Thanks for doing that - it confirmed my mental picture.  (See my last post.)

Time to revisit the symptoms and think up some more possibilities....

If (as I assume) you got the 20-ish readings on a high-ohm scale and the 5-ish readings on a low scale, you're OK here too.

sorry about that, yeah 22 is on 20K ohm, 5 is on 200 ohm

if you need any more info from me just let me know I feel like a real electrician after spending the whole morning with this meter

Quote from: SoaringI feel like a real electrician after spending the whole morning with this meter

Just for that, please accept my Wizard of Oz-like gift: A custom avatar!  

... ... ... :mrgreen: ... it rocks! now I look like a spider sitting in the center of all things weaving its web with it's everreaching connectors... soon my motorcycle will be under my total control ... unless other spiders get to it before I am able to fix it. these little creatures keep nesting in the damn thing all the time

as for the serious matters, the bike also would die if I try to take the choke back after starting the bike... no matter how long I wait for it to warm up. I don't know if it helps, but I guess any new info is useful.

OK, some more questions:

* You confirmed that your spark plugs are sparking, but what can you tell us about their color?  (See

this chart for comparison purposes.)

* When the bike is running, does it run any better at higher throttle positions?  I'm thinking that maybe one of your pilot jets is clogged from sitting so long.  But opening up the throttle would change the main fuel source from the pilot jet to the main (which is much harder to clog up because of the larger hole).

* As a follow-up, what kind of cleaning did you do on the jets when you had the carbs apart?  Did you remove them, soak them in carb cleaner, blow through them, etc?

* The last area I can think of right now is possible vacuum leaks.  There are multiple possibilities here, but since only one carb seems to be affected...  Do you remember seeing the tiny O-ring when you took the "lid" off of the carb?  I'm talking about item 26 in the diagram on this Ron Ayers page.  If that little guy goes missing, weird things can happen....[/list:u]
Speaking of O-rings, are you aware of the Carb Rebuild Kit available from PartsNMore?

ok,

1) spark plugs were sparking and they looked ok, but not taking any chances I got new ones, NGK that the manual recommends, measured them to .03..I think, anyway measured them to what manual recommends and put them in

2) I am not sure what do you mean by running any better. If only one spark is connected then it runs ok on left cyl. throttle or not. On the right side it runs only with throttle open, but dies otherwise. when both plugs are connected I am not sure how can you judge. Anyway, I in fact cleaned the carbs (because I thought that's the problem as the bike was sitting for two years and I had rust in the tank, so I cleaned and sealed the tank about a year ago, but cleaned the carbs only a few days ago.). Somehow the main jets were 130 instead of 122.5 recommended by the book. So in the end I went to the shop and got myself new main jets 122.5 but they didn't have 37.5 pilots so they promised to get it in a couple of days, but for now it's old pilots I can see through them and the wholes look about the same size for both, so I don't think there's a problem there... if anything the right pilot (not working side) looks better then the left one. I also corrected the float level (and hopefully did it the right way).

when I was cleaning carbs I took main, pilot and needle jets out and soaked them in a spray cleaner (just sprayed enough in the plastic cap to cover all of them), also sprayed all over the carb after removing all the rubber parts. then I washed it in the water and blew with a canned air (dust off). The only thing I think I didn't take out was the small jet in the air intake? I think they call it pilot air jet.. not sure though.. but it was so small and didn't want to come out so I figured I won't risk it.

as for the rings, both of them are in place although one of them looks a little screwed up (ALTHOUGH, I am not sure if it's the onle on the left or the one on the right...) it is whole on the inside but the outer edge seems a little ripped off. don't know how much of an issue that is.. was thinking of getting a carb rebuid kit, but it would take quite a few time I guess if I get it online.. can i get a similar ring in the hardware store?

and I am aware of partsnmore, but these guys are in canada as far as I understand and I am not sure how long it will take this thing to get to me.. they also need a $35 minimum and two kits are only $24 and I am not sure if I need anything else...

Well, for

Quote from: Soaringa newbie mechanic with no experience

I'd say you're doing just fine.  

"running better": I just wondered if the engine "took off" and ran smooth at higher throttle positions, possibly indicating a clear path through the main jet as opposed to a possibly blocked path through the pilot.  But it sounds like you were plenty thorough.  I would almost expect a "newbie mechanic" to have cleaned the float bowl and called it good....

