SO, 7 months ago I bought a beat up 2006 gs500f. It ran when I bought it but soon crapped out due to a dirty carb. The machine only had 2800 miles on it which were done right when it was bought. It sat for about 5 years until I got it which would explain the dirty carburator. It had been dropped and the fairing was cracked and repainted. The tank has a huge dent. Some @$$hole removed the rear turn signals. The neutral light/kickstand shutoff electrical system doesn't work. I payed far too much for the thing and had title issues. But now she's RUNNING. I think I'm in love..
I finally got around to cleaning the carburator and a full tune up in the past couple weekends. And she just started running yesterday!! I put 200 miles on her as soon as I could. But this leads me to a couple questions so I can know what to fix next.
When starting on a cold morning, how long should I warm up with the choke? I just rode her for a short bit and warmed up for about a minute and a half. Its about 60f out and I was having a low idle and bogging/dying upon any throttle. I had to ride her on half choke. Is this ordinary? I fully cleaned the carbs but im still hesitant about how good of a job I did..
Also, how should the transmission sound when engaged? When I engage any gear, the higher the RPM the louder a high pitched whine becomes. When Im going about 50 before any real wind blast comes by and takes the sound away, I can hear a very distinct whine. It doesn't sound bad, but seems abnormal to me. What should I do about it? Would lubing the chain/sprockets help?
The things I've done so far are:
cleaned the carbs, float bowls and mixture screw circuit
checked carburator gaskets and O rings
replaced main fuel line (old one was brittle and broke on me one day, spilling gas everywhere)
new oil and oil filter (old oil smelled like gasoline)
Things im doing soon:
new tires
air filter should come in the mail so I can install it
have spark plugs just don't have right size socket
lubing chain
checking electrical wiring of neutral light/kickstand
installing integrated tail light/turn signals
polishing the damn thing
adjusting mixture screws (she's too lean right now, set at three turns left)
Is there anything I left out that I should do? I've ridden her hard and I don't feel too comfortable with her yet to make her a daily rider..
A few things:
Upon cleaning the carbs, have you set and checked the float height? Carb sync?
Check the float height by attaching a clear tube to the carb drain, bend the tube upward, open the drain screw and allow the tube to fill with the gas. The level of gas in the tube should be even with the top of the carb bowl. If it isn't, you need to adjust float height, and be sure to check both carbs.
Once you are sure fuel delivery to the carbs is correct, then move on.
When cleaning the carbs, it is important to push a piece of thin wire through the pilot jets to clean them, and ensure that you can see light through them.
The oil smelling like gas is tell tale of overflow in the carbs, likely due to the valve needle seats in the carbs. Do not leave your bike sitting with it on prime unless you trust those valve needle seats.
- Bboy
Check and adjust float height now. Oil mixed with gas has a lower lubrication value than just oil Low, lower oil lubrication values, and no oil cause catastrophic engine failures. I'm sure you are OK, but I'd concentrate on that first.
When I cleaned the carbs I was wondering about the float height. The adjustment is the small screw that holds the float needle housing down right? I also soaked all of the jets and made sure the insides had a clean round hole to see light through. How can I sync the carbs at home? All i have are basic tools.
I also made sure to change the oil and oil filter after smelling the old oil. A I always only use prime for priming. I check that the petcock is on "run" whenever I leave the bike. How can i check the valve needle seat?
Thanks! -cheeter
The metal tab that looks like an upside down 'T' in the pic below is the float height adjustment tab.
(http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j350/NorwayGT1/IMG_20110923_154156.jpg)
Check the float height using the method I described before opening the carbs again though.
- Bboy
Looks like you have covered the main items (carbs) - I usually use a marine grade carb cleaner for the idle jets in lieu of the piece of wire - theres a good product called "Quicksilver" which is what the stealerships use when doing a carb rebuild (It works a heap better than car style carb cleaner for some reason).
In terms of the whine - I had a 250 that I bought with low km's (unused for a few years) which suffered a similar whine which I eventually traced to the speedo hub. Any parts with grease packed in them can need a good clean out and re-grease...
Good luck getting her to the stage of the daily ride
Cool beans. But if my float height is off, what do i do to adjust the float height? How do I manipulate the tab?
After riding her for two days ive noticed a few things about the idle and throttle before the bike is fully warmed up. I think i'm going to go back into the carbs and do another, more thorough cleaning. Also on the agenda now is getting the turn signals set in and an inspection. I got pulled over a few hours ago and my inspection is out.. Need to get that handled within 10 days to avoid a fine.
Appreciate your help guys :D
Well hopefully you won't have to open the carbs again, but if you think you may have to clean em some more, and it turns out your the float height is off...
