First Bike 84 gs 550 es help?

[84gs550es]

I'm new to the forums and new to the motorcycle scene. I just bought an 84 gs550 es for $900 with 25,000 miles... it worked fine when i bought it then when i got it to my gfs house i had to leave it sit for a couple days. while it sat i forgot to turn the gas off and it left gas on the ground. it still started right up and didn't have a problem with it then. I rode it a couple times with no problems then it started acting up.

First problem: It only starts when it is hot out, not warm or cold. when it does start i have the choke fully on and it idles real high and if it doesn't warm up long enough it will die. but when it dies the electric start will not fire it back up but if you roll it and drop the clutch while in 2nd gear it will start. I thought it was getting flooded because when this first started i would shut the gas off and leave it sit for about a half hour then it would start. (The guy that had it cleaned the carbs and jets before i bought it and it idles high. its doing better now that i have put a little bit of new gas in it.) when it is started it seems like it is missing and just not running like it should.
P.S. Also sometimes when pressing the start button after trying the first time it does nothing, then sometimes starts to work again with out doing anything and sometimes if i roll it down parking lot it will try again. also there is no clicking noise that happens in cars that comes from the starter.

So heres what i did in an attempt to fix the problem

First, took all fairing off and tank off.

Looked at the manual to check if the spark plugs were right. they were the wrong ones, seems like it still has the same problem after changing them

The wires probably need replaced but they still spark. do i need to replace the whole ignition coils or just the wires and connectors or can i just replace the connectors

also by the ignition box by the relay has a Green/Brown/Black White wires that go to that box in one harness that is plugged in there is another harness with more wires too. but there is another green/brown/ black white wire harness that looks the same as this just hanging and not hooked up to anything. have no idea where it goes.

That is all i have tried for this problem so far.

Second problem: The turn signals worked when i bought it. after a couple days like the first problem the back turn signal stay on light went off. then the next day it started working again. then they both shut off.

What i did to try to fix it.
first looked at the bulbs... they are fine
next checked if there is power. no power
saw 2 wires hanging from where the headlight plugs in (headlight works) they are Brown and Black and white. we tried plugging the black and white wire into a black and white wire from the front signal and one of the back ones turned on.
next traced it down untapped the green wire where it is connected to 3 other green wires. no power cannot find out where they go to check next... they get lost in a bundle of wires with a black tube all the way around it.
checked all grounds i could see.. they are fine.
Checked the relay and when the turn signal switch is on it clicks once... looked at the book for wiring diagram it says there are suppose to be three wires into the relay... there are 2 into it and one wire hanging close by(Black and white) not plugged in.

Third and fourth little problem
Dash lights do not work at all and the tachometer does not work either

thank you in advance. i posted all that i could think of that might help troubleshoot the problem. i may have missed something that i tried. Really would like to get this thing running because i haven't got to ride it much and its summertime and i really want to ride

 

[cowboyup3371]

First things first - welcome to the site. Basscliff will probably come by later with the official welcome which includes links to various troubleshooting documents, the service manual, and wiring diagrams. READ THOROUGHLY and ask lots of questions after using the very useful search feature here.

Secondly, do you have a multi-meter? If not, get one quickly. You don't need an expensive one but without it you cannot do the correct troubleshooting without running around like a chicken with your head cut off. What voltage is your battery putting out at rest? Cranking? At idle? You may need a new battery if you aren't at 13v at rest and about 12.5 when trying to crank. but don't know for sure until you can test things.

What are the conditions of your fuses? Don't just look at them, use a power light at the minimum and check them.

Just because the guy before you said he cleaned the carbs, don't trust it. We see many issues with this. You'll want to clean your carbs thoroughly by disassembling, dipping for 24 hours each, reassembling with new o-rings and the correct float heights, bench-synching, and then doing a synch with a good manometer. You may have to replace the petcock.

Clean all of your wiring connections and replace any that don't look so good.

