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Need some help!!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bune Duggy
  • Start date Start date
B

Bune Duggy

Guest
SO I have an idle problem. Its not terrible, but ive done some searching and havent had any luck for my specific idle problem. My repair manual isn't very helpful in regards to fixing it either.

First off bike is very hard to start, usually takes some throttle to get her going. Not sure if there is a big hint there or not.

When the bike finally starts it fires right up and will settle into a nice idle after it warms up. However my idle speed screw is on the lowest setting. So when i pull the choke out a bike the idle speeds up to around 3k while all the way out and i cant turn it down with the screw. Its making the bike difficult to ride, im very new to motorcycle mechanics and would appreciate if someone has a blindingly simple solution, which im guessing there is.. lol :confused:

Thanks! and if you have a noob comment to make, save it I know Im a noob.
 
What bike are you working on?

Usually hard to start is due to tight valves, when was the last time you checked/adjusted them?

Have the carbs been properly cleaned?

Once valves are adjusted and carbs are clean then you can start to make adjustments.

Air leaks...have you changed the carb intake o-rings if your bike has them?
 
Bune Duggy said:
When the bike finally starts it fires right up and will settle into a nice idle after it warms up. However my idle speed screw is on the lowest setting. So when i pull the choke out a bike the idle speeds up to around 3k while all the way out and i cant turn it down with the screw. Its making the bike difficult to ride, im very new to motorcycle mechanics and would appreciate if someone has a blindingly simple solution, which im guessing there is.. lol :confused:
Click to expand...

That's how the choke works, it's not actually a choke at all, rather an enrichment circuit that adds fuel and air. It will idle a lot higher with the choke on. Almarconi is right, adjust the intake and exhaust valves, that's usually the cause of hard starting.
I'm a little confused, usually about half choke is all you need even in very cold weather, why would you pull it all the way out?
Most of them won't even run that way.
 
Yes, what bike? New bike to you ?Is the weather getting colder where you are?
"idle speed screw is on its lowest setting" - this screw is where???
I use full " choke" to start ( but no throttle), but quickly drop it almost all the way to keep revs below 3000 rpm.If I left "choke" on half way, my bike would stumble on acceleration.
 
Greetings and Salutations!!

Greetings and Salutations!!

Hi Mr. Bune Duggy,

You'll find lots of GS lovin' on my little website. Please let us know what bike you have (add it to your sig file). Follow the suggested maintenance lists in the links below and your bike will be "golden". Welcome.
hat1.gif


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


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", the Carb Rebuild Series, and the Stator Papers. 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! :D

Thanks for joining us. Keep us informed.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
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My mistake! The bike is an '81 GS850 (not sure which model). I picked it up for $445 with a helmet and jacket included.

I guess getting a feeler guage to check valves and cleaning the carbs are on the agenda. I was hoping to fix the idle issue it would be something simple that i was overlooking. Seems as though ill have to dig a little deeper.

Does anyone else expirience problems starting this bike? It seems as though there is a LOT of compression, which i guess could be a valve issue. The starter sucks the battery before i can get it to fire, so jumper cables are usually required which also will turn the starter faster enough to make it fire.

So the high idle could be due to something like a dirty idle jet?

Thanks for the quick replies!
 
Also in regards to the choke on this bike i am not very familiar to how it works. The guy i bought it from didn't even have a choke cable installed. So i just got one from the parts store and installed it, in other words have no idea what a good setting would be. Im used to having the button all the way in to start, and then once its warm pull it all the way out for riding. Sounds like thats not the case with these bikes?
 
How are you using the jumper cables? Hopefully from a non-running vehicle. Sounds like you need to do what Almarconi and Tkent said then go through your charging system and make sure everything is okay.
 
