QuestionI just purchased a 1987 GL1200 that has been sitting for over 10 years. Fuel tank is all but empty. Honda store had Yamaha carb. cleaner to mix 1:3 with gas to soak out carbs. Carb cleanout, fuel pump cleanout, tank cleanout, filter changes, timing belt changes are only things I know I have to do. Please suggest other items to consider. Thanks. Bob
AnswerHi Bob,
Change and flush all fluids: brake, suspension, cooling, lubrication, final drive, and petrol.
Yamaha Carburetor Cleaner is very good cleaner. Follow label instructions carefully.
If you open the cooling system to air, be sure to purge the air from the system with a tool such as the Air Evac by MityVac.
Visit the following resources for more about maintaining your GL:
http://bbs.gwrra.org/scripts/board/discus.pl?pg=topics
www.electricalconnection.com/index2.htm
www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/Plateau/2800/gl1000.html
http://wings.astcomm.net/main.html
www.randakks.coms
www.goldwing-world.com
http://msproul.rutgers.edu/motorcycle/gwfaq.html
www.partsnmoreforum.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=2&sid=bd440b013c03f7c2c36c17d483404c03
www.bikersbonanza.com/goldwing_accessories.htm
www.epilcher.com/gl1000/carbs.htm
www.wingthings-texas.com
www.wingworldmag.com/archives/march2004/magazine/department/workbench.html
www.bikebandit.com
www.electrosport.com
Review the below listed rtech files for cleaning the carbs if necessary.
Respectfully,
Mark Shively
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That first ride of spring will put a grin on your face. If you prep your bike properly before that ride, the smile could last until next winter.
For riders in cold-weather regions, it's almost time to unpickle your bike. If your motorcycle has spent a long winter's night out of service, the following are some points to consider when you begin to get it ready for the road. We focus here on items that may require special attention after extended storage and things which should get attention now to avoid interrupting the riding season. Your owner's manual will have a checklist for a standard service.
It's a perfect time to check the valves.
Valves: The manual says to adjust them when the engine is cold. When will it be colder? Give the cam lobes a shot of oil (the old stuff has long since run off) when you are done. Torque the cylinder head too.
A specific-gravity tester is an inexpensive way to check battery health.
Battery: If it spent the winter well charged, as with a Battery Tender or a regular trickle charge, then it's is probably ready to go. Give it a regular service (fluid level and slow charge) and send it on its way. If it was neglected all winter, give it the same service and check it. If it comes out looking a bit sickly, replace it before it causes problems. Be certain the vent tube is connected and properly routed.
Some storage systems make your spring service easier than others.
Oil: If you changed the oil immediately before you stored it, it is probably ready to rumble. Fresh oil can be contaminated by water, which will give it a milky appearance when it is first run. If you didn't change oil before storage, replace it now. Otherwise, those normal contaminants have been joined by a measure of water, a recipe for corrosion. Change the filter unless the it was fresh. Use a torque wrench on that drain plug.
Fuel: If you left your tank full (a good way to avoid rust), the fuel has probably stratified, unless you used a fuel stabilzer. Before turning on your petcock and letting fuel into the carb, disconnect the fuel line and drain the tank completely. (Pour the old gas in your car--or your neighbor's.) This is a good time to clean your fuel filter and look inside the tank for rust. If you didn't drain your carb float bowl(s) before storage, pull them off now and take a look. If the inside has something that looks like varnished cottage cheese, you probably have clogged jets, too. Carb cleaner might help, but you might need new jets and a professional de-clogging as well.
If you ride to work during the summer, those last cold weekends are an ideal time to get your ride ready.
Engine: A shot of oil in each spark plug hole followed by a couple of spins of the engine with the plugs removed will protect the cylinder walls and rings during those first few revolutions. When you pull the plugs, check the gaps too. If you haven't serviced it during the winter, the rest of those engine service items (air filter, carb synch, drive-line fluids, etc.) should be attended to as well.
Brakes: This is a good time to install fresh fluid--after your old stuff has spent all winter soaking up water and is at its spongiest. You definitely should do it if you skipped it during the last year or two. Check the pads or shoes too. If they are "sort of" thin, get new ones now.
Before the riding season begins, give your bike a deep coat of wax, and also treat your saddlebags and leather apparel with leather conditioner.
