Engine idol problem...

[rdcooper]

I've got a 2001 G5500, which I just had serviced for the summer.

It WAS running just fine, but now it has a problem with the idol.  When I throtle up, the engine stays up around 3000 rpm... and VERY slowly heads down to 1200rpm.   It used to react much quicker.  Same happens when I turn up the choke.  Also, when I come to a stop while riding... again the rpms stay around 3000 rpm for a bit and VERY slowly go down... unless I let the clutch out a little... that seems to pull the rpms right down.

Anyone have some advice?

Thanks in advance!

[JCH]

bike running lean.   something about air mixture screw.  someone who knows more about carbs will post up soon.

[DerekNC]

Try adjusting your idle down when the engine is warmed up. When you first start it up the idle will be very low but will settle to where it should be. If you have an air leak that probably won't work.

Derek

[scratch]

Welcome! The next thing to do is check if the carbs are stock, by feeling for the brass plug over the mixture screws in picture, courtesy Kerry, below: http://gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=15250&highlight=idle+screw (scroll down for picture)

If the plug is off already, you can use a flathead tip off of a screwdriver that has replacable tips to turn the screw out a quarter to half a turn more to help richen the mixture. The next thing to do, that doesn't require money or removal of the carbs, is to check your floatbowl height with some clear hose placed over the drain spout. hold the hose upwards, so the gas doesn't flow out onto the ground, next to the floatbowl. Crack open the drain screw and se where the level is next to the floatbowl. This'll give you an idea of where the fuel level is in the float bowl, you want it as close to the top of the floatbowl as possible. To adjust this, you may have to remove, okay, most likely will have to remove the carbs from the bike.

Hope this helps for now. Search for floatbowl adjustment or float height adjustment.

[mjm]

I've got a 2001 G5500, which I just had serviced for the summer.

It WAS running just fine, but now it has a problem with the idol.  When I throtle up, the engine stays up around 3000 rpm... and VERY slowly heads down to 1200rpm.   It used to react much quicker.  Same happens when I turn up the choke.  Also, when I come to a stop while riding... again the rpms stay around 3000 rpm for a bit and VERY slowly go down... unless I let the clutch out a little... that seems to pull the rpms right down.

Anyone have some advice?

Thanks in advance!

Since it used to run fine and you day you have the same problem with the choke on and off - check the free-play in both the throttle and choke cables, make sure that the choke mechanism is actually moving fully through its range when you turn it on and off and check for a leak between the carbs and the boots to the engine - you say you just had it serviced for the summer - if a dealer did the work, talk to them - Did they replace the air filter and adjust the carbs? hanging idle is  symptom of a lean engine and/or badly adjusted valves - but you always start with the simple five minute checks before going for the bigger job.

[rdcooper]

Thanks everyone for the help...

I was playing the the choke and throttle... and watching what was happening down on the top of the carbs.... that thing that moves when you turn the choke seemed kinda tight... the throttle seemed ok.  I sprayed a little bit of WD40 on that part of the carb... and played with the idle contol screw... and now it seems to run great.  Rode into work today with out any sign of the problem.  I'm really not sure if it was the WD40 or that screw that fixed it.  

Thanks again guys for the help,
Ross