• 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.

Bike died, then restarted, now makes funny noises....

Nerobro

Nerobro

Forum Mentor
*frustration* first, it's a 1980 gs550et with exhausts that have drilled and removed baffles...

So I went to drive the bike tonight. My first trip of the evening was entirely uneventfull. That trip was a mere two miles.

Now... I went to go for dinner. The bike drove about a quarter mile before I lost a cylinder. I took a right onto a street to turn around got another block before two more cylinders cut out. then... it died. We pushed the bike back to the house. Well.. 2/3 the way back to the house, and then push started the bike. it ran on one, then two, then four cylinders and I was able to ride it back to the house. Ok, so now it runs.

We went to dinner, came back, and it ran just fine again. Sorta.

At the moment it sounds like a valve is seriously out of adjustment There's a click that comes at about 1/2 engine rpm. Which.. isn't necessarily bad. I'm just praying it's not a dropped valve or something of that sort. SO... we shall see.

when I'm at 3000ish rpm there's some popping. IIRC popping means the bike is running lean. right? So I should go up a jet size I suppose. Lets hope I didn't do anything permanant.

HELP!
 
If you are conserned about the valves CHeck the valve clearence and do a compression test
 
I dunno about lean man. My bike is running rich cause my main jets are way too big and it pops in the mid range.
I don't have much faith in what I hear anymore from the exhausts cause the same symptoms happen no matter if its rich or lean. The only reliable sign is the plugs.

For example...

Popping: happens when rich and when lean.
Hesitation: Happens when rich and when lean.

:?
Dm of mD
 
I'm "REALLY" worried about the noise I'm hearing. Which... is frightneing to me. The idea of having a shot bottom end on my bike would really ruin my day.
 
Well... I think it's lean because the pipes were drilled out. That would cause a reduction in backpressure, and thefore the lean condition.

lets just hope that the knocking sound IS detonation, and I can solve that quickly/easily.

this has me so frustrated.
 
Return your carbs to 100% stock settings while you do a full dip and cleaning on them. Clean those carbs!!!! There is a guide on this site. Check so that there are no vacume leaks from the rubber boots and lines. That will screw you up if you have that leak.

You have 4 into 2 pipes right? I don't think that drilled baffles will change the backpressure that much where you're having direct adverse effects. I know you need to rejet for a 4 into 1 and for straight pipes but I think your problems are other places IMHO.

You need to go over the entire electrical system for bad connections. Bd grounds, arching. Both my bikes benefited from a full electrical system cleaning and repair. What a difference. You can also go through the STATOR PAPERS and test all of your electric devices seperately with a voltometer. Its on this site. I'de try that also.

It is possible that your coils are shot, improperly wired or not getting a basic good connection.

As for loud sounds, my 77gs550 was a bag of nickles till I took off the cam tensioner, cleaned it and lubricated it. WHAT A DIFFERENCE! Bike sounds awesome now. Next is time for a shim clearance swap/job. My 550 loves its new shims!!! 8)
 
I spent the whole day today cleaning out those carbs. The bike still idles at 2500rpms but now it runs MUCH better. less inconsistancy in it's running. It sounds better all over. I'm still trying to figure out why it's idling that high. I fear that one of my carbuator diaphrams is screwed up.

I dumped half a can of carb cleaner on those things as I took them apart and cleaned the float bowls, and the jets.

I took all the jets out, and soaked them in cleaner for half an hour, then blew them clean with more cleaner.

*rips hair out about idle problem* Skreemers bike has the same tendancy.
 
OH yea, my last battery is completely toast. So I replaced that. (when I say completely toast, we hooked it up to my car. After twenty minutes of charging it was at 12.7 volts. We took it off the charger and in 5 minutes it was down to 12.39v)

I think I'm still having charging issues. I have a tube of dielectric grease, and a free afternoon tomorow to clean up all the electrical connections on the bike.

I modified the headlight switch. I now have control of my headlight. That may save my butt if my charging system dies again.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top