Just bought a GS500...Help!

[Suzuki Stevo]

[AstroPenguin]

That's not my bike, but that sure looks like it could be a leak source!!

Also, sync screw?

[The Buddha]

Astro - your bike is a 94. Make sure you're using the correct components for it. Large round slotted mains and non bleed pilots (the 01+ pilots wont even fit so no worries there) but 01+ mains are small slotted round.
I found the 89-00 carbs far easier and less finicky than the 01+.
but you still have trouble you send me your carbs, I'll sort em out and let you know what was off. Repeated removal/re-fit sometimes only works to reinforce the mistakes.
In other words, you need someone to show you what is wrong, then you will always be able to get it back right.
Cool.
Buddha.

[J_Walker]

nope that's not a vacuum leak, never had problems with the vacuum pull on these carbs.

[AstroPenguin]

It’s been a while! In the last 4 month, much has changed! Including with the bike! So here’s a brief update.
1. I started a new job that has sucked away all my free time.
2. I took the advice in this thread and followed some of it
3. Buddha took the carb home and played with it, pointed out a few things, and sent ‘er home.
4. I realized some really stupid stuff.

Pilots and mains were rejetted up a notch, the carb was rebuilt twice more (I missed a few gaskets on my initial reconstruct and screwed up needle washer positions the other), cleaned up some carbon buildup around the cylinders, bought a new battery since I froze my last one, Buddha found an air intake that the previous owner had plugged for some incomprehensible reason...and.....I changed the spark plugs.

I didn’t do it before because I didn’t know I should - now I know. The old plugs were black, charred, and crispy at the tips. The new iridium ones are shiny and sexy. This fixed most of my remaining problems.

The bike now sounds and feels great. Only one bug remains: when I rev it in neutral, the RPMs don’t drop back to idle but hang around 3-5K. Since I live in Cleveland and it’s 25 degrees outside, I’m chalking it up to the cold (which it probably isn’t).

But that’s nothing compared to where this started out at: a bike that didn’t run and a guy who didn’t know what a spark plug was.

Now to fix the hanging idle!

[The Buddha]

Hanging idle - if ii isn't actually a hanging choke or a hanging throttle cable - check for both, then a 1/4 turn out of air screws would do it.
Just to be sure make sure its fully warmed up when you make the observation of hanging idle, and be sure its not a stiff cable.
You should absolutely tune the bike to run right - just should run perfect on the coldest day you have in your area. That almost guarantees that you wont be running lean when you do most of your riding, in summer. It would also not be lean - like any time unless its colder and more humid than when you tuned it to be spot on.
Cool.
Buddha.

[gregjet]

The idle air adjust screw in underneath the float bowls IF you can see it and isn't plugged (an antitamper thing the US bike gets).
EDit changed the subject to better reflect the intended target. The idle setting screw should be a big knobby thing underneath.

[mr72]

Hanging idle is due to the idle speed being set too high. It might also be too lean, which is why many people set it too high to begin with. Either way you should adjust both together but be sure the bike is fully warmed up. You can get rid of the hanging idle by lowering the idle speed with your hand while running it after riding 20+ minutes. Just tweak it at stop signs etc until it is dialed. Then if it has a hard time starting or idling when cold, fix the idle mixture.

You won't get rid of hanging idle by adjusting the idle mixture alone.