Carb Cleanup - Bike wont start

[Anonymous]

I just finished cleaning out my carbs on my 83 GS550E. I took it upon myself to take the carbs apart with the help of an online manual provided here. Got thru it ok, cleaned about 80% of the carb. Before I put the bike all back together I wanted to see if it would start and no luck. Im not 100% the hoses are in the right place. I know the vacuum pipe is in the right location because I was unable to take it off. I put the gas line where I figured it went. The breather pipe is where I get lost. The 2 nozzles for the breather pipe (on either carb) seems to have the same pipe. I.E. One nozzle remains open while the other one has a pipe going nowhere. I cant think of where it goes. I know I should have made a diagram but I had to learn the hard way. Any help would get me out of a real bind

Thanks a lot

[lhanscom]

Welcome neighbor! Your carbs have a vac hose, that goes to the petcock, a fuel hose that goes to the petcock, and 2 breathers that go nowhere. Actually I think they're usually routed over the airbox, but it really doesn't matter too much. If you need some hands on help just let me know, you're all of 10 or 15 minutes away from me.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely Fantastic lhanscom. Good to know that 1, theres a GS rider in Maine, 2 you live so close and 3 you're willing to help. I've connected the fuel line and vacuum hose to the petcock. Theres a breather nozzle on each carb. The breather nozzle is located on the left side of the right carb in between the fuel and vacuum nozzle, which you probably already know. (phew, breath) The one hose goes nowhere. ...something just came to me. Are there 2 breather hoses for each nozzle? and are those the ones? "and 2 breathers that go nowhere. Actually I think they're usually routed over the airbox, but it really doesn't matter too much."

Well lhanscom, thank you for the time. BTW do you have MSN or any other messenger?

- Matt

[Dave_A]

Absolutely Fantastic lhanscom. Good to know that 1, theres a GS rider in Maine, 2 you live so close and 3 you're willing to help. I've connected the fuel line and vacuum hose to the petcock. Theres a breather nozzle on each carb. The breather nozzle is located on the left side of the right carb in between the fuel and vacuum nozzle, which you probably already know. (phew, breath) The one hose goes nowhere. ...something just came to me. Are there 2 breather hoses for each nozzle? and are those the ones? "and 2 breathers that go nowhere. Actually I think they're usually routed over the airbox, but it really doesn't matter too much."

Well lhanscom, thank you for the time. BTW do you have MSN or any other messenger?

- Matt

Carb hoses:

Vacuum line: from the top of #2 carb to the petcock (small petcock spout)

Fuel line: from in-between #2 & #3 to the petcock (large petcock spout)

Vents: from in-between #1/#2 and #3/#4 (2 hoses) to wherever you want them to go...

[Anonymous]

I only have 2 carbs. Whats the #3 and #4?

[Anonymous]

They're typical on in-line 4-cylinders....one carb per cylinder.

[lhanscom]

I thought the 550 was a 4 cyl? Oh well, if you only have 2 carbs, you probably only have 1 breather, but I've never seen how the 2 carb models look first hand.

[first timer]

in 83 suzuki went to a 16v head for the 550. they kept it a 4 cylinder but redesigned the carbs. there are only 2 physical carb bodies on the 83+ bikes but each carb body supplies 2 of the cylinders. so it basiclly have 4 carbs it just looks like 2, did i make that confuseing enough.

-ryan

[lhanscom]

did i make that confuseing enough.

I think so, but I'm not quite sure.

[Dave_A]

550 is a 4cyl

The 450 is a 2cyl, in which case you will only have ONE breather hose...

Oh, the GS500 is also a 2cyl, but that's a MUCH newer bike...

[Anonymous]

yah the 83 GS550 is an inline-4 with 2 carb bodies like first timer explained. I do beleive there is 2 breather hoses.