I feel your pain with the long shipping times, etc.  You could certainly bring one of those O-rings into a hardware store and see what they have.  All it needs to do is prevent air flow without being so thick that you can't seat the cap back on the carb.

Also, I would be curious to see what happens if you block off the vacuum connection (to the ON/RES/PRI switch) at the left carb and run with the switch set to PRIme.

Oops - never mind.  I just noticed that it's the RIGHT side that's not working.  Still...  :dunno:

well I guess I don't have much experience to hear if it "runs better"... rpms get higher that's about how much I can tell

and as for "nebie mechanic"... if only you knew how much time, reading, worries and messed up bolt heads that cleaning cost me... and guys from the local store helped me take out the pilot jets as I was dead scared of messing it up... anyway it was kinda nightmarish, but it would all be good if it helped... and I still started with float bowls got a lot of crap out of it.

so do I need to block the vacum connection to the left carb? and do you mean plug the hole on the hose or on the carb? and what other stuff I could check if this doesn't help? looks like there are no more electrical check I could hope for... :dunno:

and that thoroughness I guess kind of shows how desperate I am to get this thing running...

if it wont run with the choke on at all,  It sounds like you are running way too rich--  what color are the spark plugs ?  have you checked the float level with the u-tube method on the how to page? I would bet that it is a fuel related.  do you have access to an air compressor?  in the front of the carb there is an air bleed (small hole).  My bike ad been sitting for 7 years when I got it and these holes were clogged.  it caused similar symptoms to what you are having.  it took several cleanings to get these cleaned out ( and lots of air pressure)

Quote from: Soaringthe bike also would die if I try to take the choke back after starting the bike... no matter how long I wait for it to warm up.

Oops ... I understood this to mean that the bike would ONLY run with the choke on.  But from your second post in the thread I see that I got it backwards.

Are you sure the plugs look OK?  

ok, now english is not my native language so you got to forgive me I am not sure what's the right way to put it, but here's the deal. when you start the bike you got to turn the choke on? anyway you pull it towards you... to make it richer, right? and in this condition the bike runs... then after it warmed up you should take it back/ turn off/or whatever you call it, push the choke from you, right? well, this is the point where my bike dies. you can move the choke back about half the way but if you do it all the way the bike dies... I am not sure if I explained it in a good way, but I guess here's where "newbie mechanic with no experience" comes into play

ktrim,

As far as I understand you got me wrong on the choke issue. My understanding is that you turn the choke on in the beginning and then turn it off when you ride. If this is right (or if you just use first sentence as a reference of my thought pattern ) then what I was trying to say is that bike runs only with the choke on.

I don't have an access to air compressor and I am not sure which holes you are talking about, is there a picture where you can show it to me?

and no, I haven't done the test as I don't have a transparent hose, but I'll try to get one and make this test

ok guys, here I am again. Just got the hose and did the test on float level like in how to pages. what I seem to be getting is that the level on the working side is way too high and on not working side is about .1" lower. at the same time I did my best to set the level correctly when assembling the carbs. how can this be and what should I do?

the holes I was talking about are at the throat of the carbs where the connect to the airbox,  I believe there are 2 holes on each carb,  tehy are very small.  I would send a picture but I do not have carbs available.  but any way I had to use a smal piece of wire and lots of carb cleaner to get the gunk out of mine.  the only way to adjust the float level is pull the bowls off and bend the tabs.  its kind of trial and error to get it correct

ktrim, you must be talking about the holes that are visible in the 7th and 8th photos on Marc's Cleaning and Rebuilding Your GS500 Carbs page.

If I understand it right, you are talking about two small holes where there's a small jet inside of one (I believe they call it air pilot jet?) Am I right? If so, how do I know the problem is there. I mean, if it took you a few cleanings before you got it, how did you know the problem is there in the first place?

As for the floats, is it actually possible to get the level perfectly in line with the gasket? Also, I did the test with the bike on a side stand and now I think that one of the carbs was too high and one a little low just because of the bike leaning to one side.. can it be the case and what's the right way to measure (side stand, center stand, just keeping it vertical, or something else?)

thanks!

On the centerstand.