Hi,

Tight valve clearances can make your bike hard to start when cold. Clean the carbs, adjust the valves, clean electrical connections, check the charging system, etc. It's all in your "mega-welcome". Fix it right, the first time, and you won't have to be continually chasing down all these inconvenient little problems as you are trying to ride.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
Bune Duggy said:
Also in regards to the choke on this bike i am not very familiar to how it works. The guy i bought it from didn't even have a choke cable installed. So i just got one from the parts store and installed it, in other words have no idea what a good setting would be. Im used to having the button all the way in to start, and then once its warm pull it all the way out for riding. Sounds like thats not the case with these bikes?
Click to expand...
Any choke/enrichener system I've ever used and it's the same on these bikes, the choke is pulled out to start the bike, this puts more fuel in as it warms up, then push the choke in as the speed increases. The idle speed is then reduced, and when the choke is all the way in it should idle normally (of course then you'll have to adjust the idle speed using that little knurled screw below the carbs to set it properly at about 850-1000rpm). Oh yeah, don't twist the throttle as you're starting it, it will defeat the enrichener circuit and it'll be harder to start also.
 
Bune Duggy said:
Also in regards to the choke on this bike i am not very familiar to how it works. The guy i bought it from didn't even have a choke cable installed. So i just got one from the parts store and installed it, in other words have no idea what a good setting would be. Im used to having the button all the way in to start, and then once its warm pull it all the way out for riding. Sounds like thats not the case with these bikes?
Click to expand...
Confusion! Standing on left side of bike ( side with gear shifter) looking at carbs, when you activate "choke" lever a rod at top of carbs moves towards you ( this rod connects to all four carbs). This enriches the mixture and makes for easy start; after starting, this gets pushed back (maybe in increments). Basscliff will have 8 by 10 glossy pic of this area!
 
Hi,

The choke on my bike is in the dash area, just below the gauges, between the handlebars. I pull it out to activate it. The idle increases as the bike warms up so I push the choke button in to lower the idle. Is yours the same or is it on the left handlebar control?

GS850choke.jpg


There are lots of pictures in my Air Intake Repair guide on my website. Here are a couple of supplemental pictures to point out the choke assembly. Below is the left side of the bike, the clutch hand side.

intake_repair02-1.jpg


Below is the engine side of the carbs.

intake_repair26-1.jpg



Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
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Steve said:
Uh, BassCliff, those were only 5x7s. :oops:

We were promised 8x10s.
well1.gif
Click to expand...

LOL!
crackup.gif


It's easy to resize them when they're digital.
2_computers.gif



Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
Last edited:
Ok so i guess thats why I could be having trouble starting it! Since i purchased it with no choke cable, i was used to starting it with no choke (button all the way down). Ill give it a try tomorrow and try starting it with the button all the way out.. choke ON. Should be a lot easier :pray:

Im still going to adjust valves and clean carb. I wanna ride this beast to its potential!

What choke setting is most typical for riding? Cuz with the choke all the way in, the bike stumbles under acceleration (I have yet to ride it with the new cable installed. Im guessing maybe half way in hopefully?

I appreciate the help guys
 
don't mean to hijack this thread but is the linkage always supposed to be located in the middle of all 4?

My linkage is located at the right side of the tank (brake side) and the choke cable comes up and runs along the outside of the tank (gs550T) and often gets tugged on with my knees..very awkward indeed (maybe the previous owner put them in the wrong order?
 
Bune Duggy said:
What choke setting is most typical for riding?
Click to expand...

on a properly tuned bike NO choke is used while riding. The choke is only used to enrich the mixture for cold starting purposes. A cold engine doesn't run as efficiently as a warm one.
 
mobius said:
don't mean to hijack this thread but is the linkage always supposed to be located in the middle of all 4?

My linkage is located at the right side of the tank (brake side) and the choke cable comes up and runs along the outside of the tank (gs550T) and often gets tugged on with my knees..very awkward indeed (maybe the previous owner put them in the wrong order?
Click to expand...
Yes, that is awkward! If you look at part diagrams on Alpha-sports.com, you'll see what is supposed to be there and where. If you can, take a pic, I love new approaches to cable routing.
 
mobius said:
don't mean to hijack this thread but is the linkage always supposed to be located in the middle of all 4?

My linkage is located at the right side of the tank (brake side) and the choke cable comes up and runs along the outside of the tank (gs550T) and often gets tugged on with my knees..very awkward indeed (maybe the previous owner put them in the wrong order?
Click to expand...

Hi,

Yes, check the cable routing page in your manual.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
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