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Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: Palle23 on November 08, 2005, 04:48:02 PM

Title: My Gs500 is having an unstable idle speed:-(
Post by: Palle23 on November 08, 2005, 04:48:02 PM
Title: My Gs500 is having an unstable idle speed:-(
Post by: NightRyder on November 08, 2005, 05:21:00 PM
Ok, lets see.

Ticking noise, who knows. Figure out where it comes from and everything will fall into place. Try a big long metal pole. Like a screwdriver in the ear, and your finger in the other. Also what works even better is a few feet of garden hose.


I would venture to say, It could be you take the choke off to early, and have the idle adjust screw to high. That should create thoes symptoms.

To set the idle screw, when the bike is off, twist the throttle and let it snap back, and you should hear a click at the carbs. That is the throttle hitting the screw. Twist the screw so it stops making the sound. Then twist it back till it just makes it. Get the bike hot (actually hot, not 'I think it is hot' hot.) and make sure the gage reads just above 1k.

I forgot, what does the idle rise to when it goes up?

I don't think it is a leak or something because then it should always be high, etc. I may be wrong though.

500 meters might be ok to turn the choke off while riding, but the engine still may be too cold to idle right.

As for the gas issue. It doesn't sound like a starvation issue. More like using too much fuel. Check your spark plugs, see if you are running real rich. That may be the reason for your flopping sounds too.
Title: My Gs500 is having an unstable idle speed:-(
Post by: scratch on November 08, 2005, 05:32:06 PM
Welcome!

When was the last time a valve adjustment was done? When was the last time the carburetors were vacuum synchronized?
Title: My Gs500 is having an unstable idle speed:-(
Post by: NightRyder on November 08, 2005, 06:04:09 PM
Me: Bah vacuum synced.
Scratch: Yeah! common, that's the best.
Me: Nah, Eye ball it when the carbs are off. Cheap, easy, good enough.  :mrgreen:
Title: My Gs500 is having an unstable idle speed:-(
Post by: Palle23 on November 09, 2005, 05:23:27 AM
the carbs were syncronised and the valves checked for only 5kkm ago


how do i adjust the carb is the fuel/air mixture is too rich? do i just need to turn the screw on the carb??
Title: My Gs500 is having an unstable idle speed:-(
Post by: Palle23 on November 09, 2005, 05:26:00 AM
Title: My Gs500 is having an unstable idle speed:-(
Post by: NightRyder on November 09, 2005, 02:49:53 PM
Well, if it has been good for 2 years, and you haven't messed with anything...

Then I would say, your carbs may be dirty or worn. Maybe you should take them apart and see if there is excessive dirt or worn parts.

When your bike's idle is too high, and you adjust it, will it go down to where it should?

If so, then make sure to leave it there, and just use the choke to keep it running; don't change the idle screw just because. I suggest you set it when the bike is hottest, and then leave it.
Title: My Gs500 is having an unstable idle speed:-(
Post by: scratch on November 09, 2005, 04:44:31 PM
Quote from: NightRyderMe: Bah vacuum synced.
Scratch: Yeah! common, that's the best.
Me: Nah, Eye ball it when the carbs are off. Cheap, easy, good enough.

I can't help it if I own a set of carb sticks and enjoy (re: love) using them, expecially when I can get the carbs perfectly synched all the way to redline (ooohh, gives me goosebumps every time I think of that).
Title: My Gs500 is having an unstable idle speed:-(
Post by: NightRyder on November 09, 2005, 04:50:05 PM
aww, thats a low attack. ..  :mrgreen:

I'll tell you what, come up and let me use that for a bit.. and I'll buy you a soda.  :lol:  Yeah, that sounds good.
Title: My Gs500 is having an unstable idle speed:-(
Post by: scratch on November 09, 2005, 04:58:24 PM
That's the bad thing about mercury carb sticks...iffy transportation issues...I can't do housecalls with 'em. I have soda, come down here and we'll check your carb vacuum.
Title: My Gs500 is having an unstable idle speed:-(
Post by: pandy on November 09, 2005, 04:59:37 PM
Quote from: scratchThat's the bad thing about mercury carb sticks...iffy transportation issues...I can't do housecalls with 'em. I have soda, come down here and we'll check your carb vacuum.

Helpful hint: feed scratch cashews and cherry coke, and he's yours for life! ;)
Title: My Gs500 is having an unstable idle speed:-(
Post by: NightRyder on November 09, 2005, 05:43:07 PM
I don't want him...  :?  :?  

But!  I'll sell him to you for only $25. A money order is best..

Scratch, if I ever take the bike down to CA, I'll bug you for that, don't fear!  :lol:  

btw, cashews and cherry coke are awsome.
Title: My Gs500 is having an unstable idle speed:-(
Post by: Eklipse on November 09, 2005, 06:24:56 PM
Sorry to hijack, but I was wondering where the idle screws are? My stealership is horrible so I stopped taking it there for service, cause they rip me off.

But I'm having the opposite problem, it won't idle. I have to give it gas to keep it running. Sometimes when the choke is on it'll be running and then decends 4k,3k,2k, dead. The weather here has been like 89 degrees and super-humid. Funny thing is it was running great when it was cold.

Even when it's hot I have problems with it. It'll just die at a stop-light. I didn't have these problems a month ago, then it would only die when it was cold and after five mins of riding it would idle fine. When I got it real hot it would idle at 1.5 instead of 1.1.
Title: My Gs500 is having an unstable idle speed:-(
Post by: NightRyder on November 10, 2005, 08:08:18 AM
Hmm, there is a idle screw and 2 idle air/gas mixture screws (one per carb)

The idle screw is big and sticks out like a .. big thing. Look under the carb, it is large and toothed; sticking out like a guy in the girls locker room... or something. :lol:

The mixture screws are all small and hidden. Infact they are sealed away from the factory. Mine were opened when I got my bike; so the owner before might have opened yours up. (if someone owned it before you..)

I don't think I can use words to describe where they are located.... :/
If you don't want to wait for me to search for a picture, go and search for idle mixture screw or something. I have seen many pics showing where it is. (thats how I found mine) There is also a good write up on how to set them correctly.
Title: My Gs500 is having an unstable idle speed:-(
Post by: scratch on November 10, 2005, 11:33:03 AM
And, use Kerry in the user name.

Or, here: http://gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=162473#162473