So... Winter is officially over and we've had about a week of perfect solid riding weather. With that said, I decided to put an end to envying other motorcyclists and I managed to do a little bit of post-winter maintenance on the GS in preparation to get it rolling out in full health ... After tinkering around, I checked the air filter only to find that I apparently rented it out to a mouse.



Hard to say how long that p!ss n' sh!te has been in there, as this is the first time I have taken the filter out to check it since my initial maintenance in 2005. Lets say hypothetically that that garbage has been in there for the past 1.5 yrs, would the engine/carbs have taken any damage? I checked in side the airbox with a flashlight and everything looks fairly clean. I also checked the plugs too, and they didn't look too bad outside of the left one looking slightly browned. Related to garbage in air filter perhaps?



I've replaced the plugs, will see after a few hundred kilometers if they start fouling.


Questions:

- Are airfilters safe to wash with soap and water, or should I just replace?
- Think there is a need to rip the carbs apart and clean!?
- Are there any similar batteries to replace the 10L-B2 (ex: walmart equivilents) that I should be looking for? My dealer and local auto store say the 10L-B2 has been discontinued and neither of them know of a replacement (suspect mofos arrrgh). Yes, I've "searched" for this to no avail. and will order one online only if i HAVE to

thanks.

Cheers,
J

Btw, check this link out, apparently Microsoft thinks the 10L-B2 is a vitamin fit for human consumption... LOL

http://shopping.msn.com/reviews/shp/?itemId=561163885

I don't think anything should have gotten into your engine, unless the mouse ate through the filter.  The Srinath says you can clean the filter with gasoline.  You can also used compressed air to blow out the crap.  I guess it's up to you whether you want to replace it.  The interval is every 7500 miles, but I'm just now replacing mine at 20000.   

Battery discontinued?     I just bought one from a local Interstate battery place.  They had to order it, so I know they're not discontinued.  Cost was about $50.  You can get them cheap from like Chapparal-racing.com, but you have to buy and add your own acid and charge it.  I kinda wish I had just done that because I think I could have gotten battery + acid + charger for around the same as I paid and still have the charger for future use

Here's the battery I was thinking of.

And something I just thought of, a general warning: DO NOT try to clean the air filter with a vacuum.  It could suck in gas vapors and cause an explosion in the vac

+1 to what everyone else said. If the airfilter is in one piece, the carbs are fine, that's its purpose. Clean it with gasoline, or replace. They're often on ebay. Hell, I'll give you mine for $10 + shipping, once I put my lunchbox in if you want it. The battery can be had for about $40 from www.motorcyclebatteriesusa.com. It cost me another $4 for electrolyte at advance auto. Now I just need to find someone to fill it for me, or buy the tool for measuring specific gravities.

Cool guys, thanks for the info ref. filter cleaning, (and the vaccum tip!) going to give that a shot w/ gasoline as the filter seems top fine. But will let you know if it has been botched or not when I'm done with it. heh.

For the battery, the GS500 Wiki and lists that the 10L-A2 is the same as 10L-B2, but the hose connects to the other side. Called Walmart, and they have one in stock! Just got to reroute the hose -fine by me! 

Cheers,
J

Quote from: groff22 on April 22, 2007, 05:24:09 PM


For the battery, the GS500 Wiki and lists that the 10L-A2 is the same as 10L-B2,
J

You had better check w/ Microsoft, the A2 may not be fit for human consumption 


Silly Gates... Batteries are for kids !