A few things. A I just picked this bike up and given I am in Michigan (sub 30 degree temps) and Holidays I had yet to get out there.

I knew going in this bike might have some small maintenance issues. I am by no means a pro, I recently (in the past 2 years) have begun working on bikes. This is my first GS500. I have prior experience with cars however.

Heres my post on the air filter (new one has arrived). I will keep the old for backup:
http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=62691.0


I can get other or better pics I used my phone for these.

This bike appears all "stock" except the carb changes below and the Cobra F1R muffler.

I have a list of things to do but wanted to start with the carbs. Before I went to pick the bike up the owner could not get it started, I took the drive anyway and it actually did start and run while I was there, if you tried to give it any gas it immediately stalled. He had not driven this year much, and I believe him. A house full of kids and just struck me as pretty honest guy. Given what I found in the air filter (post above) that makes sense.

He owned the bike for 10 years or so and put roughly 2500 miles on it, just a few rides a year. Roughly 2 years ago he had the local bike shop where he bought the bike "rejet" the bike and do a carb clenaing he said it had run great after that. (Sellers shop is http://www.bgmotorcycle.com/ in OH).



Questions:
Upon taking the carbs apart today I had a few questions and will attach a few pictures.

A) The Rubber "T"s that combine the vent and fuel holes on both carbs.. do I need to remove those before hitting the carbs with carb cleaner? I have the other rubber pieces out but my prior bikes have been thumpers. I did not want to separate the carbs if I didnt have to. I dont want to damage these "T"s either however.

B) The Choke system do I need to remove that before using the carb cleaner? I am not sure if any rubber in that system will be effected?

C)I got into it and noticed a few things. I believe this may be a dynojet kit but am not sure. I have read that kits needle has 5 slots for the clip, my needle has 6 slots?

This bike had the clip on the 2nd slot (from the top) with an washer above that between the diaphragm seat. Just as this pic shows:





I have also came across the plugs in the slide or diaphragm I noticed:



Lastly for Jets I see this: Main is 122. It does not read 122.5 is that an issue? Pilot is 37.5 and clearly reads that pic here:




I am guessing I actually have stock jets here and the main just doesnt read 122.5 from the factory.  Idle or Air adjustment screw was about 3.5 turns out on both carbs.


Any input here will be greatly appreciated. I am getting an order together of orings that I want to replace and am not sure if I should get new needles or put these back in and see how she runs first.

Looks like someone installed a dynojet needle and modified the slides, and then tried to go back somewhere close to stock.  I would recommend sourcing some stock parts from someone on the board.

The stock main jets will have the 122.5 and the mikuni symbol stamped on it.

Thanks I will look at that for sure on sourcing stock parts, I wondered/worried if that were the case..

On the Rubber T's and Choke system will carb cleaner hurt those pieces, or can they be left in for the cleaning?

You shouldn't need to spray much carb cleaner in the area of the rubber T's.  They are for the gas inlet and the bowl vent.  Those are large passages that don't get blocked by crud.  If you want to be thorough, You can remove the choke plungers fairly easily.  They are just held in by plastic clips.  Then you can clean that passage by jetting carb cleaner through it and maybe guitar strings.  Do this for all the jets and passages and you should be good to go.  If the brass plugs for the air mixture screw has been removed, I recommend taking those screws out and cleaning that passage as well.  Be careful, there is a spring, o-ring, and tiny washer in there on top of the mixture screw.  When you put them back in, 3 turns out from lightly seated is a good starting point.

I would only worry about the rubber T's if you see they are damaged or you have gas leaking in that area.  It's a pain to separate the carbs to replace them.

Thats appreciated.

I am going to clean well and put it back together as it came to me. If I have issues I will go back to stock and adjust for the exhaust then.

When you say tried to go back from the DJ kit.. why do you think went back, arent the plugs the kit? Or am I missing something? I see one complete plug and the other has a hole, maybe the kit has two plugs per slide?

All I know is that the DJ kit requires modification of the slides.  You would have to ask someone who is more familiar with it to know exactly what's going on with your slides.  Are both slides modified the same exact way?

Bombsquad,

First thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, I appreciate it.

Secondly yes both slides are exactly the same.

E:  http://www.dynojet.com/pdf/3128.pdf
F:  http://www.dynojet.com/pdf/3156.pdf

Look at E since that appears to be what your model is.

Recommend replacing the needle and slides with stock.  What you have is a mixture of Dynojet and stock parts, which will tune...but it will take a ton of trial and error.  Also, the DJ needle is aggressively tapered and will yield jet settings found on this board incorrect since we use stock parts coupled with Mikuni jets.

PM The Buddha.  He has a ton of parts, and can get you what you need.

Thank you very much!

I should have looked there.. lesson learned I assumed it was not Dynojet due to the 6 slots...

You never know...it might be something completely different since you can buy custom needles for Mikuni carbs.

That said, it looks similar to the DJ needle, and the slids are drilled...probably a DJ needle.