Help, my bike's been sitting for 5 years!

[Thrin]

Ok, to make a long story short - my 98 GS has been sitting in my garage for the last five years, untouched.  I'm going to get it out and get it back up and running.  What should I do first?  Change oil/filter, drain the gas, replace the battery and/or spark plugs - whats going to be most likely "gummed up"?  What should I grease the chain with?

[Rashad]

Might as well take the carbs off... take them apart, clean them all up, jet them while your in there...

Check ALL rubber parts...like the carb diaphragm, etc.. airbox area... for mice... etc...

flush all fluids..brake fluid....

[vfrocket]

I just ressurected my bike from a 3 year store.. You will most definately need to clean the carbs. My pilot jets were gummed closed. You can eaisly clean these carbs by breaking them down. Be sure to keep left and right pieces seprate. remove all rubber o-rings, and replace if damaged.

I used b-12 carb cleaner, and the high "e" string off of a guitar to clean the little ports.

be sure to assemble all parts just as they came off. in my experience putting one plastic washer on the needles incorrectly caused hours of trouble until I figured out what I did.

see: http://gstwin.com/carb_work.htm

     

[Thrin]

Thanks!  Looks like I have some cleaning to do!

[werase643]

things on the DO NOT list
do not seperate the carb bodies from the rack
do not mess with the butterfly valves
do not mess with the fuel supply piping between the carbs

[The Buddha]

Ok other than carbs, ... change oil, and filter, then check valves and while you're in there ... pour some oil on the cams. Also Put a bit of oil in each cylinder and turn it over by hand a few times without the spark plugs in ... then turn it with the starter a few times with no plugs, then put some fresh gas in and turn it with starter ... the cylinder should not have just a coat of oil and now put plugs back in and fresh gas etc and start ...
Cool.
Srinath.

[Thrin]

things on the DO NOT list
do not seperate the carb bodies from the rack
do not mess with the butterfly valves
do not mess with the fuel supply piping between the carbs

Are the "carb bodies", "butterfly valves", and "fuel piping between the carbs" on the diagram (fig 12) above?  If so, which numbers?

THanks!

[gavin]

For a bike that old, wouldn't it be wise to clean rust out of the tank before messing with the carbs?  :dunno:  Just a thought.

-Gavin

[The Buddha]

OK take the whole carb unit off the bike and put it in a trough of gas, yamaha carb cleaner and maybe some other non acetone based carb cleaner ... 24 hours later ... take it and drain it and drop it back in the bike ... cant miss .. unless of course your carbs are filthy on the outside ... then you'll get some of that inside ...
Cool.
Srinath.

[Thrin]

OK take the whole carb unit off the bike and put it in a trough of gas, yamaha carb cleaner and maybe some other non acetone based carb cleaner ... 24 hours later ... take it and drain it and drop it back in the bike ... cant miss .. unless of course your carbs are filthy on the outside ... then you'll get some of that inside ...
Cool.
Srinath.

Seriously?  Are you saying make a mixture of gas, Yamaha carb cleaner and the other nonacetone based carb cleaner?  The carbs arent dirty on the outside - actually the entire engine looks brand new - was looking at it today...

[Thrin]

For a bike that old, wouldn't it be wise to clean rust out of the tank before messing with the carbs?  :dunno:  Just a thought.

-Gavin

How should I clean the inside of the tank?  Just remove it and wash it out with a hose??

[Thrin]

For a bike that old, wouldn't it be wise to clean rust out of the tank before messing with the carbs?  :dunno:  Just a thought.

-Gavin

Nevermind Gavin, I just read on another thread what is invovled with "derusting" my tank, lol

[dyran]

Check the brake fluid it's probably all gummed up.