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gs550 starts to run a little weird after 125+ k of highway riding

  • Thread starter Thread starter brand new bike zealot
  • Start date Start date
B

brand new bike zealot

Guest
Kind of a stupid title, but that's basically the issue.

I use my 78 550 as a commuter, which generally consists of a 10k round trip jaunt to work and back (makes for a rusty tailpipe) during which it runs like a top. On weekends or evenings I sometimes take her for a rip along the coastline, nothing more than 30k or so, for which she runs awesome. Yesterday I rode from here in Victoria B.C up to the north end of Nanaimo, about 120k from my door. Fun ride, nice day, so I really gave 'er. She started acting fuel starved at about the 100k mark, but I new I was pushing the bottom of the tank, so I flipped it to reserve and things got a little better. Shortly before getting to my destination, I was getting some crazy clatter above 5000 rpm, coming from somewhere in the engine... still plenty of power tho, so I took it easy...

After about a 20 minute rest while I bartered for a banjo, I went to fire her up. Stalled out with the first try, so I hit the starter again and used more throttle and she ran fine. Little high idle (1500) but ran fine.

Running home I took it easy, as I was wearing a banjo for a backpack, but during the trip I got colder and more impatient to get home and wound the cruise speed up to about 130. I was going up a particularly steep part of the Malahat and the motor started sounding really clattery, loud enough to hear at 130k. I backed off and made it home, dropped off my banjo then got back on to go grap a six pack. REALLY hard start. I was kicking it, which usually works first kick, but this time it took 4 or 5, kind of like when she's been sitting for a while. Ran fine power wise, but still clattery above 5000.

Started her up this morning, and she was fine. Exploded to life instantly, and ran exactly as always.

Bit of a novel, but anyone got some ideas? I'm embarrassed to say I've never adjusted the valves since ownership and I've put 10000k on her, which due to that alone is my first guess... Plugs are fine, caps and points are fresh, air cleaner's fine, good volts...

thanks for any advice
 
brand new bike zealot said:
Kind of a stupid title, but that's basically the issue.

I use my 78 550 as a commuter, which generally consists of a 10k round trip jaunt to work and back (makes for a rusty tailpipe) during which it runs like a top. On weekends or evenings I sometimes take her for a rip along the coastline, nothing more than 30k or so, for which she runs awesome. Yesterday I rode from here in Victoria B.C up to the north end of Nanaimo, about 120k from my door. Fun ride, nice day, so I really gave 'er. She started acting fuel starved at about the 100k mark, but I new I was pushing the bottom of the tank, so I flipped it to reserve and things got a little better. Shortly before getting to my destination, I was getting some crazy clatter above 5000 rpm, coming from somewhere in the engine... still plenty of power tho, so I took it easy...

After about a 20 minute rest while I bartered for a banjo, I went to fire her up. Stalled out with the first try, so I hit the starter again and used more throttle and she ran fine. Little high idle (1500) but ran fine.

Running home I took it easy, as I was wearing a banjo for a backpack, but during the trip I got colder and more impatient to get home and wound the cruise speed up to about 130. I was going up a particularly steep part of the Malahat and the motor started sounding really clattery, loud enough to hear at 130k. I backed off and made it home, dropped off my banjo then got back on to go grap a six pack. REALLY hard start. I was kicking it, which usually works first kick, but this time it took 4 or 5, kind of like when she's been sitting for a while. Ran fine power wise, but still clattery above 5000.

Started her up this morning, and she was fine. Exploded to life instantly, and ran exactly as always.

Bit of a novel, but anyone got some ideas? I'm embarrassed to say I've never adjusted the valves since ownership and I've put 10000k on her, which due to that alone is my first guess... Plugs are fine, caps and points are fresh, air cleaner's fine, good volts...

thanks for any advice
Click to expand...
Adjust the valves. Youre about 5K over due on that. Check em every 3-5k if they dont go out of wack over a few check ups, then you can prolly extend the check ups out a lil further. But, in this instance, Id say an adjustment is in order because improperly adjusted valves have such an effect on the other essentials in the motor set up. Clattery at medium revs is another indication of a valve clearance/carb sync issue. Generally ive noticed that right in the 4-5K range is where the vibration/clattery feeling crops up the worst when your sync is out, and the sync can be effected by the valves, as the amount of vaccum pulled in each cylinder is changing as the valves go out of adjustment. BUT, you cant acurately SYNC without the valves being within spec. tollerances.
 
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If it runs fine now I would think you got some crap in the carbs from running low on gas. It cleaned itself out.. If it does it again I would clean the tank and drain the float bowls
I had something similar happen on my 850. Had been running about 90mph thats what ? 180 Klm, lost two cylinders. Ended up cleaning the carbs
 
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