My 2004 gs500f (california model) has been running perfectly until this morning when it decided that it would like to flood itself. It's got all the symptoms of a stuck float: the bike will start after draining the floats but runs very rich and will eventually flood itself again once the revs drop too low. When I set the petcock to prime, gas leaks out of airbox drain tube forever.
Given the bike was running well on friday, what do you guys think the problem could be? Debris stuck in the float or possibly a clogged air vent? Is there anyway I could test between the two without taking the carbs off the bike? Maybe if I checked the float height with the bike set to prime, I could see if it's one side that's leaking or if it's both?
What if I just tapped at the floats with a rubber mallet to dislodge the debris?
I've actually had a very similar problem in the past that I fixed by disassembling and cleaning the carbs... I hope I don't have to do that again. What a major pain!
Also, is there any way to get rid of all these vacuum tubes on the california model carb? Can I just pull them all off? They are really freaking annoying.
You usually will dislodge nothing by hitting it with a screwdriver handle, it will however possibly fix a stuck float which is stuck for no good reason.
The reason it will flood and spill into the air box, other than somethign blocking the path of the float needle are of course bad O rings in the float fitting as well as a float that is worn high - which is uncommon on an 01+ gs.
You very likely got dirt, or a bad O ring or a float stuck for no reason. So start by tapping it with a screwdriver handle, then if that dont fix it, start taking it apart looking for what is going on.
Cool.
Buddha.
Thanks Buddha, I will have to try the twppy taps before I take this bugger apart again and look around.
I took my carbs apart and found that the left air vent was clogged. Also there was sand in the float bowls. I think I may have had the hose connecting the canister to the carb unplugged and that allowed a bunch of nasty stuff in.
All is well, the carbs are back to working order again.
Quote from: chilloutdamnit on July 05, 2011, 08:20:45 PM
I took my carbs apart and found that the left air vent was clogged. Also there was sand in the float bowls. I think I may have had the hose connecting the canister to the carb unplugged and that allowed a bunch of nasty stuff in.
All is well, the carbs are back to working order again.
Bwaaaaaaahahahahahah ... WTH ... sand. Yeow. That poor bike.
Canister to carb hose wont allow sand in ... you could have rust in the tank and that rather looks a lot like sand.
Cool.
Buddha.
If you had fuel in the airbox,then you probably have fuel in the oil sump.I would do an oil change to be sure.
I took a picture for science. To me it looks more like sand than rust. It is fairly fine as far as sand goes. I did put my tank on my gravel driveway for a moment, maybe I got dirt lodged into the tank petcock =/. Whatever the case, I guess I gotta watch this closely or expect another breakdown.
edit: adding picture
(http://i.imgur.com/K42lb.jpg)
Thanks for the oil sump tip ben. I'm about due for an oil change anyway.
You're welcome.
Could be sand, yea, it does look like it, but your local gas station could be to blame too, of course how much got in via the tank petcock digging into the dirt is also a nice point.
Cool.
Buddha.
Quote from: The Buddha on July 06, 2011, 10:37:25 AM
Could be sand, yea, it does look like it, but your local gas station could be to blame too, of course how much got in via the tank petcock digging into the dirt is also a nice point.
Cool.
Buddha.
I don't see that making it past the petcock strainer in the tank,unless it's missing.Always a possibility.
Oh yea ... however I've seen stuff in the floats you will not believe ... so I am with the theory that it will crystalise in the float bowl after getting through the strainer. That's my theory and I am sticking to it.
Cool.
Buddha.