Idling on one cylinder (like my life)

[thingsbuilt]

I want to thank everyone for their suggestions, but after having the carbs off three times, it is still idling on only one cylinder. If I remove the right-side wire, it dies. If I remove the left-side wire instead, it has no effect on the engine running. It seems the right cylinder is doing all the work.
It starts real nice now, idles nice, and I can get it to run on the 'bad' cylinder
if I rev it up while  pulling the wire off the 'good' side. It will run then, but very badly. But only at high rpm.

I am walking away from this, at least for the next week or two.
It's all I think about day and night and it's driving me nuts.

carbs super clean now
jets unclogged
air passages cleaned
vacuum good all around
missing o-ring replaced
incorrect float setting (on bad side) fixed
top diaphram thingies checked and re-seated
spark checked (good spark)
no pinched hoses
air cleaner ok
boots tightened
air mixture screws opened a half-turn more
fuel filters on both lines from tank

-I haven't checked spark plug wires in the dark yet (for leaks)
-Should I be looking at valves now?

Most of this trouble started after it was knocked over and left that way by a 'friend.'
I think it stirred up old gunk and crud in the gas tank
Didn't ride it much last year because I had cancer. (i've got to stop sniffing carb cleaner!)
I'm better now, and a good ride would do me some good.

Again, thanks everyone. I will soon be a gs500 expert!
(right about the time I sell it..)

steve

los angelezzz

[Oni]

I want to thank everyone for their suggestions, but after having the carbs off three times, it is still idling on only one cylinder. If I remove the right-side wire, it dies. If I remove the left-side wire instead, it has no effect on the engine running. It seems the right cylinder is doing all the work.

I think that's your clue.  Something amiss with the ignition system on the left side.  Have you checked for spark on that side?  Bad plug, plug wire, or coil would give you those symptoms.  Try switching spark plug cables to different coils.

[ratz]

coil!
As soon as you listed your symptoms, I remebered having this problem.
The coil will pass the current until it needs more spark.
It used to happen to me and my buddies who raced. When there is a high demand on the coil, it breaks down. Before you go and Buy one, ask around on the boards for sale section. I can also check at home tonight.
Lastley, Check Craigslist orange county, there was a guy on there having a garage sale of GS500 stuff.

[gsJack]

We've had a lot of one cyl GS500s lately, my problem was a loose spark plug wire where it goes into the coil.  Checking spark can show good spark but with the plug under pressure in the cylinder the spark can take a different route to ground.

If a bad coil or plug is suspected on the GS, switch them from side to side and see if the problem moves with the parts.  Left and right coils are identical.