Serious GS500 Problems

[DeadPunch]

Ok kids,

Lets start out with this gentle disclaimer.  I was an absolute idiot and bought a bike before I even knew how to ride.  Now that I've done all the course work and am legit to drive, I really know what I'm looking for in a bike.  Unfortunately it's a bit late and I'm pretty sure that i purchased a bike that shouldn't have been purchased with a lot of PROBLEMS!  The bike "seemed" (in novice eyes)  to run fine when I took it for a spin initially and the owner "said" that it always ran fine too.  So in order to try and salvage what I have and maybe resell and buy a new GS, I need to get this thing running much smoother.

Problems:

1)  Bike is cold blooded as hell but from what I read in the forums, this is normal.  But when trying to start the bike with the clutch engaged (pulled lever all the way down) it's completely impossible to get the bike running whilst the petcock in the PRI position.  I even tried ON, and RES to test the petcock out.  If I push the lever back up (no choke) I can finally get it started and about 5 mins of cranking the engine intermitently with a little prayer.  When I do get the bike running and warm (after 15-20 mins), it idles at 1200-1300 rpm's without the choke engaged.  If I was to put the choke on you would think that the rpm's would surge up, right?  With my bike it stalls?  WTF?  Can I fix a choke somehow?

2)  When I get the bike running (while ideling on the stand after 20 mins of warming up), I sit on the bike to get ready for a ride.  Once I come upright with the bike, after a few seconds it sounds like it runs out of gas (similar to the choke situation above) and stalls out before I can even put it in first gear.

3)  I have played with the idel screw quite a bit and wonder if I might have screwed something up.  Is there a way to "reset" the idel screw to a default position to be adjusted correctly by me so that I can keep up the rpm's when the choke is engaged (and help start) and when turned off, get it to idel at 1200 rpm's?

The bike never really had any problems running into my stupid impatient self started to play around before I knew a lick about anything.  I'm hoping that ya'll can help bail me out of what is already turning into a very expensive situation.  Please help...

-Hopeless

[The Buddha]

Yea you seem to have what cal76 had last week.
How about you send me the carbs, and the fuel petcocks and $45 and wait a week or 2, all this will disappear.
BTW you got clogged jets in the carb, a fuel system that isn't letting complete flow and a choke that aint opening or closing ... whatever ... add $10 for splitting the choke, usually there never is a reason to, so I dont, but looks like yours is screwed up there. If its not, I'll send you $10 back.
You need a clean rejet, adjust, and sorting out fuel flow up and down the fuel system. You're not supposed to touch the idle screw more than maybe 3-4 times a year, if you ride everyday. Weather changes are what dictate that, in Charlotte NC I basically adjust it maybe 2 times a year.
Cool.
Buddha.

[DeadPunch]

Crap.  I was actually thinking that I needed to rejet the thing.  I would totally send it in to be fixed but I got plans in a few days for a ride.  I might try the rejet myself and see how it works out.  Couldn't get any worse.   

[ohgood]

Crap.  I was actually thinking that I needed to rejet the thing.  I would totally send it in to be fixed but I got plans in a few days for a ride.  I might try the rejet myself and see how it works out.  Couldn't get any worse.   

You're new here, ain't ya ?

Ya, it can get allot worse, really quick. Sometimes all it takes is running some fresh gas through the carbs, dumping the float bowls, and giving the side of the carbs a VERY light tap with a screwdriver (stuck float jet).

But who knows. Carbs love ya one day, and they go all poo poo the next. It's still fun though.

[DeadPunch]

Yup, I'm the FNG in these parts!   

I'll drain the tank and give it a tap before I go crazy like you said.  The bike wasn't maintained/stored very well so I'm sure I'll need to rejet them at some point very soon anyhow.  I'm almost kind of glad the bike wasn't in great condition.  The GS's are so easy to learn how to work on and I'm doing it from the beginning of my riding career.  Luckily I get a lot of free parts from a local shop around here that I'm building a website for.  If I rejet, I'll throw some before and after pictures up of how bad it really is.

[Jay_wolf]

The great Buddha knows exactly what hes talking about 45 bucks... 22 pounds for me lol

Is nothing , if u pay 45 bucks to get ur bike running perfect , is so much cheaper than a shop . i wish i had a Buddha in England , took me quite a few rejet attempted to get my the way it is  !!

[DeadPunch]

.

[The Buddha]

The carb work somehow is easy to me ... it stumps lots of people. Its not too much heavy lifting type work, which I suck at, I am really a weakling and tire easily, and its not too small to even see like electronic type, Its just perfect for my head/hands. Even carbs I have no idea about, like the old ass amal types. I can jet stuff almost by look and feel and leave it very close.
Cool.
Buddha.

[that gs guy]

forgive me if i'm wrong - im completely new at this as well but for your first problem, i don't think youre supposed to have your fuel valve set at PRI unless "the motorcycle has run out of fuel or has been stored for an extended period" and "there may not be any gasoline in the carburetor" (coming from the owner's manual). it goes on to say that switching to PRI "will allow the fuel to flow directly into the carbs even though the engine is not operating. Upon starting the engine, be sure to return the fuel valve to the ON position. Leaving the valve in PRI positiion when the engine is off can be hazardous. The carbs may overflow and fuel may run into the engine. This can cause a fire or cause severe damage when you start the engine."
have you been leaving the fuel valve on PRI?

[The Buddha]

Yea its called hydrolock, and a GS rarely ... very very rarely ... as in never siffers from it.
The air box is much lower and that side on the carb housing is much lower and there is no butterfly in the way so fuel always gets into airbox and not the motor.
Anyway, I gotta get to bed, bye kids, be nice.
Cool.
Buddha.

[X-ray]

I think you need to check a few things.
See if the tank has rust that may be cloggin' things up.
make sure your fule hoses are routed properly.
Also pull your plugs. What color are they? Is one wet? etc.

keep your chin up, once you get it solved riding will be even more fun. 

[DeadPunch]

X-ray was reading my mind.     Since I'm pretty much replacing everything on the bike as of late.  Does anybody know a good place to get a new tank for a fair price?  Not a used tank.  Well maybe if it was reconditioned and in perfect condition.  At this point I think it would be a good purchase seeing how I'm practically rebulding the tank.  I've redone so much more than what you read in this post.

[ToddG]

i just bought a new tank at MrCycles.Com for around $430 shipped. Not cheap but better than someone else's problem!