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1980 GS550 Carb advice...

  • Thread starter Thread starter XenoMorph
  • Start date Start date
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XenoMorph

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Yes, I searched... so much info...


I have a 1980 GS550E...

Bought it last year... with about 6000 miles on it...

Hasn't run correctly since I owned it... Obviously carb issues... No other mods...

Here's where I am at...

Due to the fact that I had a hell of a time getting the carbs off in order to clean them out, I just ordered pods tonight...

I will probably also order the carb rebuild kits...

However... where do I start with the jetting to go with the pods? It has the stock exhaust on it...

What jets do I buy? Where do I buy them?

I am totally new to carb tuning...

Thanx for your help guys...

Randi
 
You actually asked some questions that I was going to probably end up asking further down the line. So I'm tagging this thread. :-D
 
Before you do pods, you should do a carb re-build. You MAY have problems with the pods, getting the jetting correct.
9 times out of 10 it's gummed up carbs. Go through them throughly, get the o-rings from Robert Barr. Make sure you do a bench synch. There are instructions on the web-site how to clean the carbs.
I have taken my carbs out at least 10 times...use lots of silicone spray. Make sure the boots aren't dry rotted, and have a good seal when they are back in.
Good luck!:-D
 
Well, the reason for the pods is that I don't think I am getting a good fit on the airbox due to years of age... I don't think I'm getting a good seal....

However, I also am not sure... How does one test for an airleak?

I had such a hard time getting them back on after I got them off, I figured the hell with it, and just ordered pods...

I thought I sprayed out those carbs pretty good, but I only did the main parts I guess... Carbs are very intimidating....

Randi
 
I took the carbs off my '81 550 on Sunday and it took me 10 minuets. The trick is to remove the two screws on top of the cross member at the top-front of the airbox and the one screw on the right side. After removing these screws you can pull back the airbox about 1 inch which makes all the difference in getting the carbs on/off.

If the carb boots are hard and shrunk, replace them. That's what I did on Sunday. The carb boots on the airbox side are $10 each and the boots on the engine side are $20 each (approx).

Even if the carb boots on the engine side look good, you MUST replace the o-rings between the engine and the boot since they very commonly leak.


In summary:

- keep the airbox and replace the boots if you don't think they seal well

- replace the o-rings under the carb boots in the front

- order o-ring kit from cycleorings.com and do a complete carb rebuild

Doing this work may sound intimidating but the bike will not run properly if you don't fix it properly.

You've been warned. ;)

By the way: the carb boots I replaced were not in bad shape at all. I ordered them a while ago thinking I had a vacuum leak but after removing them, they are fine. I have all four for the airbox side and three engine side boots, plus new o-rings, I'm going to post in the for sale area. If interested, send me a PM.
 
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I think I ordered emgo's from the z1enterprises website... Along with some fork springs....
 
Okay, cancelled the pods...

Ordered a new OEM element instead... I will hit just the carbs with the carb kits first, and see what happens! :)

And the fork springs... and prolly some new shocks too! :) I'm a big guy! :)

Randi
 
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Long time, no update...

After breaking the third carb body on my first rack of carbs while putting in the rebuild kit, I got a new rack of carbs from a member here... installed them last Sunday, and the bike runs GREAT!!!!

EXCEPT... it will not idle perfectly... it takes a while to go back to idle, and it will idle around 1100, 1200 rpms, but it slowly fades too about 800 then stalls...

The airbox is great on 1 and 4... 2 and 3 are on, but the bottom of the boots will not slide on all the way, probably 1/4 inch from all the way on... ARGH... I don't think that's causing my problems... but I suppose it's possible...

Also... my top speed is about 75... 6th gear wide open... tucked down.... I am a big guy 280 with gear... but the guys on the ZRX forums I am on are kinda saying that bike should do 100mph?! Any thoughts on that? It seems to be running everything except for idle really well...

Stock Airbox, New Filter, New O-Rings behind the Engine boots...
 
XenoMorph said:
Long time, no update...

