• 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.

Carbs seem too rich....help!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
  • Start date Start date
A

Anonymous

Guest
I just recently purchase a 1980 GS550 with only 6,000 original miles and in fantastic original condition. Some of you may have seen it listed on eBay, located in the Chicago area. Anyway, it came without the carbs, and I purchased a set of carbs that seems to have been unaltered and even had the factory plugs on them still. I completely dissasembled them and believe I have everything setup properly(I've done several sets of Mikunis with success), but while running in the garage it seems to run out of power at about 5-6K and the plugs look sooty. Anything easy I should take a look at? I have already had to remove the carbs once to recheck the float level and adjusted them all slightly farther down, which should have leaned out the mixture a little bit,but not enough to do any real good. I am wondering if maybe these carbs have have been jetted richer by someone in the past?? I ran into this same black sootly spark plug problem when I richened up the pilot jets on my Yamaha XS1100. ANY THOUGHTS OR SUGGESTION? Thanks in advance!!
 
maybe lower the needles 1 notch, that is if they are adjustable.
 
rick romero said:
maybe lower the needles 1 notch, that is if they are adjustable.
If they are not adjustable than a small washer will lower them enough to get a a leaner mix. a philips screwdriver and a small pair of needle nose pliers to remove the snap ring will do the trick. be sure to replace the rubber diaphram in the proper location--it has a little tab on it. it is a snap job
 
Is it possible that these carbs came from another model bike? Or maybe the 16 valve GS550 (which is very rare)? Either way it sounds like you have some work to do. Its also possible that you have a weak spark or too cold of a plug which can lead to fouling....Try running without an air filter and see if the bike runs OK. If it does than you know that everything else works and you can start jetting instead of chasing down other problems....

Try this link for some great tuning info http://www.factorypro.com/tech/carbtun.html
 
Here is what I have tried and results

Here is what I have tried and results

Ok, I have tried removing the air filter and the only difference is that it seems the bog is a little bit worse. I have the idle air needles at about 1 3/4 turns from bottom. I have normally seen these at 3 to 3 1/2 turns from bottom, do any of you have an idea what you are running yours at, as far as turns up from bottoming out. The idle air needles I am referring to are located just above the front of the carbs at the top. I want to hear any other suggestions b4 I pull the carbs again and do anything else. From what I was told these carbs came of of a 1981 550L, so they should be fine for a 550E.
 
Back
Top