Got the bike back and got Screwed!

[Tombstones81]

Well, got the bike back a few hours ago from the Stealership!

First off, just didnt sound right.
Sounded like it did when it was acting up but it didnt act up when I went around the parking lot.

Knew I was at a half a tank or less and seen the petcock on Reserve, so I left it there until I filled it up.

Rode Mostly fine but seemed a lil off.
RPMs were also hangin like a MFer when I pulled the clutch in to shift.
Before when I pulled the clutch in, the bike would die down so to speak (go down to idle)
Now, when I pulled it in, it was as if I never pulled the clutch in and was still on the throttle.
Clutch is working fine tho.

Stopped and filled it up, put the petcock back on Run.

Got like a mile down the road close to my house and it starts acting up the Same friggin way!!!
Stopped to take a turn and it just died.
Pushed it to the side and it wouldnt start.

Put the petcock back on Reserve and it started up.

didnt go very far to my house from there but Seemed to run fine the rest of the way, but still hangin RPMs and just not feeling the same as it did before any problems.

$253 for WHAT!?!?! im 100% PI$$ED the heck off!

Going to take it out for a longer ride in a minute and see if it acts up on Reserve at all.
If it doesnt, going to switch it back to On and expect it to act up.
Then back to Reserve and see if that eliminates it.

If that is the problem.
Im thinking I might have a petcock problem.

I dunno, I've just about had Enough of this wretched bike!

Got a msg from a local riders web site from a fellow GS500 rider that wants to hang, wrench and ride.
Knows what hes doing so I'm going to see if he wants to and if he can find the problem.

But if its something major or cant locate it.

I'm most likely going to see if I can trade it in on anything around because I've flat out HAD IT with this bike already!

[mister]

Are you sure it's not a pinched fuel line? If it goes for a while on "On" and then dies as if it's run outta fuel, then a pinched line is very possible.

Have you been back in touch with the shop to ASK them what the problem was and tell them it's still doing it?

Least you learned what shop NOT to go back to.

Michael

[gs500e]

Woah big fella.

You've been fighting this problem quite a while now.  Didn't think they would definitely get it the first time did ya?
$253 for the dealership to take a stab at it... no biggie.  They didn't get it the first time.  Just bring it back and tell them what's up.  You're not going to get your $253 back, but maybe another couple hundred bucks and some time and they will get it fixed.  ($253 is about four hours with no parts, grease, or anything... probably more like two or three hours.)

Sure it hurts the wallet.  Sure it seems silly to spend $253 bucks on a $900 motorcycle.
But just think... you could be spending $253 on a $15,000 motorcycle.

btw: i'm not into dealerships... i use dealerships for warranty items only.  But the few times i did take a car/bike to a dealership a: they were usually pretty accurate on the problems... though i didn't want to hear it.  b: i spent a chunk of money c: they eventually fixed the problem, every time.  d: i had free coffee while i waited, or they gave me a ride to/from dealership if a big issue came up e: i learned a few things.

[Tombstones81]

hahaha sorry I was pretty Fumed!

Not a pinched or clogged fuel line. (i checked them when I initially took the carbs out, and triple checked when I put them back in and checked for clogs when they were out)

Before it acted the same on Any of the petcock settings.
Thats why now since its only acting up on One setting, maybe I need the petcock replaced.

And its not a problem as far as carbs needing a cleaning, stealership did that.
Which they gave me proof, I gave em the new parts for the carbs I bought, minus the jets and new floats.
and they gave the old parts back to me when I got the bike.

They also drilled out the air/fuel mixture screw caps on the bottom of the carbs

One thing I noticed they didnt do, was run at Least one of the hoses correctly.
The hose that drapes over the air box is underneath the carbs.

Just got back from a 25 mile ride.
RPMs are hanging WAY too much. (what can cause that?)
Even when I came to a stop they wouldnt go down.
They did when I got home and twisted the idle screw a lil back and forth tho.

Seems to run pretty darn smooth at higher speeds. 50+ MPH
Also seems to run better then before at higher speeds.
Easily got that sucker to 90 pretty quick now, vs before I dont think I went over 70.

But at slower speeds its puttering a lil.
No lack in power like before, but still Sounds like it was before, but not as drastic.

and nah, im Never everrrrr going back to that dealer for work ever again!
Yea they cleaned my carbs, and adjusted them.
But it seems like they only adjusted the bike to Work, vs actually Fixing the problem.
THAT is a BIGGG no no!

(edit)
I'll call the local salvage yard and see if they have any petcocks for cheap.
Probably no more then $20
But if the guy I've been talkin to knows his way around a bike and then some and can locate the problem and it is in fact 100% the petcock.
Then I'll just buy a brand new one.

If he cant locate it, I'll simply TRY a used one if its dirt cheap.

[Big Rich]

A hanging idle is most likely an air leak around the carb boots. But if your idle just will not go below a set point, it's your throttle cable or idle screw.

[crzydood17]

that dealership would have me at there door early in the morning to either give me my money back or fix my bike the right way... if they refuse report them to the bbb... dont take shaZam! from no one!

[Twism86]

This is why FI is your friend. I cant believe its 2011 and anyone still has carbs. Such outdated and poor technology. Good luck with the issue. I cant wait to own a FI bike.......

[Tombstones81]

ty
I will take it apart and check all of those when I get to it.

and its not just at idle.

Even when I pull the clutch in to shift, the RPMs and engine doesnt go down.

but yea probably just need to adjust something or check to see that the carb is 100% properly installed.

