Where to start? 82 gs650L

[tkent02]

is this what causes petcocks to fail?

No, they just fail when they don't get used for ten or twenty years. Then they leak, just a little bit. When someone parks the bike, the fuel evaporates out of the right two carburetors and they stay dry, but the leaking petcock keeps refilling the left two, since on the side stand they are on the down hill end of the passages that bring fuel across to all four carbs. The gasoline that turns into the dried old crap keeps getting replenished, the left two get more and more crap in the bottom of them. After a few years this crap turns to varnish, and it ain't coming out without a proper carburetor cleaning.

Replace the petcock.
Clean the carburetors.
Read up on all of the other systems that need periodic maintenance, and which can hurt you seriously if it is not done.

Like wheel bearings, tires, brakes, steering head, forks, shocks, the whole electrical system and pretty much all of the other parts of the motorcycle.

Restoring a bike that's been sitting and making it safe to ride again is a lot of work.

 

[tom203]

Old age failure! There is a flimsy diaphragm inside petcock that sits in gas. So after 30 years,best to get new. Like this

http://www.georgefixs.com/brand-new...s550-gs650-gs750-gs850-gs1000-gs1100-petcock/

that guy also sells another version with very little reserve capacity

 

[Grassigrass]

Replaced the petcock today, it's been a long time since I've been able to work with the bike sadly.. But carbs are next!

 

[Grassigrass]

Got into the bike again today, just tried to clean it up a bit so that it doesn't look I was playing with oil all day long. also the PO put on some after market signals and the wiring is all rigged together. my plan is to replace most of the electrical (signals, tail light, headlight maybe, speedo and all the gauges). Since the PO made a mess I'm just taking everything apart as I go. Hope this plan doesn't cause too much of a problem when putting the thing back together. The turn signals never flashed properly anyways so they're gone.

 

[tom203]

Winter is the ideal time to correct stuff- unless you have other pursuits to distract you!

 

[Grassigrass]

Got the carbs apart from each other. There's still a few parts that need to be taken off.. I've gone as far as the pilot screw and its little pieces out. Gonna be working on it here and there every night. Still dreading the thought of putting it back together... Spent a lot of time trying to clean up the outside with soap and water and a tooth brush. Even though the PO said carbs have been done, I don't think this bikes been cleaned since it came off the line

 

[tom203]

" Even though the PO said carbs have been done, "

He probably meant that they were "done for" .
Insides need to be clean- outsides is purely cosmetic, mine look their age, but function as intended.

 

[Grassigrass]

Is there a site to purchase new screws suuuch as carb cover screws? Without paying $2.95 per screw.. I may have stripped a few but with vice grips everything comes out. I'd really like to replace them with hex heads like I did for the intake boots. http://www.suzukipartshouse.com/oemparts/a/suz/50d3fd96f8700230d8b4da72/carburetor-model-z ..... This site has Them but like I said nearly $3 per screw and if I replace one I'd like to do them all..

 

[Grassigrass]

Also the second I took the carbs off you could see yellow film over the airbox side of carb.. Can't wait to dip these things

 

[60ratrod]

You should be able to get the screws at your local fastenal or ace hardware

 

[huntb]

...One of the newbie rules in never trust an PO. Well I'd like to hope this guy was for real. It runs and drives, I test drove it and it all seemed to checked out to my knowledge (which isn't too much) also blinkers aren't original, and they don't blink, they just stay lit. And speedo doesn't work. Which means miles aren't actual...

...Read on here to use Diesel engine oil but I brought that up to the most trustworthy shop in town and they insisted on 10w40.. so I changed the oil yesterday and it had a pretty good hint of gasoline smell in it which I have read is not ideal...

So... seems like you said you have read alot on this website, yet you don't listen to a single thing you have read. We say never trust a PO, yet you choose to trust the PO. We say to use diesel oil, you choose 10w40. Why even read info from this website if you just choose to disregard it?

The collective information on this forum is bar none, the most extensive documentation about GS bikes ever created. Some of the gurus on this forum own or have ownes dozens of GS's and have been working on them since the first GS was built. I suggest you listen to them. I bought my bike not running and knowing nothing about it and using the information and help from this forum got it running very reliably (although its not great on the eyes yet).

