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Nerobro posted:Every GS from 1977-1986 uses the same petcock mount. The petcocks are not the same.. but they'll bolt up so long as there aren't other interference issues. Thanks, I'll take a look for just about anything then. I know the repair kits are much cheaper, but I read that they're kind of a bitch to install (and I'm a total newbie at this stuff), so should I just stick to getting a full petcock?
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Jun 23, 2009 01:37
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unSavory posted:Yes it is, but I would like to fix it myself if possible. I figure the best way to learn how it works is to get my hands dirty. Is this a bad mentality to have with a new bike? I really like working on bikes but if my bike was under some sort of warranty I wouldn't even bother diagnosing it myself unless it was minor. Part of the cost of your bike was the warranty so I'd say let them deal with it and kick back in the hammock until its finished.
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Jun 23, 2009 02:05
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orthod0ks posted:Thanks, I'll take a look for just about anything then. I know the repair kits are much cheaper, but I read that they're kind of a bitch to install (and I'm a total newbie at this stuff), so should I just stick to getting a full petcock? I just picked up a new GS petcock for my Kawasaki. You can get them at z1enterprises for $50. http://www.z1enterprises.com/detail.aspx?ID=1715
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Jun 23, 2009 02:07
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sirbeefalot posted:Do you have access to one of those telescoping magnets? That might be able to grab it (assuming its ferrous). Yeah, my magnet has a knuckle that prevents me from going deep enough to reach the 'thing'. Chairon posted:Depending on how small the hole is, they sell these grabbers at Walmart. They're in near all the fishing lures and everything, as they're designed for removing fishhooks. But they're really useful for about a million other things too. And I think they don't even cost $5, so. I might try this. I tried long nose pliers but they weren't long enough.
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Jun 23, 2009 02:42
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Can you thread a bolt into the bar end anchor and use it to pull the anchor out?
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Jun 23, 2009 03:16
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My GS500 has been sitting for a year and there's surface rust on the chain. Just clean and lube or does it need replaced?
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Jun 23, 2009 06:57
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RichBomb posted:My GS500 has been sitting for a year and there's surface rust on the chain. Just clean and lube or does it need replaced? Clean and lube. Keep an eye on it afterwards, if it develops "red dirt", that's the internal lube leaking out and the chain is going to need to be replaced.
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Jun 23, 2009 07:34
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Z3n posted:Can you thread a bolt into the bar end anchor and use it to pull the anchor out? I did this on mine the last time i swapped my bars (can't help but to tinker at least a little...) so yes, but be careful. When I did it, one pulled out easy (throttle side I think) and the other stripped and I had to drill it out. Oops.
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Jun 23, 2009 17:32
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Z3n posted:Can you thread a bolt into the bar end anchor and use it to pull the anchor out? Actually having never messed with bars myself, I'm not sure what you mean. Is that the something up inside the handlebar that is blocking the little rattling thing from coming out?
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Jun 23, 2009 20:02
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orthod0ks posted:Thanks, I'll take a look for just about anything then. I know the repair kits are much cheaper, but I read that they're kind of a bitch to install (and I'm a total newbie at this stuff), so should I just stick to getting a full petcock? ... who the hell told you they were a bitch to install? And never, ever let them near a screwdriver. I've never bought a new petcock. Hell, with the endless variety of petcocks, it's safer to rebuild.
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Jun 24, 2009 10:38
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wormil posted:Actually having never messed with bars myself, I'm not sure what you mean. Is that the something up inside the handlebar that is blocking the little rattling thing from coming out? Probably. Usually there's an anchor of some sort that a bolt threads into that secures the bar end to the bars. Most of the time it's a removable rubber plug thingy. Sometimes it's not. You should be able to look into the bar and see if it's removable or not.
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Jun 24, 2009 16:44
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So I was adjusting my chain a couple days ago and stupidly for the first time, noticed that a couple of the bolts are actually supposed to be tightened with a torque wrench. Is it possible I have done some damage to the bike, or is this over-specifying and I don't need to go buy a torque wrench?
