Goodday
So time for a winter project. I have 500e 99 with 40,000 km. It has occasional starting problems and is a little lifeless around 4500 to 5500 rpm. I bought it the past spring and the owner told me he had never done any carb or air filter work. I am thinking to pull them and clean them and air filter. I am resonably mechanically inclined, but have never tackled a bike before. Anybody have any thoughts about this fixing my running problems and if there are any helpful hints . I am all eyes.

new plugs and setting the float heights would prolly be all you need. a little richening of the mixture screws should help, and if you want to really improve, try a washer or two on your needles. there are a tons of threads about how to do it, takes around 20 minutes along with removing the tank.

the flat spot around 4-5000 is usually just lean condition.

Thanks for the input. I will refer to the other posts. Here is another wrinkle. As it is winter here in Canada I will be getting my bike enjoyment from tinkering rather than riding.
Removed the tank and air filter and box this morning. The shop manual i have is for bikes up to 96, i have a 99. The manual says to untighten a screw holding the choke cable in place and move the cable assembly out of way. My choke cable is not attached by a screw but by a pin that does not obviously appear removable to free up the choke cable. I have a picture of the offending pin and will post it in the photo section because I do not see away to post the shot here. Any help much appreciated.

Quote from: twinotter on November 29, 2008, 02:28:01 PM
Thanks for the input. I will refer to the other posts. Here is another wrinkle. As it is winter here in Canada I will be getting my bike enjoyment from tinkering rather than riding.

If you don't mind my asking, whereabouts are you? I'm in Vancouver, BC.

Quote
Removed the tank and air filter and box this morning. The shop manual i have is for bikes up to 96, i have a 99. The manual says to untighten a screw holding the choke cable in place and move the cable assembly out of way. My choke cable is not attached by a screw but by a pin that does not obviously appear removable to free up the choke cable.

That's strange. I though the carbs were the same on all bikes up to 2001. 

Quote
I have a picture of the offending pin and will post it in the photo section because I do not see away to post the shot here. Any help much appreciated.

You can post a picture here by uploading to www.photobucket.com and then linking with [img] tags. See this thread for more info: http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=15370.0

I'm from Toronto. And am still trying to get those choke cable pin photo's up.

ya, the choke cable is a wonder at first...

open the choke all the way at the handle bar control (it pushes the slide over to the right)

push carefully on the slide to the left (you'll have plenty of slack in the cable then)

pull down on the slack in the cable, wiggle, the end of the cable will pop out of the clasp

OR

I have everything backwards, and do the opposite direction minus the pulling down of the slacked cable, i don't remember exactly if it's ON or OFF with the handlebar lever.


you'll see what i mean

hmm, thinking more, it may be easier to pull on the choke cables' sheath, then slip the sheath out of the notch in the carb bodies. i really don't remember which way I did it, think it was pull the sheath out first, then push down on the slacked cable, and it pops out of the clasp.

Might be easier with pics.

Push the choke slide to the left to allow enough slack to pull (also to the left) the metal tube part of the cable out of the carb body, then toward the front of the bike until the cable comes out of the slot.


Bend the cable downward until it is aligned with the vertical slot. This will allow the pin/cable to be pushed toward the front of the bike and out of the choke slide. It's a little awkward, especially with the spring fighting you.

Hi everyone
It has been over a month since I have had time to work on the bike. But it is Christmas so what else is there to do in the Great White North but work on the bike. First , thanks to ohgood. Your instructions for removing the diferent style choke cable were right on the money. The same moves worked on the throtle cable. So now the carbs are in the basement on a work table ready for a cleaning.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated. I do have a question about the valve that is visible now that the carbs are removed. I assume it is the intake valve. Although both valves have some black, sludgy build up, the right cylinder is noticably more covered with this black goey substance. What is the procedure for cleaning the valves??  Should they be covered with sludge is the first question, or is the mixture or something else wrong.

The fellow at the parts store where I bought a can of cleaner suggested after cleaning the carbs and reinstaling them I should run the engine while spraying carb cleaner in through the intake and that will losen the sludge and actually burn it off. The exhaust should burn black through this procedure.
Any comments.
Happy Holidays
Twinotter

If the valve is very black, oily and covered with caked crap, you probably have a valve seal leaking on that side, or possibly a worn valve guide.  However, some black carbon is normal, as oil must seep down the valve guide to lubricate it.

As far as cleaning the carbs, disassemble them completely.  Using your can of carb cleaner WEARING SAFETY GLASSES!!! spray out every passage from both directions using the straw mounted on the can.  Do so outside, otherwise the fumes will gas you out of the basement and possibly cause an explosion.  Try to avoid spraying your face too much...   

