Just got a 2000 GS 500E, need help solving a problem.

[Banned]

has about 1800 miles on it. not sure of all the details but the bike is cosmetically good. According to the buyer it say around before he bought it. did a few things that needed to be done and now i have it. anything in particular i should do to make it run perfect. thought about taking it to a local cycle shop to get tuned up and then figure things out from there since this is my first bike.

tried starting the bike today. when the petcock was switched to primary it ran rich and idled around 5000. when switched to on or reserve would idle around 3000 and then die afterwards. where i live the temp is around 80 F or so. do i need to use the choke to start the bike and "warm" it up? also the idle pin at the carbs? i'm not sure if mine is having any affect on my idle. does it have a point when it should stop turning because mine turns forever in either direction.

[fred]

Welcome. The GS is a very cold blooded bike, you may very well need the choke to start it, even in warm weather. If your bike won't run in anything but prime, you've probably got a problem with the vacuum part of the petcock, which is quite common on the GS, but also easy to fix.

To adjust the idle, look for the idle screw between the carbs. It should have a large head that is easy to turn by hand. It is basically a stop for the throttle. It keeps the throttle open a bit so the idle stays where it should. You need to adjust the idle when the bike is good an warm, so if you can't get it running for very long, fix that problem first, then adjust the idle. Also, watch out for idle hanging. If you rev the bike up and it takes a while to drop down to idle, you've got a vacuum leak somewhere that you have to find and fix.

If you're lucky, all your problems will be the same thing: the petcock might not be connected to vacuum and its vacuum line might be the source of a vacuum leak.

Taking it to the shop isn't a horrible idea, have them fix your problem and give the bike a good once over to make sure you aren't riding with any obvious safety problems like bad brakes and rotors or a poorly adjusted chain. If you're interested in working on the bike yourself, grab a copy of one of the service manuals. They are very much worth the cost. I have a Clymer manual that I like a lot.

[Banned]

could putting 91 octane gas (US Standard cause idle problems/hesitation) didn't realize it takes only 87 and i full tanked it with 91 . and only used about 40 miles worth when it was tanked.

EDIT: also i was wondering what are the most common tools used when working on the GS 500 (so i can go buy them) . Ask the local shops for a quote on price and they said they have to diagnose/look over for a fee then do the work for additional fee. seems kind of a waste for a diagnose fee. both places i went to said $70-80 to diagnose.

[Banned]

gave the bike a test around the neighborhood. will only ride when switched to prime, unfortunately. tried switching to on after a few minutes but after a few more minutes it would idle out and die. tried it a few times actually. when it was about to die and i open the throttle that just proceeded to kill the engine instead of keeping it alive.

would carbs need to be synced on a bike that has only 2000 miles? even if it's from 2000? or maybe left over bad gas?

also my friend last sat was able to ride the bike back to my place from where i bought it and had no issues. the drive was about 70 miles on the free way.

[Banned]

Welcome. The GS is a very cold blooded bike, you may very well need the choke to start it, even in warm weather. If your bike won't run in anything but prime, you've probably got a problem with the vacuum part of the petcock, which is quite common on the GS, but also easy to fix.

can i get some advice to fix this vacuum deal?

[tripleb]

you can ditch the stock frame petcock and get a honda crf250 model instead.  no vaccum issues to deal with.  just make sure you cap the vacuum port on the carbs and you get the right crf petcock as there are apparently 2 different variations.

[Banned]

unfortunately replacing it might take a month or so. but i went out this morning and started it up with the choke and ON. found the vacuum line and when i started it it idled around 2000 with chock. but when i covered the vacuum line a little bit the rpms rose up to 4000 and more if i held it longer. does this mean i am running too lean? i checked the wiki and just wanted to make sure that that was right. what would be the best way to fix this problem for now. i'm thinking it would be to adjust that air/fuel mixture via the nut on the carbs?

[utgunslinger13]

So your vacum line isn't hooked up to the carbs?!  That would be why your bike won't run on anything but prime.  Check the wiki for the section that shows how all the hoses are routed and where they hook up.  ON/RES is vacum operated and if the vacum line going from the carbs to the frame petcock isn't hooked up then your switch will only work on prime.

Nick

[Banned]

just connected the vacuum hose. anything else i should tinker with while i have the gas tank off?i realized i probably could have done it with the gas tank. but at least it was fun taking it apart a little bit.

[utgunslinger13]

I would make sure all the other hoses are connected correctly while your in there.

[Banned]

well i replaced both fuel lines from tank to petcock and the bike is working well. only problem is the idle is at 1000 RPM after practicing moving and braking for about 20 min the idle stayed at 1000 RPM. i adjusted the idle screw at the carbs but it had no effect on the idle. what can i do to remedy that?

[Banned]

just wanted to update that i've solved my idle screw problem. i screwed it out so much it actually came out which is probably why even when i turned it either direction it was doing nothing. now everything is working hunky dory though i'll need to clean my tank out. i used the clear tubing from lowes and there is clearly rust or maybe solidified old gas that has settled in the bottom part of the tube.

[utgunslinger13]

Glad you got that figured out!  You might want to be careful with that tubing.  If its not meant for gas, it might end up getting ate away by the gas.

Nick

[jeremy_nash]

I use a transparent gas line from oreilly auto parts, very flexible, and it would be a good idea to install a fuel filter while your at it

[~*STEPH*~]

ok not to sound stupid, but i'm glad someone mentioned this.  I have a 1990e.  My manual references a fuel filter, but i'm 99.9% confident that my bike doesn't have one. Can anyone confirm this?

[utgunslinger13]

I didn't think any model came with a fuel filter?