• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

Hanging Idle (I know, but bear with me) and different carbs

Check your fuel tap, place a piece of temporary clear hose from the vacuum port on the fuel tap to the carbs and check if any fuel is entering the vacuum hose
(y) Petcock leaking through the vacuum line seems like a prudent thing to check.
 
Check your fuel tap, place a piece of temporary clear hose from the vacuum port on the fuel tap to the carbs and check if any fuel is entering the vacuum hose, they look like the proper carbs for the bike, there should be a 5 digit number stamped on the side of them just above the float bowls....
View attachment 1786875View attachment 1786876
I think this was it.

Replaced the petcock and tested last night for just a bit and it didn't run away from me like it was. Rode twice today for an hour or so and didn't have any issues.

The startup sequence is a little weird, not sure how long bikes usually take to get warmed up, but if I put on the choke, then open the idle adjust a bit, I can get it to idle without the choke in about 5 minutes. Then once I ride it a bit, I can back the idle adjust out. I'm sure this isn't normal, but it's been working so far.

I did another vacuum leak check with the propane torch and still haven't found anything so I *think* she's running well.

Thanks again to everyone who helped me figure this out and offered multiple things to try and investigate.
 
Idle w/o choke in 5 minutes is a tad long, but letting it idle with (varying amounts of) choke for a few minutes after start up is not improper. Your choke is there for a reason - use it.
On the other hand, the idle set screw is not normally meant to be used every time you ride. Quite the opposite - on a well-running bike, set it and forget it. For a long, long time.

In fact, you seem to be using the idle set screw instead of (or together with choke). See if you can find a start up procedure that doesn't include the idle set screw.
 
Last edited:
Idle w/o choke in 5 minutes is a tad long, but letting it idle with (varying amounts of) choke for a few minutes after start up is not improper. Your choke is there for a reason - use it.
On the other hand, the idle set screw is not normally meant to be used every time you ride. Quite the opposite - on a well-running bike, set it and forget it. For a long, long time.

I fact, you seem to be using the idle set screw instead of (or together with choke). See if you can find a start up procedure that doesn't include the idle set screw.
Yeah I just took it out this morning and it's been giving me issues. It appears to be running too lean still. The sparkplugs are basically spotless.

It rode fine for a minute, but then a few miles down the road after going about 55 in 5th gear, it suddenly lost most of its power. After pulling over and turning it off, it wouldn't even start again unless I did the choke/idle screw nonsense again. Something is still borked regarding fuel.

IMG20260528080703(1).jpg
 
Have you checked the fuel height aka float height ??

are the correct size jets installed ?

sorry just looked at the start of the thread, make sure you have the correct float needles (not to long)

float height adjustment from 17mm to 22mm is a long way out....

and do you have the black rubber caps on the pilot jet orifices ?
 
Last edited:
@LambBrainz If If it loses power and stalls, but starts again after sitting that's a sign the vent in the fuel tank cap is clogged. If that happens again, pull the cap and listen for the tank to inhale. Maybe that's part of what's happening, maybe not....
 
Have you checked the fuel height aka float height ??

are the correct size jets installed ?

sorry just looked at the start of the thread, make sure you have the correct float needles (not to long)

float height adjustment from 17mm to 22mm is a long way out....

and do you have the black rubber caps on the pilot jet orifices ?
Float height should be correct (at least according to several manuals).

I do have correct jets installed

I *think* I have the correct needles, I'd have to check

I do have caps on the orifices
 
@LambBrainz If If it loses power and stalls, but starts again after sitting that's a sign the vent in the fuel tank cap is clogged. If that happens again, pull the cap and listen for the tank to inhale. Maybe that's part of what's happening, maybe not....
This might be it, I filled for gas before the ride and noticed it didn't click like normal but just assumed I did it wrong. I'll try that and see
 
I was just going to say what rphillips did. Wait until it is hot. The choke is for AT LEAST the first 5 minutes to keep it running. If the carbs are in or past the transfer slot it will never idle right.
 
is this a 450? i'm gonna assert that the carbs are just not tuned well. you probably have the idle circuit too lean. if it's anything like mine - my idle screws had to be set at 5 turns out. i'd try turning yours out some more, maybe half a turn at a time, and go test. if this is the problem, you'll notice you can set the idle set screw lower without it dying.
 
Back
Top