Shine a bright light into each orifice and look to be certain it is clean.  If you cannot blast the crap out with carb cleaner, disassemble a short section of 12 ga or 20ga (as appropriate) automotive wire and use the small copper strand to poke the orifice clean.  Avoid using music wire, it will scratch the orifices.

Check the floats for damage and leaks.  A flooded float will not float, of course, increasing the fuel level in the float bowl.

Check the float needle and seat for wear.  If they show any signs of wear, replace them.  If the float needles don't seat and you leave the petcock on prime, your GS will pee on the floor.   

Also check the main needle and jet for wear.  Same thing, if they show any wear replace them.

Check your carb diaphragms for leaks and hardness.  They should be soft and supple.  Holding the diaphragm up to a strong light in a darkened room and gently spreading it open will help detect any cracking.

Replace the carb bowl seals if they're hard, or compressed to the point they no longer fit to the carb body.

Upon reassembly, gently  check each float for proper movement after installation.  It should fall by gravity.  After installing the bowls, shake each carb and listen for the float rattle.  If you don't hear a rattle, you seized the float when installing the bowl. 

That's the bulk of it!

Thanks Geep
Here is the latest. One stripped bowl screw so that side will have to wait for a day. The right side, the one with the very dirty valve, did dissassmble and as I compare what I have with the shop manual, I believe I am misssing a few pieces. I bought this bike used '99 with 30,000 km. There appears to be NO pilot jet. There is a spot beside the main jet but there is nothing in it. I take it there should be something like a screw with a hole through it and maybe a washer. I cannot compare at the moment with the left carb because of the stripped screw.
Also, in the piston valve I have the jet needle and its bits, but I do not see a needle jet for it to house into.
All comments appreciated as this is the first time seeing the inside of the carb.
Have a merry one
No more grease more Turkey
Twin

Morning
Boxing day and took all my gifts back for a screw extractor. Now the other carb is open and they both seem to be missing their pilot jet. The shop manual I have is up to '96 and mine is a 99 so there maybe some changes. However, the online suzuki parts shop has the carb schematic and it looks like I am missing a jet and a spring and washer. But there seems to be a choice to be made in the length of the jet 1 3/4 or 2 1/2. Nothing I can see makes which one to choose obvious. Any thoughts
Cheers
Twin

Which part number(s) you are referring to?
http://www.bikebandit.com/showschematic/m6059sch247325

Quote from: twinotter on December 25, 2008, 12:06:20 PM
Thanks Geep
Here is the latest. One stripped bowl screw so that side will have to wait for a day. The right side, the one with the very dirty valve, did dissassmble and as I compare what I have with the shop manual, I believe I am misssing a few pieces. I bought this bike used '99 with 30,000 km. There appears to be NO pilot jet. There is a spot beside the main jet but there is nothing in it. I take it there should be something like a screw with a hole through it and maybe a washer. I cannot compare at the moment with the left carb because of the stripped screw.
Also, in the piston valve I have the jet needle and its bits, but I do not see a needle jet for it to house into.
All comments appreciated as this is the first time seeing the inside of the carb.
Have a merry one
No more grease more Turkey
Twin

Do you have a threaded opening for a pilot jet next to the main jet?  There were some changes in the newer carbs, but I believe they added a third jet. 

The needle seats on the underside of the main jet.  Looking into the carb body you will see a small metal hole that the needle enters.  That is the emulsion tube and is removable for cleaning.  (Although, it is easy to damage while attempting removal)  To aid in removing it, unscrew the main jet until it comes undone, then screw it in about 1.5 turns.  Tap it with a brass hammer gently until it bottoms on the jet boss.  This pushes the emulsion tube out.  Finish pushing it out with a small brass punch, or a small bolt with the same thread as the jet.

That's about all the help I can provide on the newer carbs.  I don't even have a manual that covers them!

Thanks
Yes there is a third opening by the main jet. There is a threaded section but in begins 1/2 inch down the tube. On the schematic the part numbers are 12, and then i think 31,32,33,34 are also required. So far all the help has been much appreciated, so again any thoughts would be appreciated. And if you could tell me if you have used the online parts suppliers in the past and are they better than a dealer for price.
I will try to add a photo. That is the jet tube on the left of the main jet with nothing in the top.
Thanks
Twin[img][/http://s467.photobucket.com/albums/rr37/twinottertwinotter/?action=tageditmanyimg]