You set the float by bending that metal tab, but it is delicate so be careful, and a little bend is a big adjustment. Its easiest to set the height with the carbs of the bike. Set the carb upside down with the float bowl off. Now measure from the highest part of the float upto the gasket face of where the float bowl meets (without putting pressure on the float). This measurement should be 14mm. Bend that adjustment tab just slightly at a time until the measurment is right. Do the same to both carbs. Take your time and don't bump anything when you button it back up.
- Bboy
Awesome. That doesn't sound bad at all. I went on a good loooong ride today and let her warm up for a full 5 min this morning. I had no carb problems at all. I think my original carb cleaning was the ticket. She idles beautifully at 1200. I think my fuel mixture is a bit to lean still, but after i check the float and make any necessary adjustments I will fix that. I can't even believe how fun this bike is!! It gives you a good feeling (and a heavy wallet) to do things yourself.
Glad to be a part of the community!
-cheeter
Good posts and help here. Hows it coming along? It seems I am about 6 weeks behind you!
i know this thread is over a month old, but ya might want to increase the idle to 1400 when warm...it'll help warm it up faster
Well i've moved on to another gs500 now. A good deal with that ran with a yoshimura and low miles came up. Still trying to sell the old gs. And thanks gsatterw, I actually did set the idle around there to get her going in the cool texas winter these days. :D
Here's my ride now.
(http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mejisbTaGB1rreny3o1_1280.jpg)
(http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_men8i9pYtY1rreny3o1_1280.jpg)
Well that is a slick little gs youve got there. I dig the grey nekid look. What's that thing in between your gas tank and handle bars?
Also does that digital readout give you mph and rpm's by chance? Looks great!
Graham
Quote from: gsatterw on December 23, 2012, 11:57:29 PM
What's that thing in between your gas tank and handle bars?
Graham
Camera mounts?
Thats a suction mount for my gps. Recently I have added in a battery tender so the thing doesn't die. And the new speedo does do speed in mph/kph and has a tachometer bar for rpm. I can't get the damn tacho running though! Haven't tried too hard yet. The yoshi makes enough noise so I can just listen for rpms haha.
I have been thinking of a new paint job so I can fix some dents in the tank. Suggestions?? :icon_razz:
In case you didn't know it, your new-to-you GS used to be a faired GS. Someone who owned it before you either crashed it and found it cheaper to make it naked instead of replace fairings - or - preferred the naked look. But going by the scratches on the engine cover I'd say, crashed and cheaper to go naked.
Now to your original questions...
1 - Change the oil and oil filter so you know you have good proper oil in it. Be gentle with the oil filter cover nuts.
2 - Yes, lube your chain and check for kinked links. Check for tension. Also examine your sprockets - specially the front as you can get a type of whine caused by slightly kinked chain links going over the front sprocket.
3 - Warm Up. My routine is: full choke and let it rev to whatever it wants to for about a minute. Adjust down so idling about 2k. Put on jacket, helmet, gloves and sedately ride off. After a couple of clicks turn of choke.
Michael
I rejetted mine, put the k&n lunchbox on, and have a v&h exhaust on mine, and do half choke for about a minute, give it a couple/few pumps of gas, then ride off, keeping the rpm's high on the first launch to avoid bogging. Think I am a slight bit rich on the low end, need to adjust my idle mixture screws.
It is a bit beat up cosmetically. Thats part of the reason I got such a good deal. The guy selling it crashed it as a faired bike. He had the price low because he thought it was too much for him to fix up. The fairings and the front fairing subframe took the brunt of the crash. The only damage to the bike was the scuffs on the engine covers, a bit of scrapes on the tail plastics, no gauges, and a good 70 degree bend to the fairing subframe tab on the headtube. Luckily I wanted a naked gs anyways so I just put on the headlight, signals, and digital gauge myself. Got a fully functional, badass machine for just over 1000. I also did the works (plugs, full synthetic oil/filter, replacement k&n drop in filter, chain lube and tension adjustment). I bought it at 11,000 miles and the new gauges say 700 right now. It does stink that I don't have the original gauges though. The guy may have pulled a fast one with the milage quote he gave me. But it runs so well im not worried.
So do you think the chain could be causing a whining noise? I hear a faint one from the front sprocket cover so it could have some kinks, i didn't check for that.
Someone more seasoned then me will drop in, but I just came across that exact problem area and cause for a whine. So I would pull that cover and do a good clean and inspection.
There have been threads on chain noise. So check the chain.
On center stand and in neutral, check the slack. Rotate wheel a little and check again. Repeat until you've check about 5 times in one rotation of the chain. If the slack changes - i.e. gets tight and loose, then chain is bad.
You may see links like shown here. Links that stay kinked.
(http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb442/adidasguy/Technical/bad_chain.jpg)
I like it kinky, but I guess that's not the best way to go.. :thumb: I'll definitely take a look before I ride to work tomorrow. If I do need to replace the chain what are good options?
Oring and xring. DID or Parts Unlited make good chains.
Remember, oring or xring.