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Jun 24, 2009 20:51
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Oakey posted:So I was adjusting my chain a couple days ago and stupidly for the first time, noticed that a couple of the bolts are actually supposed to be tightened with a torque wrench. Is it possible I have done some damage to the bike, or is this over-specifying and I don't need to go buy a torque wrench? Which bolts? I don't bother torquing down my axel beyond "hard". It's like, 80 foot pounds, so that's about as much as you can get with a 24 inch breaker bar without pulling the bike off the stand. It's got a lock washer in it anyways. If you've got aftermarket rims, you want to torque it down a little lighter as the torque specs are a bit more relaxed on those.
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Jun 24, 2009 22:15
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Z3n posted:Clean and lube. Keep an eye on it afterwards, if it develops "red dirt", that's the internal lube leaking out and the chain is going to need to be replaced. poo poo, looks like it is. There's distinctly reddish rust looking stuff near the pins. Thanks. Also, the revs on my GS500 don't seem to drop very quickly. I just cleaned the hell out of the carbs, is this normal or am I missing something?
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Jun 25, 2009 19:21
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RichBomb posted:poo poo, looks like it is. There's distinctly reddish rust looking stuff near the pins. Thanks. I'm experiencing the same thing on my old YZF600. I have the carbs out at the moment, so let's hope someone can throw some useful advice our way.
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Jun 25, 2009 19:55
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Slow return to idle is a classic symptom of lean condition. Most common cause of lean condition on otherwise clean, stock carbs is an air leak downstream of the carb. Most common cause for air leaks are intake boots, carb sync ports and petcock vacuum hose/connection. It doesn't have to be lean condition and if it is, it doesn't have to be those causes, but it's a place to start.
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Jun 25, 2009 20:22
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Ola posted:Slow return to idle is a classic symptom of lean condition. Most common cause of lean condition on otherwise clean, stock carbs is an air leak downstream of the carb. Most common cause for air leaks are intake boots, carb sync ports and petcock vacuum hose/connection. That's a big help, Ola, thanks.
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Jun 25, 2009 20:24
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So carbs out of sync can cause a bike to run lean? Lean bikes run hot yeah? Hmm, the heat from my pipes caused the front fender to warp (wasn't always like that). I'll sync the carbs tonight and get back to you.
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Jun 25, 2009 20:32
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RichBomb posted:So carbs out of sync can cause a bike to run lean? Lean bikes run hot yeah? Hmm, the heat from my pipes caused the front fender to warp (wasn't always like that). I'll sync the carbs tonight and get back to you. I meant that air can leak through the places where you usually connect the carb sync hoses if the screws or gaskets are missing or in poor condition. I don't think carbs out of sync can cause a specific and steady lean condition - the mantra goes "if your carbs are out of sync then your mixture is all over the place". If your carbs are apart, checking float height would be high on my list. Google up some good pictorial instructions if your manual doesn't give you good pictures, it's not always clear where they want you to measure.
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Jun 25, 2009 20:51
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RichBomb posted:So carbs out of sync can cause a bike to run lean? Lean bikes run hot yeah? Hmm, the heat from my pipes caused the front fender to warp (wasn't always like that). I'll sync the carbs tonight and get back to you. A sync won't fix a serious lean condition. Carb syncs are minor tunes, to be done after you already have the bike running well to fine tune it. You should be taking care of A/F screws, idle adjustments, etc. first, and then finish with a sync as the final thing to clean up the idle and get things working smoother. It'll improve low RPM/minor throttle opening, but it's not going to magically fix a massive lean condition. Unless someone completely hosed your poo poo up. Which I have seen. But carb syncs should be a fine adjustment. If you're moving everything all out of wack on your carb sync, there's probably a larger problem elsewhere.
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Jun 25, 2009 20:59
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Ola, I adjusted float height while I had the carbs open, it's fine (According to Clymer). I didn't get your replies before I synced the carbs though (they were wildly out of whack), sucks that I'll have to do it again but whatever. I sprayed starter fluid on the top covers of the carbs and boots, the bike rev'd up for all but one of the boots. If a tighten down doesn't take care of the leaks I should probably replace the boots and the diaphragms between the top covers and carb body, yes? Z3n, last time I used the bike/had it in the shop it was for valve adjustment (supposedly another cause of idle hang up) and I was reallly unsatisfied with their work. Hopefully I can just replace some of the soft bits, Sea Foam it and be on my way. RichBomb fucked around with this message at 00:44 on Jun 26, 2009 |
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Jun 26, 2009 00:39
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RichBomb posted:If a tighten down doesn't take care of the leaks I should probably replace the boots and the diaphragms between the top covers and carb body, yes? Yes, good job diagnosing that. The boots should seal pretty well with just a snug tightening so they're probably all due for a replacement. The air leaks also throws off your sync, so a re-sync is in order anyhow. Where are the sync ports located on your bike? I'd be sure they were sealed well before replacing the boots, the boots are probably a bit pricey.