 

[84gs550es]

i do have a multimeter i used it to check the power to the lights and i did check the battery when the key was off and when the key was on also he put a brand new battery in. it read 12.07 volts when key was on. not sure how much when the key was on. and i haven't done tested than that.... what will i need to check the fuses.. could i use the ohm function on the fuse so when it beeps its good?

 

[spyug]

Welcome aboard. Lots of 550 guys here including me as I've got one for a project right now. While they are reputted to be a good bike they do have some issues but really all old bikes do.

Firstly,old Zuks are know for hard starting. They are extremely cold blood and almost always need choke to start. Hard starting is also as a result of valves not properly adjusted so you might want to start there. this is one area of maintenance that is rarely followed by previous owners it seems.

It sounds also that you carbs need a cleaning and synching so that too should be done. We have a cab cleaning tutorial that you should review for help on that. Our friend Cliff has a Mega Welcome that he will lay on you with details on this and much more useful info.

The other really big issue with these bikes and old bikes in general is corroded electrical connections and missing and or bad grounds. You will hear tons about that and you should make an effort to clean up and or replace all your electrical connectors as they will undobtedly lead to problems along the way.

The 83 and up 550s are somewhat notorious for burning up the ignitors and research has shown that it is usually due to overcharging so to avoid this you will need to ensure your stator is outputting properly and the R/R is converting correctly. all of the info on this can be found in the Stator Papers Tutorial on the main page.

Lots to do to get her running right but I'd start with a carb overhaul and a check of the valve adjustment. Once its running right you can delve into the other stuff.

Good luck with it and enjoy,
Spyug

 

[84gs550es]

thank you ill see if i can figure out the valves and the carbs.. i have the repair manual so that will help out tremendously... i will keep you updated and I'm sure i will have plenty more questions.

 

[cowboyup3371]

Yea, that battery needs to be on the charger for a bit. Do you have a 2amp charger?

 

[84gs550es]

my dad does... how long should i leave it on for?

 

[spyug]

Depending on the battery ( age and amperage) anywhere from 3 or 4 hours to 12 or more. Usually overnight is the max. If its a good charger it will regulate the charge and shut off before over charging. Maintainers are the type that you can leave on all season (i.e. over winter) as they will come on and go off as needed to keep it fully charged.

Using your voltmeter you can check it as it charges if you want a sense of how long it may take to get to 13+ volts which would be max charge.Mind you anything in the 12.5+ is good.

As you may read we enjoy following others projects so post some pics when you can.

cheers,
Spyug

 

[BassCliff]

Greetings and Salutations!!

Greetings and Salutations!!

Hi Mr. 84gs550es,

After leaving your petcock on PRIME, I would make sure that there is no gas in your crankcase oil. Gas will leak in there if the petcock has failed, valves and seats in the carbs have failed, or if the petcock is left on PRIME for a long time. Heed the information below. You have a lot of things to check, clean, replace, inspect, repair, etc.

Anyway, let me dump a TON if information on you and share some GS850G lovin'.

I just stopped by to welcome you to the forum in my own, special way.

If there's anything you'd like to know about the Suzuki GS model bikes, and most others actually, you've come to the right place. There's a lot of knowledge and experience here in the community. Come on in and let me say "HOoooowwwDY!"....

Here is your very own magical, mystical, mythical, mind-expanding "mega-welcome". Please take notice of the "Top 10 Common Issues", "Top 15 Tips For GS Happiness", the Carb Cleanup Series, and the Stator Papers. All of these tasks must be addressed in order to have a safe, reliable machine. Now let me roll out the welcome mat for you...

Please click here for your mega-welcome, chock full of tips, suggestions, links to vendors, and other information. Then feel free to visit my little BikeCliff website where I've been collecting the wisdom of this generous community. Don't forget, we like pictures! Not you, your bike!

Thanks for joining us. Keep us informed.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

[84gs550es]

Thanks for the warm felt welcome and im going to go take some pics for you but all the fairing is off at the moment

 

[84gs550es]

View attachment 13526
here is a pic from the back

never mind ill take some better pictures later i didn't know they would be that small

 

[84gs550es]

Ok so there is gas in the crankcase... How can I fix that? Just change the oil?

