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Newby with GS850G

  • Thread starter Thread starter romtang
  • Start date Start date
Okay thanks for the info. I looked and I do not have a fuel filter. . If there is rust in the tank a filter would be good, right?
How hard is it to paint vetter side bags? Can buy set of side bags with brackets for $50.00 but no trunk:( Oh yeah they are red. My bike is not..
 
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Anybody with decent car-painting skills should be able to paint the Vetters. Just remember that only the doors get painted, not the entire bag.



.
 
romtang said:
Okay thanks for the info. I looked and I do not have a fuel filter. At least I don't have one on the main line coming out of the tank. Neither from petcock to carbs. If there is rust in the tank a filter would be good, right?
Click to expand...
If you have rust coming from the tank, you need to properly coat the tank with Kreem or Pur and then clean out the fuel delivery system from the petcock thru the carbs. Sorry, but anything else is a bandaid that will repeatedly fall off and at the worst possible times. You can use a fuel filter as a diagnostic, to confirm the existence of rust, but it will not cure. For one thing it is downstream from and of no protection to the petcock which is very susceptible to rust and tank crud.
 
dpep said:
If you have rust coming from the tank, you need to properly coat the tank with Kreem or Pur and then clean out the fuel delivery system from the petcock thru the carbs. Sorry, but anything else is a bandaid that will repeatedly fall off and at the worst possible times. You can use a fuel filter as a diagnostic, to confirm the existence of rust, but it will not cure. For one thing it is downstream from and of no protection to the petcock which is very susceptible to rust and tank crud.
Click to expand...

Couldn't I stick a filter before the petcock?
 
romtang said:
Couldn't I stick a filter before the petcock?
Click to expand...
No, the top of the petcock sits IN the gas tank. There are only two type of gas tanks on our twenty five year old motorcycles: those that have been coated, and those the need to be coated. :)
 
If I pull the fuel line shouldn't gas flow freely out of the petcock??
 
Gas WILL flow freely out of the petcock under three conditions:
1. petcock in ON, vacuum applied to vacuum port (this is GOOD)
2. petcock in PRIME (this is also GOOD)
3. something is broken (this is not so GOOD)

I suggest you drain as much gas as you can out of the tank, remove the tank from the bike, remove the petcock. Examine the screen that covers the inlet area for crud. If you need to clean it, try spraying it first (I use carburetor cleaner and canned air), as it might be very brittle and break. I believe replacement screens might be available, but I am not sure.

If you happen to remove the screen, take a good look at which way it came out. If you look carefully inside the screen, you will see that there are essentially two tubes, one goes near the top, the other is short and ends just above the bottom. This difference in height is the amount of your reserve. If you happen to put the screen in backwards (yes, it WILL fit that way), you will NOT have anything in reserve. :oops: (don't ask how I know.)

While you have the petcock out, examine the bottom of the tank to see if there is any rust collecting there. This will determine the amount of cleaning (or coating) you will need to have done.


.
 
romtang said:
If I pull the fuel line shouldn't gas flow freely out of the petcock??
Click to expand...
Only if it is set on Prime. If is set to On or Reserve there will need to be a vacuum in the vacuum line. You can test this by pulling the fuel line, leaving the vacuum line on, and cranking the engine a couple of quick turns to see if gas does flow out. Have a funnel or container under the petcock and a shop towel handy.
 
That's alot of great info!

Since the only time I have problems starting is the first start of the day, I'll try taking the line off and see what results I get. (gas or No gas that is the question)
 
OKay here's the results I got:

Took line off petcock and cranked bike over - Gas came out
Took line off petcock and turned to prime = Gas came out

Went to start and no luck. So switched to prime and waited still no luck. Pulled choke out and cranked bike and then it sounds like it's flooded.
Anytime that I try to start the bike with choke out, I no longer hear the compression sound, the sounds changes to more like it would if it was badly flooded.

Followed gas line over to carbs and there is a small filter right before the carbs. Could that be plugged?
 
