So I have an 07 GS500. After seeing everyone recommend rejetting, I decided to give it a shot. I followed the jet sizes as per the wiki, and went with 1 size up on the pilot and main jets. Long story short, that was WAY too much fuel, after trying to adjust it for what seemed like an eternity..It just wouldn't run right with the bigger jets. So I tore it back apart and replaced the jets with the stock ones.
Now it runs like a top (again). The problem is that I've since noticed that I have a sporadic fuel leak from the airbox drain hose. Sometimes it is leaking while the bike is sitting, but 90% of the time it is leaking right after starting the bike. Once you ride it 100' down the road it doesn't leak anymore. Prior to rejetting, the hose was tucked up somewhere into the frame rail. Realizing what it was, I moved it down into the little slot on the frame rail by the right footpeg. So either it leaked before and I never noticed, or it started after all of this rejetting bs.
I initially thought something was stuck in the float bowl...I drained the fuel out of the bowls which made no difference. Afterwards I tore apart the carb (even though I never touched the floats), cleaned all of the jets, float needles, etc. etc. Again no difference.
So what gives? I have triple checked all of the vacuum lines. I am not 100% positive that I have the reserve/on lines correct, but this shouldn't cause it to leak fuel.
It is just a few drips here and there generally. Nothing insane. The oil DOES NOT smell like gas whatsoever, and the oil level has not risen at all..Which means it's not making its way into the cylinders. The only other thing that makes sense is that the petcock has gone bad, but it would leak all of the time in that case and would be hard to start, neither of which are true.
Is this normal? What else could it be? Is there a diagram for the on/reserve lines on a 07?
Thanks.
I'm guessing you float needle oring seal is leaking. Did you replace the little oring under the valve needle when you overhauled the carbs?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/GS500fuelcocks_zpsfcb7992c.jpg)
Thanks for the diagrams..I couldn't find one for my year so I will double check that..pretty sure that's how I have them now. Not that it would make a difference other than if you ran out of fuel..
No I didn't replace any o rings. The first two times all I did was swap out jets. I didn't tear anything else apart apart all. The carbs looked spotless so I left them alone.
The other day when I cleaned it I just took the bowls/jets/floats out and cleaned them. I didn't replace anything. You would access that by taking the float needle out then I'm assuming? I can pick one up and try it.
I just don't understand because I didn't really touch anything other than jets so its odd that it started leaking out of the blue. Even more strange that it is intermittent.
All gas goes through the floats, any dirt can prevent the needle seating. Winters of not running can be hard on bikes.
What O ring are you referring to? http://www.bikebandit.com/oem-parts/2007-suzuki-gs500f/o/m16095#sch649433
I spoke to someone at the dealer today and they said that since I didn't use ethanol fuel stabilizer (I used regular stabilizer and I had the bike out several times over the few months of winter anyways), that the rubber tip on the needle is probably bad - part #21 in the above diagram. They are $54 for each carb. If this is what you are referring to also, is there a way to tell that they're bad? I just took them out and cleaned them - everything seemed fine to me.
Edit: the carburetor parts sticky shows a little O-ring..I don't recall seeing that. If my bike has one where exactly is it located? If that is the culprit, can I just go get a couple rated for gas from an auto parts store and call it a day?
Here you see the float the seat and the O-ring.
It is possible to get a leak around the needle and the seat and
around the O-ring and the carb body.
seems about 15$ for the whole assembly, but I would change the o- ring first.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-CARBURETOR-FLOAT-NEEDLE-VALVE-SEAT-SUZUKI-GS500F-GSX-500-F-2004-2005-2006-/371235042101
I forget how to get to the oring- I think you just pull the seat out of its housing.
bmf
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I once had that issue, when I bought it and the guy before me had overfilled the engine oil.
Oh I didn't think to look on ebay. I will tear it back apart and replace that o ring and see what happens.
I did recently change the engine oil but it's definitely not overfilled..3 quarts of 10w40 as specified. It is perfectly on the full mark.
I had that problem twice. The first time it was due to a dirty float bowl and a piece of sediment blocking the floating needle from fully closing. The second time a spring was catching and stopping it from closing. It was stuck in the open position. I simply adjusted the spring and manipulated it a few times to make sure it moved freely and the problem was solved - At least temporarily. I've ridden 6-8 times since then and no issues. So far, no cost either.