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Jun 26, 2009 00:47
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Sync ports are right on the top cover, it's a rubber cone on rubber stem, neither of which seem particularly rotten.
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Jun 26, 2009 01:13
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Are you sure that the carbs are completely seated? 3 out of 4 not sealing sounds like they're in the bores kind of sideways.
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Jun 26, 2009 01:27
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losing power on my crotch rocket. (85 zx-900) pulls nice and strong until 6000rpm, then loses a lot of power. on the test ride before last, it did it for the first 10 minutes and then ran normally for the last 10. abruptly came and went. i'd just fixed a few carb problems, stuck float valve, misadjusted float height, etc. i'm thinking a coil is cutting out... could this be? or maybe this bike doesn't run right if you wear full gear.
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Jun 26, 2009 01:41
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Nerobro posted:... who the hell told you they were a bitch to install? And never, ever let them near a screwdriver. I've never bought a new petcock. Hell, with the endless variety of petcocks, it's safer to rebuild. I think it was earlier in this thread, but I'm up to page 59, so I can't remember where it was. I guess I'll try to rebuild then.
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Jun 26, 2009 02:33
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Z3n posted:Probably. Usually there's an anchor of some sort that a bolt threads into that secures the bar end to the bars. Most of the time it's a removable rubber plug thingy. Sometimes it's not. You should be able to look into the bar and see if it's removable or not.  I'm guessing it looks like this? This was the thing rattling around in my handlebars. I finally got it out with a can of compressed air. The bike is so much more pleasurable to ride now without that drat constant ringing.
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Jun 26, 2009 02:48
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That could be it, yeah...the square end would get mashed into a rubber plug (with the nut facing inwards) and then you'd run a bolt down the middle, through the rubber to secure the bar end. Honestly, bar end designs have always been a little retarded and prone to failure.
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Jun 26, 2009 02:50
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orthod0ks posted:I think it was earlier in this thread, but I'm up to page 59, so I can't remember where it was. I guess I'll try to rebuild then. If it is a vacuum issue like the mechanic said, will a repair kit fix the problem, or might I end up needing a new petcock anyway? I ask because there's a petcock off an '81 GS650 up on ebay for pretty cheap right now, so I could spring for the whole thing if that'd be better.
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Jun 26, 2009 02:57
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Z3n posted:Are you sure that the carbs are completely seated? 3 out of 4 not sealing sounds like they're in the bores kind of sideways.
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Jun 26, 2009 03:55
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RichBomb posted:One of two, it's a parallel twin dinky little 500. They're on there as can be, brackets tightened all the way down too. I'm just going to replace everything made of rubber in the carbs and replace those boots too. Whoops, sorry, I got you confused with FunkyJunk. 
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Jun 26, 2009 04:05
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RichBomb posted:So carbs out of sync can cause a bike to run lean? Lean bikes run hot yeah? Hmm, the heat from my pipes caused the front fender to warp (wasn't always like that). I'll sync the carbs tonight and get back to you. No, yes. Carbs out of sync can cause a rough idle. They can also cause the motor to hang onto rpms. But they will not cause the bike to run hot. Whatever it is, it's NOT YOUR FLOAT HEIGHT. You should check those carb boots, first, or nearly first thing. Those, and the carb boot o-rings are the most common places for intake leaks, and hanging rpms. orthod0ks posted:If it is a vacuum issue like the mechanic said, will a repair kit fix the problem, or might I end up needing a new petcock anyway? I ask because there's a petcock off an '81 GS650 up on ebay for pretty cheap right now, so I could spring for the whole thing if that'd be better. The mounts are all the same, but the port locations, and lever shapes/sizes are not. It's a gamble if you go with the used petcock, more of a gamble if it's not specifically for your bike. And who's to say that petcock is ok. Buy the rebuild kit. But didn't I just say that a page ago? RichBomb posted:One of two, it's a parallel twin dinky little 500. They're on there as can be, brackets tightened all the way down too. I'm just going to replace everything made of rubber in the carbs and replace those boots too. Most likely, it's just the carb boot o-rings. Just to make you feel worse, making the carb boot clams to tight can cut the boots and cause a leak... You don't need to replace the diaphrams, that won't help. Even if they leak it's not a huge deal. Since spraying externally causes the rpm to go up, replace your boots, and boot o-rings.