There have been several very useful reponses to this thread, yet you seem to either not read them, or just choose not to respond. Now, enough with the brow beating...

After you replaced your petcock, are cylinders 1 & 2 now firing?
If not, have you checked to make sure the proper coil wires are going to them?
Have you adjusted your valves (this is important)?
Once you get your carbs apart are you going to dip them? (The answer here is yes)
Do you have a way to vacuum sync your carbs? Bench sync will get you close, but a proper vacuum sync is needed for ideal performance.

After all this, congratulations, you have a running and well tuned bike. Now you will need to make your bike safe to ride. We can get to that in part II.

 

[tom203]

You should be able to get the screws at your local fastenal or ace hardware

My local hardware stores are way too pricy for ss screws... This ebay guy probably has what you need, but check yourself to be sure

http://www.ebay.com/itm/suzuki-gs11...or-STAINLESS-STEEL-ALLEN-SCREWS-/391111340437

don't forget to order the carb stuff from cycleorings - you'll need it after the dip and strip.

 

[60ratrod]

tom, as you very well know I sing caution about ss screws and aluminum, which can be a non issue for the typical fair weather guy, like I am. so I just go with black oxide screws. but again, that is just me and my preference and opinion. besides, I like the look of shiny and black

 

[Grassigrass]

So... seems like you said you have read alot on this website, yet you don't listen to a single thing you have read. We say never trust a PO, yet you choose to trust the PO. We say to use diesel oil, you choose 10w40. Why even read info from this website if you just choose to disregard it?

The collective information on this forum is bar none, the most extensive documentation about GS bikes ever created. Some of the gurus on this forum own or have ownes dozens of GS's and have been working on them since the first GS was built. I suggest you listen to them. I bought my bike not running and knowing nothing about it and using the information and help from this forum got it running very reliably (although its not great on the eyes yet).

There have been several very useful reponses to this thread, yet you seem to either not read them, or just choose not to respond. Now, enough with the brow beating...

After you replaced your petcock, are cylinders 1 & 2 now firing?
If not, have you checked to make sure the proper coil wires are going to them?
Have you adjusted your valves (this is important)?
Once you get your carbs apart are you going to dip them? (The answer here is yes)
Do you have a way to vacuum sync your carbs? Bench sync will get you close, but a proper vacuum sync is needed for ideal performance.

After all this, congratulations, you have a running and well tuned bike. Now you will need to make your bike safe to ride. We can get to that in part II.

I replaced the petcock but had already taken it apart for the carbs so no i did not go back and test it to see if it was fixed. i did make sure the proper wires are going to the right place. i mean i did mess them around to see any difference but i put them back to the correct spots after. I have not adjusted the valves nor do i know how to do that. and i have carb dip ready to go once i get the god damn needle valve seats out which for the life of me i can't get out and i was planning on bench syncing to start i suppose..
on a different note, Yes i do read the forums, I've read all the newbie stuff and i do take people's advice when given. also I am still very much new to this and had i known i was getting a GS before i got it i would have researched. I got the bike from a Dealer, aka the previous owner was a dealer so i figured then that he would have been the most trust worthy PO ever. clearly not the case and i don't take anything he has said seriously since the day i bought the bike. i just simply state what he has said as i get into it. and the oil... yes i should have put diesel oil in and i was planning on it but when i went to the shop i mentioned it and they said otherwise. again i won't make that mistake again. (it needs an oil change already because of the leaky petcock so it will be getting diesel oil)

tom203, I just ordered hex head bolts for all of the carbs. pretty excited to get rid of these chewed up screws.

back to the needle valve seats, i cannot get them out without completely destroying them with the pliers. I've only touched one but its pretty far gone. I've been spraying them 2 times a day for the past 4 days hoping they will loosen up but still not at the point where they slide out or even twist. the one i did get out looks super corroded. anyone know where to get new ones cheaper than $33 per seat. also broke carb 3's gasket trying to get it off sadly. I'm just going to replace all the gaskets while I'm at this though.