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1980 GS1100E: Can't keep her running

  • Thread starter Thread starter bluehwy
  • Start date Start date
bluehwy said:
towards the top right there are threads sticking down. It looks like the bolt/screw has needle size holes in it.
Click to expand...

those are the vacuum ports used for synching the carbs. there should be a bolt in there blocking off the hole or an adaptor for attaching the vacuum hose on. if it is an adaptor it should have a blanking plug on it
 
Agemax said:
those are the vacuum ports used for synching the carbs. there should be a bolt in there blocking off the hole or an adaptor for attaching the vacuum hose on. if it is an adaptor it should have a blanking plug on it
Click to expand...
Ha, sorry, my bad. That was lame of me. I know what those are. I was focused on the picture and didn't use any of my brain.
 
Hmmm

Hmmm

It looks like #1and #2 the float level is high enough that fuel is backing up into the airbleed system then being sucked past the slides . That's why both the slides on those cylinders have fuel residue on them. You need to check the float levels on at least those two. Of course I could be out of my mind....:D

Mad
 
Maddevill said:
It looks like #1and #2 the float level is high enough that fuel is backing up into the airbleed system then being sucked past the slides . That's why both the slides on those cylinders have fuel residue on them. You need to check the float levels on at least those two. Of course I could be out of my mind....:D

Mad
Click to expand...
I'm nervous about taking this on but for good measure I'm going to break them down completely. I am very thankful for you guys and helping me understand what is going on along the way!
 
Maddevill said:
It looks like #1and #2 the float level is high enough that fuel is backing up into the airbleed system then being sucked past the slides . That's why both the slides on those cylinders have fuel residue on them. You need to check the float levels on at least those two. Of course I could be out of my mind....:D

Mad
Click to expand...

Not impossible, but I'd suspect a leaking petcock putting extra pressure on #1 and #2

Go check your oil. Is the oil level high?

Take off the oil filler and smell your oil. Does it smell like gas?

A ported head means someone took the time to create more air flow by reshaping the inlets. This helps out when you do other mods, which is what you have

Pictures need to be hosted

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/images/how_to_post_pictures.pdf
 
Big T said:
Not impossible, but I'd suspect a leaking petcock putting extra pressure on #1 and #2

Go check your oil. Is the oil level high?

Take off the oil filler and smell your oil. Does it smell like gas?

A ported head means someone took the time to create more air flow by reshaping the inlets. This helps out when you do other mods, which is what you have

Pictures need to be hosted

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/images/how_to_post_pictures.pdf
Click to expand...
If I have a Pingel petcock would that be gravity feed which would always have head pressure?

I recently changed the oil and didn't pay attention to the smell.

Thank you for the information. :)
 
Thanks GORMINRIDER. Well there was a lot of messing with it. Because of the idle problems. When I got it back from the shop, wait, let me back up. When I picked it up the kid couldn't get her started. The owner had to go back and mess with it for 1/2 hour. After a couple days I noticed the idle screw was about to fall off then found loose screws all over. I pulled the rack and fixed all but after reinstalling I had the same idle issue. My guess is after messing with it for awhile I had the idle and synch of carbs off. The shop didn't agree and sold me the Pingel. It ran a couple days after I installed it but with the same idle problem. Then I just could no longer get it started. Now getting back to it I can but can't keep her running without the choke.
 
The shop gave you a bike that wouldn't start and wouldn't idle after "cleaning" the carbs?

And you paid them?
 
well, it certainly sounds systemic. -I really had my fingers crossed for Steve's solution!
however, Does she run smooth with choke on? Can you turn up the idle at the big screw underneath the carbs and will she run smooth then? or even at the throttle grip you can adjust temporarily... Take choke off. Idling high but ok? warm up a minute. adjust big screw downward....what happens. All dead together? Possibilities...Airleaks at ALL manifolds? Spiders have moved into all idle passages? These seem unlikely..
Porting. I am not familiar with this at all,but It strikes me as a possibility that the bike is now a "performance" bike and will NEVER run at idle at a stoplight as a mundane street bike will without another mod.Perhaps at the airbox or jets. Someone else need speak to that!

Moving on, as a ramble..
If and when not smooth, idea being it is one or more cylinders not getting gas it needs and holding the others back so, no slow idle. Check plugs to identify the laggard.(lean) Check the spark too. (gassy) Fiddle with idlemix on THIS one. Look for manifold airleaks on THIS one. Put out Bait to lure the spider out.... No go? When taking apart carbs, inspect THIS or these. What's the diff? Check vacuum slides..ie throttle synch. Is any one or two grossly out of whack? Could be compensating for another problem..all rising and falling versus diaphrams ok?

It has been my pain to take things apart and put them together without success so I would spare you that if I could.
 
Last edited:
bluehwy said:
I don't know what it means to have a ported head. Please explain.
Click to expand...

