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Pods and exhaust nightmare

  • Thread starter Thread starter Theknickpruitt
  • Start date Start date
T

Theknickpruitt

Guest
Sorry for the story here but I'm thinking some history of what I have done might help. I'm new to building/modding this is my first project and am learning as I go. I have a 1980 GS550L. After returning from deployment I wanted to go all in. So I recently redid the electrical using the Motogadget Munit. It has simplified everything and fixed a lot of the electrical issues. So I moved onto the exhaust and Carbs. They have be recently rebuilt. Had to find some new used carbs. I tore out the air filter box and put on some K&N filters. I obviously learned there were some adjustments needed. After taking it out I was not able to get up over 20mph. I tried raising them up a knotch after That I was able to get up to 45mph maybe 50. But the higher I rev the less power I get. Since then I also put on a 4 into one exhaust. I could not get it to start up after that. I then raised the needles up to the last knotch. I am able to start with the choke all the way up and have to hold it that way. It will not Idle on its own. Please help, I feel lost in the sauce.
 
pods on a GS are a waste of money, time, frustration, and all other things that youll be chasing your azzz over. I never could understand why anyone would subject themselves to the crap just because pods "LOOK COOL'.

Not hating here.....just trying to wrap my thought process around what seems to be such a futile and useless exercise.
 
Theknickpruitt said:
I am able to start with the choke all the way up and have to hold it that way. It will not Idle on its own. Please help, I feel lost in the sauce.
Click to expand...

We need far more info to be able to help. What pilot jets and main jets are installed? Did you buy a Dynojet kit for it in order to get an adjustable needle? What exhaust system? In order to rejet you need to work at this methodically, keeping notes of everything you do along the way. It isn't rocket science but it is tedious.


chuck hahn said:
pods on a GS are a waste of money, time, frustration, and all other things that youll be chasing your azzz over.
Click to expand...

Nonsense. For those with no mechanical knowledge and no interest in jetting their bike properly you are 100% correct. For those of us willing to do it right pods work just fine. Since all we hear about are problems from inexperienced riders/tuners we know nothing of how many bikes are out there running perfectly well with pods and pipe installed. Maybe I should start a thread for people to post their success stories and how they achieved that success...


Mark
 
I have no complaints with how my gs1100 runs with pods and a pipe, I'll concede it took a lot of time, but it runs great. I can't compare to what it would have been with a stock setup since mine came that way, but factory pro needles, new pilot and main jets (can't suggest any sizes since I don't even know what stock is on a 550), and I couldn't imagine it running much better stock.
That said, if it's your first project you might consider the stock air box for a while, just do one change at a time.
 
I know how they achieved the success...spending money a lot of time, and wasted efforts. All of which I have no interest in just for some "cool look" factor. I like to ride way more than i like getting tied down to a exercise of take on..take off..guess what size jet to use next...etc etc.
 
Theknickpruitt said:
Sorry for the story here but I'm thinking some history of what I have done might help. I'm new to building/modding this is my first project and am learning as I go. I have a 1980 GS550L. After returning from deployment I wanted to go all in. So I recently redid the electrical using the Motogadget Munit. It has simplified everything and fixed a lot of the electrical issues. So I moved onto the exhaust and Carbs. They have be recently rebuilt. Had to find some new used carbs. I tore out the air filter box and put on some K&N filters. I obviously learned there were some adjustments needed. After taking it out I was not able to get up over 20mph. I tried raising them up a knotch after That I was able to get up to 45mph maybe 50. But the higher I rev the less power I get. Since then I also put on a 4 into one exhaust. I could not get it to start up after that. I then raised the needles up to the last knotch. I am able to start with the choke all the way up and have to hold it that way. It will not Idle on its own. Please help, I feel lost in the sauce.
Click to expand...

ell, did you read the Pipes, Pods, Panic! sticky at the top of this forum?
 
Do these things actually filter? Mine suspiciously never got dirty and it wasn't like I didn't ride Mexican backroads and the like. Maybe the dirt just vibrates off...

Calling them a filter always seemed optimistic to me. More like a gravel strainer deluxe.
 
