bike builders / Carb Rebuild

[ronc650]

Hello, I have been on the forum and bought my 82 GS650E about a week ago. I bought it cheap and it started only (When I pulled out the chock) other wise it die's.

So, I plan to make a cool bobber so I ripped apart the bike and took off the carbs figuring I will need to clean them. I aslo found the plugs to be very black. I plan to cut off the exaust and also add the pods.

So, I bought a stage 3 kit, and many, many more parts. I thought I read that this does not have instructions. does anyone have some?

Also would any experienced carb builder be willing to come over and give me a hand? I live in oak forest and would be willing to buy you a case of beer or soda.

I will do all the work I just would feel better haveing someone tell me and show me how to do this. Also I am not sure about sinking the carbs. I don't have this tool. I should have the parts buy Friday so any time Friday, saturday, sunday or what ever works for you!

Thanks in advance for your help! Send me an E-mail and We can set up a time. Thanks Ron

[Nessism]

I'd be glad to help but I typically boycott threads where the person is chopping off their exhaust like you plan. This is irresponsible behavior since the noise you make will hurt the entire motorcycle community at large. Guess it's none of my business other than trying to slap a little common sense into your head.

[Steve]

Not to mention that a 650E is a relatively rare bike.

If it was a desolate wreck that you are going to cut up, go for it, but if it was in basically rideable condition, well, let's just say that there are a few here that would have given up some precious body parts for a good STOCK exhaust system for a 650E.

And I sorta agree with Nessism, ... they don't all have to be as quiet as my Wing, but there is no need to run open pipes. You don't really gain much (if any) power, all you do is irritate those that can hear you and don't appreciate it.

.

[twr1776]

First off, it is your bike and you can do what you want with it but.......I agree with Ed & Steve on cutting off the pipes and running open headers. If your OEM set is decent you would be better off IMHO selling it for a good price and getting a V & H street megaphone. They are not terribly loud at low RPM and your neighbors will appreciate it. It is also my understanding that if you are running open pipes with no restriction you will tend to burn up exhaust valves. Another downside would be that the jet kit you have is meant for a pipe with at least some restriction so jetting might be tough to set up.

I am in the spend the money to upgrade suspension, tires, and overall reliability group first before doing any engine mods. My .02

[ronc650]

Wow, I did not realize that this would effect the motorcycle comunity or my pipes so much.

As my post said I bought this bike a week ago and it only ran with the choke pulled out, so I really never heard the sound.

I was only asking about cutting them because the are dented and rusty and I can't afford new ones. someone on the forum recomended a stage 3 kit with pods and a free flow exaust so, thats what I tought they ment.

I am disapointed that instead of asking me why I want to change them after over 40 views I just got flak about doing it and absolutely no advice on how to jet the carbs.

But I am sure that everyone ment well. I just wish I could get some help being completely new to this bike and the forum I wanted help not a scolding.

[Nessism]

The number one thing you can do to get help is learn to use the search function.

Regarding those pipes again, try the local Harley shop and pick up some cast off mufflers and have them welded onto your stock head pipes. This will make your bike less of a nuisance, and make jetting easier, all while being affordable.

[twr1776]

Yesterday 08:20 PM Nessism The number one thing you can do to get help is learn to use the search function. Regarding those pipes again, try the local Harley shop and pick up some cast off mufflers and have them welded onto your stock head pipes. This will make your bike less of a nuisance, and make jetting easier, all while being affordable.

+ 1 on the Harley pipes. I am sorry if you took my opinion wrong but you did not mention the pipes you had were bad just that you were cutting them off. Unfortunately (IMHO) there are a number of posts here by some who seem to only want to chop up these old bikes to seemingly make them as loud as possible. As I mentioned it is your bike and you can do what you want to it.

Here is a link to Cliffs website which has lots of carb info. My guess is that if you go with the pods & HD pipes the stage 3 kit you could be too rich. Search for plug chops and you will find out where to start testing on your jetting. Carb jetting is not an exact science, it depends on what exactly you have on the intake & exhaust sides to make an educated guess on jet sizing and you still might need to change jets after doing plug chops depending on your plug reads.

Before you start on the jetting you should adjust your valves, and then replace the intake o-rings and boots from the carb to the head or at least verify you have no leaks on either area of the intake side or exhaust side before starting on the jetting. If you are unsure on your plug chop results post what you get and I am sure someone here will help.

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/images/carbspec_float_height.html

[82Shafty]

Here is another 650E member chasing down carb problems, but he seems to have the same set up you are after:

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=155919

Please don't forget that for some of us, restoring or rescuing classic GS's is what we do as a hobby. With that, there is a hidden project code of parts replacement that sort of automatically takes place when we start to bring one of these old girls back to a safe and reliable road condition.

We find that a lot of people come on here looking to just-get-their-bikes-running and we watch them throw a lot of money, time and energy at their project only to later get frustrated and scrap the project, when it could have been easily avoided by doing a little more research into how to go about reviving a classic bike on their part.

I've been turning wrenches for 15 years and have only dabbled in bikes for three, but I can tell you that there is only one place to start and that is square one. Make sure it can possible run. Obviously you did that with having the choke pulled out, so now you have to ask yourself, are you prepared to drop another 500-1000 into it to keep it going and to be reliable?

What...trust me I'm not hooked on crack, but on classic GS's.


Check compression with carbs off
Adj valves with new cam gasket and half moons
Carbs...usually a Robert Barr kit and new intake manifolds...and OEM rebuild kits. 22 a pop for a needle and seat if it's required--Gallon of Berryman is a good investment
Brakes.... SS lines/rebuild calipers possible new pads
Suspension...Progressives all around front and back
Steering stem bearings --clean and regrease...check for problems, replace if required
Ingition...Coil relay mod, new plug caps, new plugs
Tires... new tires and while you are at it, new wheel bearings
Battery...most bikes need a good one
Chain and possible sprockets

Regulator rectifier will usually show up at some point...Duanne sells them for 40 bucks on here...great upgrade
Stators have been known to go bad and also be taken out by the R/R. I have one in stock and probably will just replace it as a good measure. Old one will become a good spare.

Never try to jump your bike from your car while it is running or a battery charger on at all. You can use your car to jump your bike, but your car cannot be running.

Do not feed them after midnight and they do not like bright lights. If you do this evil Harley Davidsons will pop out of them and pollute your garage with rediculous levels of noise and do rag zombies will plague your home.

[ronc650]

Thanks for all the replys, I have decided to keep my pipes stock for now and to rebuild the carbs using barrymans carb dip wich I bought today. I will replace all the o'rings because I bought them here and use all of the original parts as well. And I will hold off on the stage 3 that I already bought untill I get this bike up and running stock. I would realy like to use the pods because the air box seams to be a real pain to reinstall, But if you think it's best I will reuse the air box as well.

I bought this bike for $400 and probally have $400 in parts now including new intake boots. the original ones were siliconed on by probally a 1st grader. (they were horriable) LOL.

I am an over 40's guy who is not trying to create a problem and customize a collector type bike, I just seen a cool bobber bike and thought this would be a fun project for me to get out of the house a littel.

I will most likely keep it stock and may or may not keep it. If it's alot of work to maintaine an old bike I am not sure I have the money, time or paitiance to keep it going. At some point I will have way more in it than it is worth and that scares me.

Thanks again for your reply.