So here's the situation. It ususally happens after I've been driving half the day with no problems. Engine is thorougly warmed up. The problem comes and goes, but here it is. Sometimes the engine has trouble idling, ocassionally playing with the choke helps, sometimes it doesn't (it's died with full choke off). It dies at stop lights when I pull the clutch in or if it's in neutral. The only way to keep it from dying is reving the throttle so that's what I do. Also gas smells VERY rich (I've heard people throw that term around here).
So it sounds like the engine is starving for air. Is there some carb maintenance I should do. I'm a new rider. ;)
Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
Adjust your idle (screwing it in, or up).
(http://www.bbburma.net/MiscFotos/DSCF2431_Idle_Drain_Mixture_Screws.jpg)
yup like scractch said. your starting point is the idle screw ( white nob that hangs down in the middle of the carb. )
But the problem only happens every so often. I'd say 80% the gs idles fine. When it does stall and I restart and rev it to keep it from stalling again the stench of gasonline is very stench. Dunno if that info matters.
i am no expert but it sounds to me like its getting to much gas after you ride for a while.maybe for some reaso the floats are getting stuck.
When I'm low on gas, my engine will kill at stop-lights; switching to Reserve can help then. If it happens on a full tank, then if you can, try pushing the bike over to the shoulder after it kills and check the plug color.
Sometimes when I'm preparing to stop, as soon as I pull in the clutch, the revs drop below idle speed and the engine dies. When I re-start, I have to let it crank for a couple seconds, as if it's not getting enough gas. I've circumvented this problem by engine-braking a little as I slow down.
Last time this happened, I cleaned the carbs and everything was fine. I may have to do it again. Last time, I also noticed that the vacuum line to the petcock was hooked up incorrectly and fixed that, so I could run the frame-mounted petcock in "ON" instead of "PRI". I might try switching back to "PRI" and seeing if that fixes the problem.
A way to 'flush' the floatbowls is to set to prime and open the drain screws (with a hose leading to an appropriate receptacle); for about 3 seconds.
Ride around with an 18mm boxend wrench.
as soon as your engine dies from these symptoms remove your plugs and note the condition of your plugs.
black/wet or white(ish)/dry (I am betting one each-if it is a coil one cylinder will be firing and one not)(of course a rich mixture in one carb could do the same)
I had an issue like this on my 99' and everyone kept telling me it was a carb issue, even after I tore apart my carbs twice.
Turns out one of my coils had a short between the coil and the plug. It is very easy to turn the cable 360° and snap the copper connection.
With a short like this, the engine will run fine when its warmed up if the short is close enough to produce a spark strong enough to keep the engine running, but you do not have enough spark all the time and sometimes the vibration will move the short apart enough to cause the symptoms you describe.
I am no expert but this is worth checking out. I got lucky and found new coils on ebay for $40. brand new they run $70ea
there is a HOW-TO in the FAQS I will find the post and edit this message, later.
HERE IS the HOW-TO --- http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=19546.0
Good luck :thumb:
Quote from: tussey on February 22, 2006, 08:55:05 PM
So here's the situation. It ususally happens after I've been driving half the day with no problems. Engine is thorougly warmed up. The problem comes and goes, but here it is. Sometimes the engine has trouble idling, ocassionally playing with the choke helps, sometimes it doesn't (it's died with full choke off). It dies at stop lights when I pull the clutch in or if it's in neutral. The only way to keep it from dying is reving the throttle so that's what I do. Also gas smells VERY rich (I've heard people throw that term around here).
So it sounds like the engine is starving for air. Is there some carb maintenance I should do. I'm a new rider. ;)
Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
Just to clarify why I don't think it is a "rich" mixture problem.
-You drove half the day with no prob. (You won't run rich "sometimes")
-playing with the choke helps (running "rich" means to much fuel in the air/fuel mixture - choking means less air - if running rich is the problem how could choking help?)
- to keep it from dying you have to Rev it up. ( same symptoms I hadd when I was running on one cylinder.
3imo
I have THE EXACT same problem. I've asked around and people think it's the carb's. But I'm not sure if that's quite right... I mean... I've only put on 3000 miles on my bike since Dec 19, 2005. There's no way I would need to clean survice my carbs this soon since I bought it from a dealer and they claimed they did a full service on it including a carb clean.
I'll definitely check the spark plugs today when I get home. I'll take it for a spin and when it dies on me again... I'll take the plugs out to see if one of the cyldiners is not firing.
another way to check is to pull the wire/plug while the bike is running.
you will get shocked. not too bad though. both shocks should be too strong to hold. if one is a weak shock, the coil might be bad.
Thats what I felt with mine, and replacing the coils fixed the problem.
Godd luck. :thumb:
Replacing the coils? where are these coils situated? Are they hard to get to and replace?
The coils are bolted to the insides of the main frame rails, one each side, beneath the tank. You can follow up the sparkplug wires to them. You would have to take the tank of to get to them, which also means you have to take the seat off (and the sidepanels, kindof, just undo the two 10mm bolts and let them hang).
http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=19546.0
try this first