Post servicing blues...

[matt_not_andrew]

Hello my American cousins

I'm looking to get some advice on my problem.

I took my GS in for it's 7.5k mile service yesterday. Prior to the service the bike was running nicely. The only noticeable problem prior to the service was that the fuel lines had been connected the wrong way so the reserve was the normal and the normal was the reserve.

When I picked the bike up last night from the dealer he had switched the lines and said the plugs had been a little white indicating a lean mixture.

When I got the bike warm and on the open road I noticed that above 5k revs whilst accelerating flat out the bike was juddering a bit like it was not getting enough fuel through the carbs. I returned the bike to the shop and after they rode the bike they said it was definitely not running smoothly. The replaced the plugs but this did not help. We rang the dealer I bought it from who confirmed that the bike has not been restricted (I have had 115mph on the speedo in the last month!).

The guy at the bike shop has said I have two options. As the bike is under guarantee he said if he strips the carbs and finds a fault he will bill Suzuki and not me. If the fault is not mechanical (i.e. bad fuel or blockage) he says he will charge me for the labour. I can't see bad fuel being the problem as I've done 80 miles on the fuel in the tank before the service and it ran fine.

My problem is this. If the bike was running smoothly prior to the service and now does not, how can he say it's not his fault that the bike is not running as it should?

ANY IDEAS ON THE FAULT?



And, to top it all off he said that the GS500E was not the most exiting bikes in the world, emplying that the lack of power I was experiencing should be expected from this bike - C**P in my book - just cause it's not a Gixxer doesn't mean it should run anything other that smoothly throughout the rev range.

Please someone help me as I need to know where I stand with this.
Thanks

Matt (in the UK)

[MarkusN]

What have they done about the lean condition?

I know that mine used to judder (high frequent power fluctuation) on 80 to 100% power, and that was caused by a rich condition (float height off).

All in all I find tht the bike runs much smoother slightly lean. It doesn't accept power from the bottom up as willingly as before, but the upper power band is much smoother.

[Gisser]

I took my GS in for it's 7.5k mile service yesterday. Prior to the service the bike was running nicely. The only noticeable problem prior to the service was that the fuel lines had been connected the wrong way so the reserve was the normal and the normal was the reserve.

There's only one fuel line for on/reserve from the tank to the carbs.  The smaller hose is a vacuum line which opens the petcock.

Maybe you're not getting enough fuel to the carbs now.  Try running on prime in case the petcock is malfunctioning.  

They should be able to diagnose the problem without tearing down the carbs.

[Kerry]

There's only one fuel line for on/reserve from the tank to the carbs.  The smaller hose is a vacuum line which opens the petcock.

There are two hoses (ON and RES hoses) from the fuel tank to the ON / RES / PRI petcock, but one hose from the petcock to the carbs.

Unless your bike has been modified, that is....

[Gisser]

There are two hoses (ON and RES hoses) from the fuel tank to the ON / RES / PRI petcock, but one hose from the petcock to the carbs.

Thanks for the correction.  I guess this explains why the GS450 doesn't have the fuel delivery problems that the GS500 is plagued by.  Totally different petcock.

[mojoworkin]

Matt, I work in the tractor industry, and no OEM will warrant fuel issues unless there is a defect in the manufacture in the carb/intake/engine. I would assume that the dealer is not feeding you a line of BS on that point. At least in tractors, most problems with carbs is that someone has left fuel in it for too long, or there is debris in the tank or carb. I have also found that varnish can be considered cumulative (builds up with time) and therefore not warrantable. The dealer just cannot get reimbursed for the work if they cannot send a faulty part to the OEM. I am not saying that is your problem, but I would prepare for the worst just in case either of these are the issue.