Slack's Sport Touring Build

[ShowBizWolf]

I am glad you are healthy and riding again!!! 

[Slack]

Hmmm, That's no good 

[ben2go]

Back firing through the carbs will cause that and also a valve that is not completely seating.Could be fuel pool from leaking carb fuel valve/needle and seat back firing in the intake port during start up.

[J_Walker]

my old SV650 did that once or twice. Just start the thing! THEIR BULLET PROOF!!oh wait.

[Slack]

Well I rode it to work one day 2 weeks ago or so. I noticed it smelt bad of gas and I had a small leak after work. Rode it home and parked it in the garage, until I got the carbs off today. And that is what I saw.
It has been very hard to start and warm up for the last month or two. I was planning on checking the valves (it's been 8,000 miles or so) and changing the spark plugs (15,000 miles).
The o-ring on the float needle plunger looks great. I measured the floats at 12.8mm (book says 12-14) I haven't put the carbs back on yet to try the clear hose method.
Should I replace the float plunger o-rings anyway? the bike is only 10 years old.
Why else would fuel puddle in the cylinder? I figured either my o-ring would be shredded, or the floats would be way out of whack.

[ben2go]

Well I rode it to work one day 2 weeks ago or so. I noticed it smelt bad of gas and I had a small leak after work. Rode it home and parked it in the garage, until I got the carbs off today. And that is what I saw.
It has been very hard to start and warm up for the last month or two. I was planning on checking the valves (it's been 8,000 miles or so) and changing the spark plugs (15,000 miles).
The o-ring on the float needle plunger looks great. I measured the floats at 12.8mm (book says 12-14) I haven't put the carbs back on yet to try the clear hose method.
Should I replace the float plunger o-rings anyway? the bike is only 10 years old.
Why else would fuel puddle in the cylinder? I figured either my o-ring would be shredded, or the floats would be way out of whack.

Check your oil,or change it,and make sure no fuel drained into the sump.Fuel in the oil will kill the bearings pretty quick.The main issue I had was a bad petcock diaphram leaking fuel down the petcock vacuum line.The other was bad needles and/or the o rings.Their is a pin on the needle that is spring loaded.Make sure it operates smoothly.Mine went flat and stuck in,causing my float levels to go off really bad,flooding my engine.The O rings will shrink over time from drying out,and loose their seal.This can be hard to see or feel.I'm not sure if anyone has come up with a non vacuum replacement for the newer style petcock.I haven't been closely following the GS forum  for a few years now.I mainly pop in from time to time.

[Slack]

Spring loaded pin?? that could be my problem. I don't remember any "springy" part. This is on the little cylinder that the floats move up and down to block/allow fuel into the bowls?

I'll get new o-rings, of course I can't order them until Tuesday.
I was also thinking of getting a CRF250X (manual) petcock in the near future. I'll go ahead and pick up one of those too.

And hey Ben, while I have your attention: when you were running the stock front fork on the track did you say you eventually ran .95kg/mm?

[ben2go]

Spring loaded pin?? that could be my problem. I don't remember any "springy" part. This is on the little cylinder that the floats move up and down to block/allow fuel into the bowls?

I'll get new o-rings, of course I can't order them until Tuesday.
I was also thinking of getting a CRF250X (manual) petcock in the near future. I'll go ahead and pick up one of those too.

And hey Ben, while I have your attention: when you were running the stock front fork on the track did you say you eventually ran .95kg/mm?

I have the older carbs.Your new style may not have the spring loaded needles.

I never did do track days.Dgyver did tack days.I don't know what he was running.I think he stuck to all stock katana 600 front end.I did install progressive springs soon after getting my first GS.It was a big help but showed how soft the rear is for a big guy like me.Straight rate springs are more predictable in my opinion.They are more consistent than a progressively wound spring.

[Slack]

I'll do some more comparing left to right. It was on the center stand, but only one side filled up. So it has to be something in the carbs, perhaps in addition to the petcock leaking.

[ben2go]

I'll do some more comparing left to right. It was on the center stand, but only one side filled up. So it has to be something in the carbs, perhaps in addition to the petcock leaking.

Multiple carbs are a pain like that.I do all my carb work either on the center stand with the bike level,or on my lift jack with the bike level.It doesn't take much to throw off float bowl levels when the bike isn't level,left to right and front to back.I learned that the hard way.

[Slack]

Replaced the petcock with a manual one and adjusted the floats, they were a bit high. All is well. Thanks   

[ben2go]

Good deal.

[Slack]

I've been busy. . .
I've been collecting parts for a long time now to take the GS to the track. But I didn't want to do the conversion permanently until I had a different bike for everyday riding [enter KLR 650 Stage Left].

So I've added tank grip (Stompgrip), e-bay clip-ons below the triple tree, bar end mirrors (I do still want it to be street legal), an Acerbis Cyclops headlight, short stalk blinkers (all 4), CBR (or was it GSXR?) rear-sets with mounting plates a member on here made a few years back. I also stripped all my accessory wiring out, put some cheap grips on, and swapped in a shorter SS brake line up front.

[ben2go]

Looks good to me.