anyone ever use something like GM's top engine cleaner on their GS?  the stuff that you spray into one of the vacuum line coming from the intake and it helps clean out the clinders when you burn a little and let it sit.  i dont know if anyone knows what Im talking about cause im sue how popular the stuff is today but i remember my friend using it every once in a while on his beretta and i need something to clean the carbon out of my bike preferably without pulling the heads

I've heard pretty good things about Seafoam. Most people put it in their tanks but you can pour it (slowly) into your intake as well. Just make sure you're somewhere that nobody will mind a bunch of smoke......

How many miles till one would have to worry about carbon build up?

Quote from: Big Rich on September 25, 2010, 01:14:30 PM
I've heard pretty good things about Seafoam. Most people put it in their tanks but you can pour it (slowly) into your intake as well. Just make sure you're somewhere that nobody will mind a bunch of smoke......

yea i ran the engine and stuck a vaccum line down a little ways into some seafoam, waited for the smoke and now im letting it sit and work. im hopin this does the trick, other wise its pulling the heads.

Quote from: ragecage23 on September 25, 2010, 01:17:43 PM
How many miles till one would have to worry about carbon build up?

if you run at all rpms, you shouldnt have to worry about it, i was burning oil for a little bit due to unsealed headgasket, and this caused alot of build up. but normally, if you have a good mixture (14.6 air : 1 fuel) give or take a little bit, youll be fine for years. carbon build up is something you want to clean up whenever you have the heads off, or do any major preventative maintence, that way youll pretty much never have to service your bike strictly for carbon.  i do now, because i made the mistake of running the bike too long when it burning oil.  I mean i rode it around for a whole week before i figured this out. and now ive got a bad spark knock.

owners manual on my sisters vintage MG Midget says to decoke the heads and check crankshaft bearing clearances every 30,000 miles.

I think modern Japanese motor won't "need" de-coking any time prior to rebuild. Won't hurt though.

We used to use automatic transmission fluid.

Pour it slowly down the carb with the engine running, shut it down and wait 10 minutes.

Makes the thickest whitest smoke you have ever seen.

I don't think I'd advise that today. 

Quote from: dbarile on September 25, 2010, 05:12:26 PM
We used to use automatic transmission fluid.

Pour it slowly down the carb with the engine running, shut it down and wait 10 minutes.

Makes the thickest whitest smoke you have ever seen.

I don't think I'd advise that today. 

dang i shoulda thouht of that. oh well, 8 bucks for a can of seafoam which is made for the job (and did the job) was fine, especially since i maybe used all of 3 out of the 16 oz. in there.

Quote from: ragecage23 on September 25, 2010, 01:17:43 PM
How many miles till one would have to worry about carbon build up?

There's no real guide for a timeline. Carbon build up will raise the compression in the motor, causing all sorts of problems - detonation, lack of power, etc. You'll notice the bike running like poo long before it "needs" to be cleaned. If you ever get concerned with it, you can buy a compession tester from an auto parts store. If it's too high, then clean the heads.

Or for peace of mind, you can do it whenever you want.

True, I only have 4000 miles on it so I'm obviously no where close to needing to clean anything, but it's always nice to know!