 

[cowboyup3371]

Yea, change the oil and verify that your floats are set correctly and the petcock is still working correctly.

See Basscliff's site for posting pics. The easiest way is to use a site like Photobucket

 

[84gs550es]

Just changed the oil but stripped 2 bolts to the cover that goes over the oil filter... Can I use a tap and die set? And should I rebuild the carbs or just clean and readjust them? Kinda bummed I cant ride it yet I only got to ride it a few times

 

[cowboyup3371]

Rebuild your carbs with the orings from www.cycleorings.com and a can of Berryman's. Go read Basscliff's site for the procedures. I would think you could use a tap to fix the holes but you might want to do a search on here.

 

[84gs550es]

Where can I get floats for the carb at? I went to a local place and they said they have to get it from suzuki and they are $60 a peice can I get them on that site?

 

[84gs550es]

http://photobucket.com/bradymotorcycle

i tried to embed it but it did not work but heres what the bike looks like torn down ill get some pics to you when i get it running right and put everything back on it
http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/<div style=

​

 

[spyug]

Why do you need floats? Are they missing or broken? Floats are not something that generally needs replacing. There are several o-rings that will dry out and shrink allowing air to infiltrate and or gas to leak. They need replacing and you will also need carb bowl gaskets. If the carbs leak into the cylinders it is possible your float valve needs replacing but that may or may not be the case at the moment so I wouldn't jump to that. Get yourself the o-ring kit and the bowl gaskets.

You should do a proper carb cleaning and rebuild and while your carbs are different than those shown in the carb tutorial (yours are siamesed i.e. two carbs in one body one for cylinders i&2 and one for 3&4) the cleaning principal is the same. At first it may seem daunting but study the tutorial, find a clean well lit area where you can work and leave parts undisturbed for few days. Round up some cleaning materials and some cups to put your parts and screws in. Nothing rubber goes in the carb dip but dunk your bodies and the jets for a minimum of 24 hours. Once out of the dip wash off in clean water and dry ( compressed air or hairdryer), blow out all passages in the bodies and using a small wire poke through all the holes in the jets. when reassembling just remember to put in everything that came out.....no leftovers. with the new carb gaskets use a little axle grease rubbed in to both sides and the gasket will seal but come off easier and be reuseable next time.

Once the carbs are clean and rebuilt they will need to be 'synched" but thats a story for next time.

Before putting the carbs back on, you should take off the intake boots to the head and replace the orings in them. With these bikes, air leaks on the intake side cause a lot of smooth running problems so clean the carbs well and replace the o-rings. Once back on, make sure the boots from the airbox also fit tightly and there are no cracks or chunks missing out of the airbox.

There is no quick and easy way to do this properly. Trust us, we know how much you want to ride but if the carbs are not clean, she'll run rough and you'll spend mor time fiddling and farting about. do it right the first time.

Good luck and keep us informed as to how it goes.

Cheers,
spyug

 

[84gs550es]

Ok thanks for the help im going to do the o ring replacement and clean it... Do I use carb cleaner to dip parts in?

 

[mike_of_bbg]

Most of us use Berryman's or Gunk carb cleaner in the gallon paint-type can with a parts basket. I think it's pictured in the carb cleanup series. They're available at my local Advance Auto Parts or AutoZone for about $20/ea. If you spray clean the outside of the carbs a bit before dipping them (for 24 hours, not the 20 minutes on the can) it will keep the cleaner, ummm, cleaner.

Here's a link @ Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/B-9-PARTS-CLE...KIIC/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1308162675&sr=8-4

Some locales have restrictions on certain chemicals and you may not find these for sale near you. Do some forum searching on carb dip to find alternatives. We don't know where you are - putting your location in your User CP will hep with such things. You should also put your bike in your sig, although I guess your user name gives it away for now