One more thing I discovered. When the bike is parked.(kick stand down) The handle bars are turned to the left. When the bike is running and I turn the handle bars that direction the engine speeds up. The throttle cable must be tight and when the handle bars are turned left it pulls on the cable. Could the reason for my bike being very hard to start for the first start of the day is because it's flooded? Just thought if the throttle cable is being pulled all night maybe the carbs are flooded...
Just thinking out loud hoping that something I say makes sense to someone and I can get my bike starting easier.:confused:
 
Oh another thing I was wondering....

I put the bike on the center stand for the first time today. Is the back wheel suppose to turn when the clutch is pulled in? Mine does..
 
romtang said:
One more thing I discovered. When the bike is parked.(kick stand down) The handle bars are turned to the left. When the bike is running and I turn the handle bars that direction the engine speeds up. The throttle cable must be tight and when the handle bars are turned left it pulls on the cable. Could the reason for my bike being very hard to start for the first start of the day is because it's flooded? Just thought if the throttle cable is being pulled all night maybe the carbs are flooded...
Just thinking out loud hoping that something I say makes sense to someone and I can get my bike starting easier.:confused:
Click to expand...

Throttle cable is adjusted too tight if that is happening. Yes, that could be part of your problem....if enough throttle is given, even with choke on, the choke circuit is bypassed. Also, could be that your choke pick-up tubes are clogged, not giving the engine enough fuel when it's cold.
Oh another thing I was wondering....

I put the bike on the center stand for the first time today. Is the back wheel suppose to turn when the clutch is pulled in? Mine does.
Click to expand...

Yes, this is normal, nothing to be worried about.
 
frosty5011 said:
Throttle cable is adjusted too tight if that is happening. Yes, that could be part of your problem....if enough throttle is given, even with choke on, the choke circuit is bypassed. Also, could be that your choke pick-up tubes are clogged, not giving the engine enough fuel when it's cold.
Click to expand...

Choke doesn't really help me anytime. cold or not if i pull the choke it just sounds flooded and WILL not start then.. I've never been able to start bike with choke pulled...

How do I check the choke pick up tube?
 
To check the choke pick-up tubes you have to pull the carbs and remove the bowls. The choke tubes are the smaller ones beside the floats. Use a strand of copper wire to see if there is anything plugging them, then spray some carb cleaner and compressed air just to make sure.


.
 
If your engine rpms change just from turning the handlebars you've got a cable adjustment or routing problem. You need to deal with that before you do anything else. For one thing that is dangerous.

There should be some discernible slack when you twist the throttle. You should be able to move it back and forth very slightly before it "catches" and starts pulling the slides in the carbs. Check with the handlebar moved to different positions. The amount of slack or play should stay the same. If there is no slack in any position you probably have an adjustment problem. If the amount of slack changes or goes away at different positions you probably have a routing problem or possibly you have the wrong cable for your bike.

If you just trace the cable all the way down, turning the bars as you do, you should be able to spot the problem. It might be easier if you take the tank off while your are doing this.
 
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There was 1 nut that was loose on top of the carbs where the throttle cable attaches. I tightened that and now it is less of a problem with the speeding up with turning left.

I used a little seafoam in gas tank and it's running a little better..

Anyone know where I could get specs for how tight to tighten screws when working on the oil/head gasket? (1980 GS850G)
 
If operation of the choke has no effect you have plugged system. Your carbs need cleaned. If your hearing a hiss that stops when choke is pulled there's probably a leak before the carbs. I'm in Lincoln and I like to work on GS's, (rescued 5 850's in the last 3 years), if you could get it here on a weekend morning I would gladly help you get things sorted out. You would need an O Ring kit from www.cycleorings.com before hand. I've got the manifold O Rings on hand.
 
arveejay said:
If operation of the choke has no effect you have plugged system. Your carbs need cleaned. If your hearing a hiss that stops when choke is pulled there's probably a leak before the carbs. I'm in Lincoln and I like to work on GS's, (rescued 5 850's in the last 3 years), if you could get it here on a weekend morning I would gladly help you get things sorted out. You would need an O Ring kit from www.cycleorings.com before hand. I've got the manifold O Rings on hand.
Click to expand...

What would the charge be??
 
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