starts fine then dies

[m1ke]

OK so my bike starts fine and idles fine for a couple minutes and then all of the sudden it starts to bog down down and dies. I've drained the gas checked the fuel lines and put fresh gas in it. checked the plugs, and took the carbs apart and they were clean. Also tried the petcock in the pri and res. Anyone have any ideas on what this could be? Thanks in advance.

[burning1]

Sounds like an overly rich condition. Are you using the stock carb jetting?

[m1ke]

im honestly not sure I bought the bike over the winter and and the PO said he just had the carbs cleaned and redone.  Is there anyway to check?

also this is the first bike i've owned so I dont know much about them.

[mister]

Open the gas tank and see if that fixes it.

You are using full choke when starting, right?

Michael

[m1ke]

Open the gas tank and see if that fixes it.

You are using full choke when starting, right?

Michael

OK I will try that. Yes starting with choke and then gradually closing it and once warmed up and closed it will run fine for a couple minutes and then just dies.

[mister]

Ok. So we are on the same page...

If you have ridden it for like 20 minutes, then pull up and let it idle, does it still die after a couple of minutes?

OR

Are you, full choke, start, a minute or so you start reducing the choke, then off, then the engine slowly seems to get rougher, then dies?

I'm betting you're not actually letting the bike warm up properly. That you're turning off the choke too soon. THAT is why it is dieing. Because if I don't warm it up properly, my bike does exactly that. So I reapply the choke before it stops and give it a little more warm up time, and she's right.

Remember, the GS is a carburettered bike and needs more warm up time.

Michael

[m1ke]

Ok. So we are on the same page...

If you have ridden it for like 20 minutes, then pull up and let it idle, does it still die after a couple of minutes?

OR

Are you, full choke, start, a minute or so you start reducing the choke, then off, then the engine slowly seems to get rougher, then dies?

I'm betting you're not actually letting the bike warm up properly. That you're turning off the choke too soon. THAT is why it is dieing. Because if I don't warm it up properly, my bike does exactly that. So I reapply the choke before it stops and give it a little more warm up time, and she's right.

Remember, the GS is a carburettered bike and needs more warm up time.

Michael

It wont stay running long enough to ride it 20 mins lol. I tried ridding it earlier today after letting it warm up for like 5 minutes and made it like a half mile from my house and it started to bog down and then died. so when i got it back home i started it and let it idle for around 5 minutes and it did the same thing sitting in my drive way. i tried reapplying the choke before it died but still didnt save it. should I be letting it warm up longer?

[The Buddha]

If it will stay running under throttle upon start up ... and it will run fine once it gets hot, that is a pretty good sign its valves (maybe just 1) is getting tight. I'd check it and if its at the low end of the clearance, pretty likely it is happening.
Carb issues will be on most of the time under the circumstances, you're not likely to be so lean @ start up to stall, but still be not too lean to run fine once hot. Rich, vice versa, and rich gets worse as it gets hotter. So it will be OK for 5-10 mins and then be horrible.
My bet, valve going tight.
Cool.
Buddha.

[m1ke]

If it will stay running under throttle upon start up ... and it will run fine once it gets hot, that is a pretty good sign its valves (maybe just 1) is getting tight. I'd check it and if its at the low end of the clearance, pretty likely it is happening.
Carb issues will be on most of the time under the circumstances, you're not likely to be so lean @ start up to stall, but still be not too lean to run fine once hot. Rich, vice versa, and rich gets worse as it gets hotter. So it will be OK for 5-10 mins and then be horrible.
My bet, valve going tight.
Cool.
Buddha.

OK thanks ill check that too tomorrow after work.

[m1ke]

ok checked the valves they are fine.. tried opening the gas cap still nothing. someone told me its the carbs but have no idea where to start.. anyone have ant suggestions?

[Jabilli]

My best guess concurs with Burning1...I'd fiddle with your fuel mixture- I'm not sure which way you should try though...Leaner or richer. I hear that elevation makes a difference in proper fuel mixture  Your profile says you're from Cinci?   What's the elevation there? 500 feet above sea level? Did you buy the bike from a high-elevation area? Another thought-You just got your GS this January? I might be wrong, but I think air temperature has an effect too, so if it's set for super cold Cinci weather, It might need adjustment.)

[m1ke]

yes it smells like its running rich so ill try the mixture. i let my buddy ride it and he said right before it dies it seems to only run on one cylinder? it that possible when the bike gets hot that it would only run on one cylinder?

[The Buddha]

Hot and loses 1 cyl = super super rich. Yes, can be so rich tha tit drown that 1 cyl, but usually the cuprit there is the float.
Hot and loses 1 cyl can also be the ignition trigger on the crank.
Cool.
Buddha.

[m1ke]

Had a mechanic look at my bike today and said he did some stuff and its the frame mounted petcock. I believe he said it was the vacumm that wasn't working so ill be posting in the for sale/ wanted section if anybody has one. Thanks for all of your help