Just amazes me if its something like that, because how can a garage who have people there who Knows this stuff through and through make such a Simple mistake by say misadjusting the throttle cable or something.
But of course, if its going to happen... it HAS to happen to me hahahahaha

[crzydood17]

if i had to bet, i would say they adjusted your idle to a point it would start without choking it... bring down the idle screw a bit

[Tombstones81]

that dealership would have me at there door early in the morning to either give me my money back or fix my bike the right way... if they refuse report them to the bbb... dont take shaZam! from no one!

Well I "Would" do that if they didnt do what they said they did.

The mechanics werent there when I picked the bike up, so I couldnt ask if they were 100% sure they found and fixed the problem.

They did do the work I paid them for.
Which was to clean and adjust the carbs.

So I cant be too ticked as they did what I paid them for.

Just didnt do exactly what I initially asked them to do.
Which was Find the problem and fix it.

Instead (like I said before) they seem to just have fixed it enough to Work and not fully fix the problem completely.

All they did was lose a future customer.

Really ticked I dont have a cruiser.
Small garage down by my dads that inspected my bike has been Awesome!
But too bad they dont work on my type of bike.

I might take a stop down and simply as for a lil troubleshooting tho.

(edit)
yea im gonna go out and adjust the idle right now.
I think I recall it going up to 6K to 7K RPMs the first time I choked it.

But still doesnt seem to be too much to affect the RPMs from coming down AT ALL when i pull the clutch in to shift or come to a stop and while stopped.
So all the cables and such will be checked and adjusted when I get to it.
Probably when I get down to that guys place and have him check it out if he will.

and when I blip the throttle to rev it, the RPMs Really take their sweet time coming down.
a few times they didnt at all

(edit)
okay, went out and checked the idle.
Shoulda realized as soon as I read that, to say the idle was set properly. (its the first thing I look at when the bike is Idle when I first go to ride it)
Its chillin at 1200

But when choked, goes right up to 7K RPM

If I adjust the idle screw any Less, the bike stalls  at idle.

So I assume thats another cable adjustment I need to make?
Havnt had the need to mess with the choke at all yet.

and another Stupid mistake made by them, something even I wouldnt of overlooked or missed.

Have to monkey with the throttle cable as it revs up a bit when I turn the handlebars Either way.

[xunedeinx]

Sync the carbs...

When I was syncing the carbs, I turned it the wrong way initially, and it did EXACTLY what your describing...

Being I only do one adjustment at a time (to keep dx'ing easy), I easily reversed it.

Try the poor mans carb sync, or even eyeball it.

[Tombstones81]

Sync the carbs...

When I was syncing the carbs, I turned it the wrong way initially, and it did EXACTLY what your describing...

Being I only do one adjustment at a time (to keep dx'ing easy), I easily reversed it.

Try the poor mans carb sync, or even eyeball it.

yea the guy from the local riders web site said thats the Only tool he doesnt have.
something to sync the carbs.


and how would I go about doing that?
since I actually can now with the air/fuel screw caps being off


(edit)
read up and seems to be no simple task unless you got the proper tool.
So im going to stop by the shop who doesnt work on these types of bikes
and at least see if they can sync them for me, if they arent already.
Be kind of odd for the dealer i took it to not to sync them when they took it all out and cleaned and adjusted em.

[bubba zanetti]

This is why FI is your friend. I cant believe its 2011 and anyone still has carbs. Such outdated and poor technology. Good luck with the issue. I cant wait to own a FI bike.......

You've obviously never heard a bank of Mikuni flatslides on full song.

[Big Rich]

Tomb- you said the shop by your Dad only works on cruisers? Tell them you have a GS450. Except the frame is different and the tires are wider. It's bull if they wont work on it.

Personally, I would say between the wiki, the service manual, and this forum, you shouldn't have to take the bike to a shop.

[xunedeinx]

http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/How_do_I_synchronize_the_carburetors%3F

Carb sync is easy, just takes a lil time.

[werase643]

doesn't sound like they adjusted the carbs very well

take it back
if the cables are tight....
take it back

[Tombstones81]

nah.
Going to take it down to a fellow GS500 rider I met on a local web site and see if he can find and possibly fix the problem.

If not.
Asked on the local site for a GOOD garage to take it to.
Then if I have to take it to one.
Will take it and simply tell them Flat out!

FIX IT, I dont care how long it takes.
and take it for a Test ride to make 100% sure its running 100%.

At this point I dont even give a crap on the costs if I have to take it to a garage.

Took the bike to work last night.
and the ride home with it acting like a piece of crap has me so ticked off right now that I dont care anymore.
I just want the darn thing Fixed 100%!

[cbrfxr67]

250 big ones,....ridiculous.  That is the main reason I started working on my own stuff.  How much stuff could you have gotten for 250 & done the work yourself?  That crap really runs me hot 

[Fry]

This is why FI is your friend. I cant believe its 2011 and anyone still has carbs. Such outdated and poor technology. Good luck with the issue. I cant wait to own a FI bike.......

You've obviously never heard a bank of Mikuni flatslides on full song.

Exactly, I always laugh at people who bash carbs....Sure they may be considered outdated, and a black art of tuning to some, but in reality they are pretty simple and with a bit of knowledge can be adjusted rather easily...With FI, though immensley easy and hands free, when things go wrong, and they do it's harder and or more expensive to fix. Plus, I like the feel of a properly set up carb, most FI systems while seemingly fine for the majority, leave me with less than favorable impressions in terms of throttle response/steady state settings.

[cbrfxr67]

Carbs were a buddhalovesyou for me until I learned the magic word, "SYNC."  Now the main advantage to carbs for me = cheap.  Because people don't want to mess with old project carb'd bikes so they are affordable.  And when you get some basic understanding matched with a little patience, it is just a matter of time to get it running right.