carb, valve, timing info needed

[RpgerP]

I have a friend who is here in Calif temporialy from Rhode Island. He left his manual in RI
We need the following info for a 1996 GS500E Suzuki:

Float height
Valve Clearance
Timing Marks

His bike is hard to start cold, wont' stay running when cold. At times will either stall at 3,000 rpm or rpm raise. Wants to stall at stop lights. Has to ride most times with choke on.
Thanks In advance.

[Jundie]

Float height    ?
Valve Clearance    0.03 to 0.08 mm with cold engine
Timing Marks   ?

[Richard UK]

Float height is 14.6 +/- 1.0 mm

Timing mark is 'F' (for 'Fire') on pulse generator rotor, firing point is for right hand cylinder at idle (before auto-advance kicks in).  Aligns with a mark on the (static) pulse generator coil.  

Use a strobe connected to the RH spark spark plug HT lead to check it with the engine idling.  

There is no adjustement possible on the stock machine - electronic ignition either works or it doesn't.

[Backbone]

Hi   I have the same year bike as you and had the exact problem. I found cam timing out ( both cams 1 tooth retarded)  The exhaust cam has rubber mouldings on it to reduce cam chain noise. This had gone hard and brittle and started to fall off. It seems bits of this have feed under the crank cam chain sprocket and caused it to jump a tooth while running. This is the only cause I can find that could have put the valve timing out. Hope this helps.

[Kerry]

If you want to check your float height with the carbs (back) on the bike,  my Float Height Check page might be useful.

EDIT: Changed link from sisna.com to bbburma.net