After breaking the third carb body on my first rack of carbs while putting in the rebuild kit, I got a new rack of carbs from a member here... installed them last Sunday, and the bike runs GREAT!!!!

EXCEPT... it will not idle perfectly... it takes a while to go back to idle, and it will idle around 1100, 1200 rpms, but it slowly fades too about 800 then stalls...

The airbox is great on 1 and 4... 2 and 3 are on, but the bottom of the boots will not slide on all the way, probably 1/4 inch from all the way on... ARGH... I don't think that's causing my problems... but I suppose it's possible...

Also... my top speed is about 75... 6th gear wide open... tucked down.... I am a big guy 280 with gear... but the guys on the ZRX forums I am on are kinda saying that bike should do 100mph?! Any thoughts on that? It seems to be running everything except for idle really well...

Stock Airbox, New Filter, New O-Rings behind the Engine boots...
Click to expand...

Couple things here, one, did you CLEAN the carbs that came to you? Or had the PO claimed to have cleaned them? Whether or not they looked clean, unless HE had cleaned them prior, who knows? Yanno? Sounds like you possibly still have some gunk in the idle circuit possibly? Also, I have a couple smaller CC bikes, the most lively of which would be the KZ440LTD. Now im a big guy too, 6'4 260 and that lil KZ would top out at about 75 with me on it, wide open, screamin like a banshee. The GS550 SHOULD go a lil faster, but maybe not? I'd check the carbs again, and try spraying around your boots on the air box to assure that those two ARENT leaking. The hanging idle is also a bit symptomatic of that as well.
 
The previous owner claimed to have cleaned them... and the way they run off idle, I would tend to believe him... :) But maybe it's not running as well as I think it might be... due to the top speed.


The top speed thing baffles me...

Spray WHAT around the boots... ?

I have heard water, WD-40, or starting fluid...

What do I spray, and what do I look for?

Thanks! :)

Randi
 
There are too many unknowns here. What is the condition of the carbs? What is the condition of the intake boots? Intake boot o-rings? Valve clearances?

Most likely all cylinders are not firing. Are all exhaust pipes getting hot?

My suggestion is to clean the carbs properly, replace the intake boot o-rings, and adjust the valves. Once you can properly cross off some of these basic items, you can move forward with confidence.
 
Nessism said:
There are too many unknowns here. What is the condition of the carbs? What is the condition of the intake boots? Intake boot o-rings? Valve clearances?

Most likely all cylinders are not firing. Are all exhaust pipes getting hot?

My suggestion is to clean the carbs properly, replace the intake boot o-rings, and adjust the valves. Once you can properly cross off some of these basic items, you can move forward with confidence.
Click to expand...


Carbs are in very good condition...
Intake boots are Excellent.
Intake Boot O-Rings are new.
Valves, I have no idea... it's got 6300 miles on it, so I wasn't that worried about it...

Tonight I will remove the carbs, clean them again... and check the valves (If I can find out how to do it by then... I'll search on here. :) )
 
All passages in the carbs need to be clean. Pilot jets are often plugged since the orifice is so small.

Haven't topped out my 550...yet, but it cruises easily at 80 mph. Your's must not be firing on all cylinders.
 
Nessism said:
All passages in the carbs need to be clean. Pilot jets are often plugged since the orifice is so small.

Haven't topped out my 550...yet, but it cruises easily at 80 mph. Your's must not be firing on all cylinders.
Click to expand...

All pipes get very hot.
 
Okay... opened up the carbs that I bought off the guy...

(They WERE NOT clean... VERY dirty inside...)

Some of the jets were new... Some old.. but they all matched... 2 of my MAIN jets were plugged... Which explains the top speed!!!!

Also everything seemed to idle much much better... I sprayed starting fluid on all the boots, and nothing changed, so I assume I don't have any air leaks... I took a quick blast down the road, and hit 85mph and then ran out off room... it did have a little more, but not a lot... It'll prolly do 90 now?

Does that sound better?
 
Top speed on a nice running 550 should be in the 110 mph range. Hang on tight and put your chin on the tank.:)
 
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