Poor starting tip for GS550 & 750`s

[ShirleySerious]

That lever you describe is called the petcock. When you set it on PRI, it lets fuel flow to the carbs while the engine's off, useful for filling the bowls after taking the carbs apart.

As for your question, kinda, but blowing into the carbs will blow fuel into the throttle body, where as putting the petcock on prime with the engine running will do nothing but risk overfilling the bowls.

 

[snowbeard]

wow. I'm going to try this for sure. I've had issues with my bike starting for the four years I've owned it. I've been using ether (starting fluid) if it ever sits for more than a day or two, every day if it's cold. it seems not to have the suction to pull the gas without a little bump of ether to get the combustion started... this could be just what I needed.

not to hijack the thread, but Ty told me that my valves likely needed an adjustment, would loose valves maybe make it not as "sucky" when starting that it wouldn't be able to prime itself??

I would also add that people should check their hoses, pull them and make sure they're clear and open before blowing back into them, I've found some nasty junk in the airebox drain hose, likely due to my ether spray and overflown float bowls in the past, but I could see it picking up road grime as well...

thanks for the tip!!!!

 

[tkent02]

More likely valves too tight would do this...

More likely valves too tight would do this...

not to hijack the thread, but Ty told me that my valves likely needed an adjustment, would loose valves maybe make it not as "sucky" when starting that it wouldn't be able to prime itself??

Too loose won't really hurt until they get very rattly.
They usually get tighter with wear too.

 

[snowbeard]

ah, still better do something to them, eh?


and while I'm here, thanks a ton for the "great" tip #-o it was cold and rainy, with a few styrofoam raindrops bouncing around on the bike. I decided I wanted to ride so I'd have the bike with me tomorrow (not going home after poker) so I said "if the ol gal will start with my new trick, I have to ride 'er"

great, so it started right up, and there I went in the freezing cold drizzle!!! tucked a towel under my jacket to wipe off the visor and froze balls all the way to work!!!

somehow the bike was having some surging issues on the highway at 60mph, I don't know why. It often will not start when its wet and I"ve always said that was a built in safety feature!!! I think the plug wires are less than waterproof...:?


well at least I may not kill the engine from squirting ether in it day in and day out now, thanks for that at least!! :wink:

 

[tomo]

Great, glad it worked !. I don`t claim it solves every starting problem but its always worth a try before pulling carbs or messing with electrics !. Both my GS750`s and my CX500 were pigs to start if stood a couple of days, but a quick blow down those breathers and away they go.

 

[dacapella]

850 Won't start

850 Won't start

I am rather admittedly clueless when it comes to bike repair but I am trying. I have a 1980 850 GLT that starts when it wants to. The engine turns over but it will not fire up on a consistent basis. I looked at the spark plugs and they look good. The lights come on when I turn the key but as it tries to start you can here the battery wearing down I assume from a lack of charge. Any ideas? I hope its just a new battery and not a starter or generator problem.

 

[snowbeard]

that sounds like an old battery, I often have to use ether (starter fluid) to get the first turns to pull gas. This trick of blowing into the breather tubes seems to work sometimes, this morning wasn't one of them, but I didn't blow very hard. The first time I did it I left a puddle of gas in the drive from the airbox drain tube... doesn't take much


ALSO: PSA --> put those vent tubes tucked back where they belong!! I have left them dangling the two times I tried this trick and when I got on the highway I had surging issues. I knew it was the fuel delivery as I had just resealed my plug wires and it wasn't wet out. I tucked them back in at a stoplight today and everything was happy again.

must pull a vacuum in the carbs by the venturi effect.

 

[fish527]

Blowing into the breather tubes has to be one of the best tips i've ever tried. WOW you've made my day. My gs550 was a bear to start when ever it sat for more than a day and since I just got the carbs back on after cleaning and adjusting I wasn't looking forward to trying to find what i missed because it is still hard to start. Now, all I do is blow into the breather tubes and it fires right up. I think I can live with the situation atleast until it warms up outside. Thanks Again

 

[dsw1953]

Nice tip. I'll have to remember it.