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Jun 26, 2009 08:40
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Nerobro posted:You should check those carb boots, first, or nearly first thing. Those, and the carb boot o-rings are the most common places for intake leaks, and hanging rpms. Thanks for the contributions on this. I have a new throttle and choke cable on order, so when those come in I'll be putting the carbs back in the YZF. I'll be sure to make sure EVERYTHING is seated and tight.
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Jun 26, 2009 18:50
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Can anyone ID this swingarm from this crappy picture? It doesn't have a part number on it.
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Jun 27, 2009 16:36
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Got a question about a vibration/growl on a Honda VTX. I'm currently babysitting this bike for my old man but after riding it around something just doesn't feel right. It's a 06 vtx1800 w/ 4k miles. The problem(?) is a grinding/growling noise coming from the drivetrain. It seems to be there all the time but is most noticeable when crusing or decelerating in gear (probably because thats the only time you can feel/hear it over the motor). The best way to describe the noise/vibration is like a car that has had the brake pads wore down to metal or has a bad wheel bearing. Just a low toned kind of metallic growl that you can feel transmitted threw the bike. It does change with speed but doesn't matter what gear it's in. I'm not entirely sure it's not normal since I've never ridden another one to compare it to. But I have ridden a lot of big shaft driven bikes and never experienced it before. Edit: Link Link Might be on to something here. I don't see any 06's mentioned in those but that's exactly what it sounds like to my butt/ear diagnostics. Guess I'll pull it down and take a look. Bearings failing at 4k miles sounds like a serious manufacturer problem, especially if this problem started surfacing on 02's. obso fucked around with this message at 22:29 on Jun 27, 2009 |
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Jun 27, 2009 21:30
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Stalled by Husky in the woods today. Electric starter made a single crank and nothing. Hot start and kickstarter did nothing (though I can't kickstart the bike anyways). Then it started fine about five minutes later. Is this a common thing for dirtbike-ish bikes and is there any dirtbike thing I'm supposed to do in that situation? P.S worn street tires make one sorry off-road bike. 
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Jun 27, 2009 22:47
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Gnaghi posted:Electric starter made a single crank and nothing. Hot start and kickstarter did nothing (though I can't kickstart the bike anyways). When you tried kick-starting it would it not turn over at all or would it just turn over and not start?
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Jun 27, 2009 22:52
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obso posted:When you tried kick-starting it would it not turn over at all or would it just turn over and not start? I can't kickstart that bike at all. Never used a kickstarter and followed the directions on Supermotojunkie and still can't start it, so I might just be doing something wrong there. Using it, I got it to the point were it would turn over a bit and the lights came on, but that was it.
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Jun 27, 2009 23:02
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Gnaghi posted:to the point were it would turn over a bit and the lights came on, The lights came on while you were kicking it? Shouldn't they be on all the time from your battery? If the lights stopped working the same time your starter did (and then worked later without having to charge/jump it) you probably just have a bad connection on one of your battery cables. Bad battery connection will also make it harder than normal to kick-start.
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Jun 27, 2009 23:22
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obso posted:The lights came on while you were kicking it? Shouldn't they be on all the time from your battery? If the lights stopped working the same time your starter did (and then worked later without having to charge/jump it) you probably just have a bad connection on one of your battery cables. Bad battery connection will also make it harder than normal to kick-start. Nah it doesn't have an ignition, everything just turns on when the bike starts. An ignition wouldn't be very "race-ready street-legal" would it?
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Jun 27, 2009 23:34
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