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Bike will not idle down!!!!

  • Thread starter Thread starter R1reaper
  • Start date Start date
R

R1reaper

Guest
Ok, The bike is a 1981 Suzuki gs1100e. I got the bike over the winter. It had no air box and 3 of the exhaust bolts heads were broken off, and no battery. I have gotten everything fixed and I fired the bike for the first time today. Started right up like a champ, but the idle is staying way too high. I have no tach cable I just found the one on it is broken today when I started it. So I don't know what it is idling at but is very fast. I took the idle adjustment all the way back but didn't make any difference at all. The only thing is I bought air pods instead of a new air box and filter. Could this be what is making it idle so high. I did go through the carbs and cleaned them. Did not mess with sync screws! Just a good cleaning. Any help would be great. It has factory jets in the carbs also.
 
OH I don't know if the bike came from the factory with dual exhaust, but it has a four to one on it now. I didn't do it. It was on there when I got it.
 
Please define "good cleaning" that you did to the carbs.

Chances are, it wasn't enough. :oops:

.
 
When this happened to me I fixed it by cleaning the carbs, replacing the o-rings in the carbs, sealing up the airbox and replacing the intake boots.
 
I thought the same about the throttle cable being too tight so I took it lose from carbs. Still the same problem. I took the carbs all the way down cleaned bowls. Put needles and jets in my small heated parts bath for about three hours. Now I didn't break carbs from the rail and completely rebuild them, But I did a good cleaning of all internal parts. With carb cleaning and air. reassembled not messing synchronizers screws. I was planning on synchronizing them once running. I like the looks of the pods would like too keep them. I move the idle all the way out and took choke and throttle cable off. Bike started right up and the idle is still very high. I even checked to see if a bowl height was high on a carb and nope. everything looks great but it just wants to idle high? Anything you guys can think of that I may be over looking would be great help
 
You have an air leak. Might be a cracked intake boot or loose hose clamp. For clarification you really didn't do a complete carb rebuild if you didn't dip and clean the carb bodies and replace ALL the O-rings.
 
Could be that you are not jetted right, but I would put my money on a full strip and dip to fix your problem.
While your in there, you should be jetted to 122.5 or more on main jets and possibly 47 on the pilot jets which is one step up.

Since you have pods and 4/1 exhaust, you will be running lean with the stock jet set up.

V
 
Found it One of the vacuum lines had a crack in it. You would think something that small would give you that much trouble, but OK I was given the bike and I knew nothing about other that the guy that had it bought a Vance exhaust. Well he broke three of the exhaust bolts off and I guess he didn't want to fix it. This is why I got it I thought. Well once I got it to idle down there is a horrible rattle coming from the engine. I will not lie I don't know a lot about older bikes. I can't tell what it is. I changed the oil twice to flush all the old oil out. I have heard a lot of these bikes have this problem. It does it more often when the revs are coming down, It doesn't make the noise all the time it comes and goes. I tried pulling the clutch to see if it stops nope it still happens. Any thoughts
 
Lean the bike to one side while running and see if the sound goes away. If so it could just be cam walk and harmless. If not then sync the carbs and adjust the valves and see if it goes away. Might as well pull the carbs and do a complete rebuild. Probably need to do that anyway.
 
Good Idea I am going to go try leaning it from one side to the other now. I really like the way the bike looks and hate for it to be something major. I don't want to get in over my head on this. Although it was free and I have even thought of replacing the motor if I have to loving this bike
 
Nope It sounds like it coming from the bottom end of the motor. I leaned the bike from side to side and making the noise. I leaned down and it is a lot louder from under the motor. I am afraid it may be something really bad. In the bottom end like the crank or something worse.
 
If the bike hasn't been vacuum synced properly it will sound like hell. One cylinder working harder then the others can act like a mechanical timing problem and will resonate through the bottom end.
 
I will try anything I will sync the carbs as soon as possible. I am loving this bike and I don't want to give up on it. thanks for any help or advice on getting her on the road.
 
Put needles and jets in my small heated parts bath for about three hours. Now I didn't break carbs from the rail and completely rebuild them, But I did a good cleaning of all internal parts.

I will respectfully disagree with your assessment of what constitutes a "good cleaning".

Even though your parts bath is heated, three hours is simply not enough. AND, not "break[ing] the carbs from the rail" is a GUARANTEE that they are not yet fully cleaned.

That's OK, keep trying a few more "shortcuts", you will soon be VERY proficient at pulling the carbs and re-installing them.

We don't keep typing this stuff just to hear our keyboards click, we do it to (maybe) save you some frustration. Your choice.

.
 
I figured the idle problem out. It was a split vacuum line leaking. Also once I found it and got the idle down. I decided to sync the carbs. But I found a much larger problem when the idle came down there is a nasty rattle/knock/grinding. I am kind of freaking out about this new problem. I like the look and feel of her. If any body know these motors well and where I should start. Any advice would be great. Oh Since I found the noise. I change the oil three times. Running the motor for about thirty minutes then draining the oil and filtering the oil looking for metal shavings. Nothing! no metal at all. This weekend I plan to drain the oil, remove both case covers and oil pan. To see what I can find in the pan. and check for any gears grinding on the stator side. Any other advice would be great. Thanks guys
 
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