John Park said:
Do these things actually filter? Mine suspiciously never got dirty and it wasn't like I didn't ride Mexican backroads and the like. Maybe the dirt just vibrates off...

Calling them a filter always seemed optimistic to me. More like a gravel strainer deluxe.
Click to expand...

You need to oil them (sparingly)
 
posplayr said:
You need to oil them (sparingly)
Click to expand...

I got that, but the stock filter is multitudes thicker and also oily, plus it gets its air from a probably cleaner place. I was just wondering if they actually test them for function vs a stock type or a typical pleated paper.
 
I can say they must do something, because the bike won't really run without them.
 
A pretty interesting test of air filter types:

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/airfilter/airtest1.htm

I use pods on the 1150, and it definitely runs well, and, with the correct jetting and settings, the Yosh race pipe, makes great power. Do K&Ns filter better than a paper filter? Read and learn and make an informed choice. On a mild bike like a 550L, I might not get too far into mods. On a beast like an 1100 or 1150, hell yes.
 
Pods can be made to work well, but it takes a lot of iterations and it's imperative that you truly understand how carbs work and how the different circuits interact.
If you don't have experience and that understanding you'll be far, far better off putting the airbox back on.
 
That reminds me....I have a set of K&N pods I will gladly trade even for an 1100e airbox and filter....
 
GS1150Pilot said:
A pretty interesting test of air filter types:

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/airfilter/airtest1.htm

I use pods on the 1150, and it definitely runs well, and, with the correct jetting and settings, the Yosh race pipe, makes great power. Do K&Ns filter better than a paper filter? Read and learn and make an informed choice. On a mild bike like a 550L, I might not get too far into mods. On a beast like an 1100 or 1150, hell yes.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link. I always figured that if you went fast enough, the dirt in the air couldn't make it around the corner and back into your engine?.:D
 
Just an update, I took off the carbs and put in some different jets. They are 155 now. I got them in a jet kit from 6 sigma. Put the carbs back on and after some priming the bike runs. It is idles at 3000 rpm. Its road worthy but I don't think it's 100% yet. It seems to struggle a bit when taking off in 1st gear. Do you think this is something that I can fix with the valves on top of the carbs with a flathead or do I need to open them back up?
 
It should idle between 1 - 1.1k so your far from 100%. Can you lower the idle with the adjustment screw between the #2 and 3 carbs? I don't know if sigma uses Mikuni jets, so I can't comment on sizes, but did you install a new needle?
As Rich and myself said in earlier posts, your going to drive yourself crazy with this until you establish a baseline - which is much easier to do with the stock airbox.
 
Theknickpruitt said:
Just an update, I took off the carbs and put in some different jets. They are 155 now. I got them in a jet kit from 6 sigma. Put the carbs back on and after some priming the bike runs. It is idles at 3000 rpm. Its road worthy but I don't think it's 100% yet. It seems to struggle a bit when taking off in 1st gear. Do you think this is something that I can fix with the valves on top of the carbs with a flathead or do I need to open them back up?
Click to expand...

You are going to have to take them off again. It won't be the last time.
As I said earlier, it takes both a number of iterations and some understanding of how the different circuits work and interact. The less understanding you have now, the more iterations it's going to take, because you have to gain that knowledge.
 
A few years back I bought a 6 sigma kit for an ATV. It came with "RD" jets (which I have used before without any problems), some washers for the needle, and a drill bit to remove the idle mixture screw. The main jets they provided weren't close to the size I needed and it ran worse than the stock set up. I ended up buying a Dynojet kit and it worked great.

It sounds like you may have a vacuum leak or some pilot jet issues.
 
Theknickpruitt said:
Do you think this is something that I can fix with the valves on top of the carbs with a flathead or do I need to open them back up?
Click to expand...
I am trying to picture what "valves on top of the carbs" you have. :-k

I have seen MANY sets of carbs on these bikes, but have never seen valves on top.

I know it's too late now, but you should have gotten the bike running properly in the stock configuration. If, for some reason, that was not good enough for you (performance, looks, whatever), THEN you could make your changes, but only make ONE change at a time. If you like the results, you will KNOW that that change was worth it. If it makes it worse, you will know what NOT to do next time.

.
 
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