The Choke of my GS500 2001 doesn't work

[qwerty]

Hi

This is my first message in this board and I got one problem with the choke since I bought my GS three years ago.

I bought the GS500 2001 restricted to 25KW and since the first day the choke doesn't work.

I'm going to explain with more detail.
When the bike is cold and I start it up, the GS is unable to keep the iddle itself. If I try to use the choke the bike just stops, it doesn't rev up the engine.

The only way to keep the engine started is with the accelerator or increasing the iddle. This last solution isn't valid because when the engine reaches the operating temperature, the iddle revs are so high (2500 rpm) and the engine desaccelerates slowly.

The dealer couldn't solve it and first they said it was because of the bike was new, afterwards because the bike was restricted. Finally I trusted in this last reason.

The surprise was when now the bike is unrestricted the problem still exists (exactly the same).

I brought the bike to another dealer and they did:
A carb ajust (sync and cleaning) OK
Valve ajust OK
They tested if the choke was working correctly (mechanicaly) OK
They tested if the wires and "bells" where the correct. OK

After all this ajustments and of course paying some Euros the problem wasn't solved and they said did'nt know where was the problem.

The bike works great when is cold but it's so annoying having to keep the thorttle open when the bike is cold.

Any suggestion? I don't know what else to do!!

Thanks

Arnau

[scar_ace]

Normal idle = 1200rpm
Simon :mrgreen:

[JohNLA]

I think normal idle is at 1200 rpm's
I don't really understand how they restrict the bike so I really don't know but you can try finding a larger pilot jet. Which in normal theory will help cure the long warm ups.

[Diderich]

Idle is supposed to be set at 1200 plus or minus 100.  I'm too much of a newbie to help much with your choke problem though, sorry.

[chimivee]

How much choke are you giving it?

[qwerty]

Hi,

I made a test and if I rev the engine to 3000rpm and then I put the choke the engine revs up to 4000rpm but if I try to do this when the engine is in iddle it just stalls, doesn't matter if the engine is cold or hot. This would be normal if the engine is hot but should rev up the engine when cold I think..

James responding to your question with 1/3 of choke the engine stalls.

The problem is that if I want to keep the engine alive when it's cold I have to do it with the throttle.

Arnau

[chimivee]

\
James responding to your question with 1/3 of choke the engine stalls.

So is there any amount of choke that will keep the bike going w/ out throttle?  Mine takes about 4/5 choke to get going when cold.  It doesn't like full choke or less than 3/4.

[JohNLA]

The choke will cause a warm engine, to konck out.

[gilson1965]

Idle level as was said should be around 1200 to 1300 revs

[qwerty]

"The choke will cause a warm engine, to konck out"

Yes I know this but the problem is that the engine is cold and there isn't any amount of choke that keeps the engine on.

When I say that until 1/3 of choke the engine doesn't stop is keeping the throttle open by some amount.

Anyway thanks for the replys

Arnau

[scar_ace]

Whoops little bit out there wasn't I...

[qwerty]

Nobody else knows what could be the problem?

[RandiBBB]

:guns:   Pissed woman here!  I tried to take Xena out for a cruise today and she WOULD NOT warm up!  

Here's the problem:

1. Bike would only start with throttle, then would cut off if I rolled off.
2. RPMs are barely staying at 1000
3. Only way to get the bike to move into 1st without cutting off was revving up to 4k+ RPMs and engage the clutch quickly.

What's the deal?!

[Kerry]

Randi, you didn't mention what kinds of things you tried with the choke.  Unless the bike has only been off for, say 15 minutes or less, I always pull the choke all the back to start the engine.  (Yes, even in the summer.)

You also didn't say whether you fiddled with the idle adjust knob.  In case you're not familiar with it, here's a picture that shows it.  (It's the knob on the left that looks like a toothed gear from the side, on the end of the spring-loaded rod.)  This picture was taken from the left side of the bike, but if you're like me you will always adjust it with your right hand.



As several have mentioned, the ideal idle speed is 1200 RPM.  For me, the whole "choke and idle" thing is a complex dance that gets played out every time I ride, at least in the wintertime.

For me, it works something like this:

* Apply full choke and no throttle when pressing the starter button.
* Let the bike "idle" until the RPMs climb up to 3,000 or so.
* Use a healthy bit of throttle to take off, because the engine's nowhere near WARM yet.
* Ride with full choke through a few blocks of suburbia, noting at the stop signs whether the idle has started moving up.
* As the RPMs rise in no-throttle situations, start pushing the choke lever back in (forward).
* Once on the main road, turn the choke completely off after about 1/2 mile (at 1st light).  By this time any choke at all will hang the "idle" at 2000 RPM or more.
* If the idle drops below 1200, adjust it with the between-carbs knob while you wait for the light.  It takes some getting used to, but it works just like the lid on an upside-down jar: twist ON for higher revs, twist OFF for lower.
* After another couple of miles the (no-choke) idle at the traffic light is now "hanging" at 1500 RPM or so.  Adjust it back down gradually until it's about halfway between 1000 and 1500.[/list:u]I have started favoring a setting closer to 1300.  BTW, it won't hurt anything to have the idle at 1500 for a short while until you can find a "peaceful" moment to adjust it down.

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

[RandiBBB]

Thank you, Kerry, for the reply!  Unfortunately, Xena is back in the shop as of 10am - when I started her this morning, she was leaking gas.  The guy who came to pick her up said carb overflow (?)

I'll keep y'all posted.

[Rema1000]

If it's leaking gas out a hose hanging underneath, that often means that the float isn't working.  In Kerry's picture above, most of the upper-right part of the picture is a metal blob that looks like the underside of a sink.  That is the 'float bowl" for the right carb.  It works like the reservoir on the back of a toilet:  when the fuel level in the bowl drops, a float drops with it, and opens a passage for more gas to come in.  If the float isn't able to come all the way up (because there is crud in the way), then there will always be extra fuel flowing into the bowl, and it overfills... like a sink with the drain pugged and the tap running.

But even a problemmatic float is usually only a problem if the petcock is left in the "PRI" position.  Be sure that your petcock is set to the ON or RUN position, not PRI.