 

[bmac]

So why are the gs 550's so hard to start, and why would blowing it get it to run, If carbs are clean, gas is good, weather is dry,temp is reasonable ,spark good, battery charged. Why should it not start?

 

[Nerobro]

People fear cleaning pilot jets I think. My 550's start fine.

 

[tomo]

Nothing to do with being afraid of carbs, mine have been off, stripped and cleaned many times over the years, even re-built with a carb kit once. No difference, leave em a couple of days and both my GS`s and CX500 won`t start unless I use this trick. The GS`s are both 750`s by the way. Don`t know why this should be the case, though they are high mileage bikes as I don`t use a car and ride all year round.

 

[Nerobro]

Well.. Then it sounds like your pilot screws are set a little lean. Richen them up a little and you'll never need to blow again.

 

[bmac]

So Nerobro, How would someone go about richening the pilot jets. Seems to me their is no adjustment on a bs type carb. From what I seen
and rebuilt. But, I am uncertain. So pass this along so I don't have to blow
my bike!!!!!!!:shock: [-o<


Thanks bmac

 

[Nerobro]

There are two metal caps on the top of hte carbs on the engine side. Those need to be drilled out. Then there will be screws under there. If you've never taken out those you've never actually cleaned the carbs. Most likely you don't need to adjust them really. Just clean them.

 

[bmac]

Hi Nerobro, Oh yea, engine idle needle valves. Been there done that in
o'hauls. Still looking for that magic bullet to keep me from blowing my
bike when I want to ride. I am confused. I have a 80 550t and a 83 750t
both under 10,000 miles on them and they both are like nite and day to
start!!!! I am glad I don't have to blow both of them to get started!!!!!!!



I'll keep searching, bmac

 

[Planecrazy]

If one puts the petcock on "PRI" (prime) for about fifteen to thirty seconds before hitting the "Start" button a cranky GS will generally start up very easily ... just REMEMBER to put the petcock back on "RUN" after it starts!

The reason this works is that the float bowls lose fuel over time, and cranking the bike over doesn't produce very much vacuum pressure to pull more fuel versus when the bike is already running. The "PRI" setting allows fuel to flow on its own, so plenty will be available as you crank the motor.

This tip has saved me LOTS of aggravation since I learned it, and chances are you can avoid having to play any games blowing on potentially dirty breather hoses by doing it this way instead. In addition, if your bike hasn't run in awhile there might not be very much (or any) fuel in the passages you're blowing on ... so the breather hose trick might not always work if the bike has been sitting a very long time between uses.

Regards,

 

[82750t]

I went there to look for it and I was under the impression that one end of the tube was open. I couldn't find it. A combination of no light in the storage area (they turned off the power to the light bulbs 'for safety reasons'), the 0 degree weather, numb fingers, big hands, and a tight space led me to give up. I tried cranking it but I don't think air cooled, carbed engines were meant to start in that kind of cold. I say carbed because my fuel injected car starts up right away.

Oh well, maybe when it gets warmer I'll see if it starts up without having to blow into the tubes.

I dont even try starting my 750 till its warm that in my opnion is a lot of your trouble. my bike dosent like to start either my fool proof remedy has been to push start the bike put in second pull the clutch and run like hell its tiring and a little dangerious but works. also wnce running dump carb cleaner in your gas. science youdont want to take them off. also spray carb cleaner in the air box whial runnig. just a few tips good luck

 

[bmac]

Hard start 550 t

Hard start 550 t

I meet Robert Barr yesterday and purchased (2) sets of his o'rings. After many trips to different and numerous part stores,hardware stores and bike
shops to no avail. Decided to take the next step inwhich members had pointed me to which was the most obvious. ROBERT BARR, he's the one to contact. Forget about searching, he's your one stop shop. Thanks Robert.
Now, it's time to install these magic bullets that I have been searching for
so I don't have to blow my bike to get it to start!!!!!!!![-o<

bmac

 

[bradleymaynar]

Okay, so I may be day late and a $ short, but I noticed that no one put up a pic of said "T". Here it is on my carbs, part 80. It doesn't show the other "T".

The tube runs back up under the seat rails. I believe that some members have removed the tubes.

As it's been a week since my bike's been running, I may have to give this a try!:-D

Brad bt