From what I can see in your pics, your head has indeed been ported. These bikes have a set of ridges inside the intake ports to cause a "swirl" action (hence the TSCC tag) of the fuel mixture as it enters the combustion chamber. Those ridges are just before the intake valves. Your pic shows then gone.
 
Big T said:
The shop gave you a bike that wouldn't start and wouldn't idle after "cleaning" the carbs?

And you paid them?
Click to expand...
They got it started and it seemed fine when I rode away. I should have taken it back when I realized the issues. I thought it was just a matter of minor adjustments. However, there was an extending group of people and politics involved.

Moreover, they are not the shop that did the jetting years ago and I'm certain it would've been the case of "well, we're not sure what's going on with your bike. Here are our rates for diagnosing the issues..."
 
bluehwy said:
They got it started and it seemed fine when I rode away. I should have taken it back when I realized the issues. I thought it was just a matter of minor adjustments. However, there was an extending group of people and politics involved.

Moreover, they are not the shop that did the jetting years ago and I'm certain it would've been the case of "well, we're not sure what's going on with your bike. Here are our rates for diagnosing the issues..."
Click to expand...
It's been so difficult to find a mechanic that can work on these bikes. The ones I've found are slow and unreliable. And I just don't have a grand or two to pay someone to work on a bike that's only worth that.
 
Gorminrider said:
well, it certainly sounds systemic. -I really had my fingers crossed for Steve's solution!
however, Does she run smooth with choke on? Can you turn up the idle at the big screw underneath the carbs and will she run smooth then? or even at the throttle grip you can adjust temporarily... Take choke off. Idling high but ok? warm up a minute. adjust big screw downward....what happens. All dead together? Possibilities...Airleaks at ALL manifolds? Spiders have moved into all idle passages? These seem unlikely..
Porting. I am not familiar with this at all,but It strikes me as a possibility that the bike is now a "performance" bike and will NEVER run at idle at a stoplight as a mundane street bike will without another mod.Perhaps at the airbox or jets. Someone else need speak to that!

Moving on, as a ramble..
If and when not smooth, idea being it is one or more cylinders not getting gas it needs and holding the others back so, no slow idle. Check plugs to identify the laggard.(lean) Check the spark too. (gassy) Fiddle with idlemix on THIS one. Look for manifold airleaks on THIS one. Put out Bait to lure the spider out.... No go? When taking apart carbs, inspect THIS or these. What's the diff? Check vacuum slides..ie throttle synch. Is any one or two grossly out of whack? Could be compensating for another problem..all rising and falling versus diaphrams ok?

It has been my pain to take things apart and put them together without success so I would spare you that if I could.
Click to expand...
Yes, once it was warmed up and the idle screw adjusted she ran nice and smooth. I think when she wouldn't start one day I messed with it too much and couldn't find the right adjustment. My suspicion is the functioning of all four carbs. Once I get these rebuilt I will be starting from a point that I believe I will be able to follow the (any more) issues.
 
Mr. Bill, that's great information. I thought I was cool because I had TSCC. Now I know I'm not...
 
mrbill5491 said:
From what I can see in your pics, your head has indeed been ported. These bikes have a set of ridges inside the intake ports to cause a "swirl" action (hence the TSCC tag) of the fuel mixture as it enters the combustion chamber. Those ridges are just before the intake valves. Your pic shows then gone.
Click to expand...
Okay, it's been 20 years but I'm baffled about my head being ported. There weren't any other mods to this bike when I bought it. There was a busted float arm causing fuel to run out that carburetor. I had that brazed.

I just don't recall asking the shop to port it. I wouldn't have known to ask that. Not impossible though that it wasn't done when having the cylinders bored.
 
bluehwy said:
Okay, it's been 20 years but I'm baffled about my head being ported. There weren't any other mods to this bike when I bought it. There was a busted float arm causing fuel to run out that carburetor. I had that brazed.

I just don't recall asking the shop to port it. I wouldn't have known to ask that. Not impossible though that it wasn't done when having the cylinders bored.
Click to expand...

Don't know what to tell ya on that. For some reason someone ported the head. I would have thought there would be some tooling marks where the ridges were. I can't see any from your pics.
 
Alright, been off in the wild blue yonder... just getting back to my carbs. I wanted to start with my carbs because that was the last thing changed. It ran before. I had a shop go through my carbs for good measure. She ran for a week and a half or so after when I started having some issues. I'll post what I found when breaking down the rack and the first carb (#3) that I opened up...
 
There shouldn't be any reason why my GS 1100 shouldn't run but it doesn't. So, rebuilding carbs (last thing I paid for to have done).

Next step, remove jets. Looks like the last guy already did that for me.

Won't be going back to that shop...
 
Welcome back- yeah, get to those carbs,but if you feel overwhelmed or pressed for time, remember that there are members on here that "rebuild" carbs for fun and profit.
 
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