Suspension and steering: Prop the front wheel off the ground, sit in front of the bike and grasp the fork lowers. Move them forward and back to feel for steering-head looseness. If you feel any movement or clunking from the steering head, tighten it properly. Have you changed fork oil recently? Is a fork seal leaking, even a teensie-weensy bit? If so, take care of it now.
Finish protection: This is a great time to pull things apart and thoroughly wax everything you can get your fingers and cotton swabs on. Remove any corrosion, and put on a nice thick layer of wax or other appropriate protectant (leather dressing for leather saddlebags, etc.) to preserve it during the riding season.
Routine stuff: Before riding, you should check over all those normal pre-ride items: tire pressure and condition, wheel true, spoke tension, Wheel bearing condition, control function and adjustment, lights, sprocket and chain condition, etc. Look for leaks anywhere there is fluid. Take time and a couple of wrenches and check the tightness of every fastener you can reach. Pay particular attention to anything that can hurt you--brake lever pivot bolts, axle nuts, drain plugs, etc. Your owner's manual will have a complete list of points to check before riding. Or if you don't have one (ask your dealer or the manufacturer), you can use the T-CLOCK checklist created by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation as an outline. (T-CLOCK stands for Tires and wheels, Controls, Lights and electrics, Oil and fluids, Chassis, Kickstand.)
Check for working bulbs, smooth controls, and tight fasteners.
Spares kit: If you haven't done so already, why not make up a spares kit for on-the-road problems you are capable of handling yourself? This might include fuses, chain master link, tire tubes, headlight bulb, instrument bulb, a bit of wire, some nuts, etc. You might include a first-aid kit too, with an eye on abrasions, insect stings, and other on-the-road adventures. Put it all in a package that you can take with you when you are traveling farther than the county line.
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Bad Gas
By Mark Shively
Gasoline goes bad with time and in as little as 3-4 weeks. This effect is known as varnishing. Jets and passageways within carbs become obstructed when varnishing occurs.
Liquid gasoline changes chemically into a gel like substance. Advanced stages of varnishing results with the solid gel changing into a crystal powder substance. Interior carb surfaces are etched in the process and may require carb replacement.
The choke and pilot circuits with most motorcycle carburetors share passageways. When pilot jets become obstructed, the choke circuit compensates and allows engine to start and idle with choke, but stalls without choke.
See carb cleaning information below. See microfiche parts, check parts prices, and order repair manuals here: www.bikebandit.com
Carb Cleaning 101
By M. Shively
The elements of internal combustion engines are: correct fuel/air ratio, spark at right time, adequate cylinder compression.
There are many passageways and openings to check and clean. All are important in function and when obstructed or not working properly, have subtle to radical effects on engine performance. Vacuum leaks and carburetor synchronization also have effects on performance and should be inspected and adjusted following the below procedures.
Carb Cleaning 101
Warning: Remove all rubber parts before you begin. These parts usually include vacuum diaphragms, needle valves, o'rings, hoses, and other parts. Spray cleaners will damage these parts. Do not disassemble individual carbs from the carb bracket.
Air & Fuel Passageways: Trace and learn individual fuel and air circuits from beginning to end. Machines can only drill straight through the cast passageways. To change direction, another angled passageway must be drilled. The union is plugged with a brass or bronze bead. Inspect and clean each passageway with spray cleaner, brushes/pipe cleaners/etc, and compressed air. Remove any discoloration and debris. Look for spray cleaner to exit from one or more passageways.
Jet Cleaning: Inspect jets by holding to light and look through them. You should see an unobstructed round hole. Clean the jets with one or more of the following: jet cleaning wires, soak solutions, carb spray cleaners and compressed air. Re-inspect jets after cleaning and install when clear of obstructions. Some main jets have paper-like gaskets. Most have metal spacers between the jet and the emulsion tube. Some screw directly into a brass emulsion tube which is machined for a 7mm wrench at its float chamber exposed base.
Inlet Fuel Valve: Inspect the needle valve & spring. Press down the tiny metal rod that protrudes from the butt or float end of the needle valve. The spring should move freely and return the rod to its location. Check the needle valve's seat area for a groove or other wear. It should appear highly polished. Some needle valve seats are rubber and wear may not be visible. Inspect the needle valve jet seat. You can clean the jet seat with Q-tips and semi-chrome polish if necessary.
Carb Body Castings: Blow air through the atmospheric vent holes located on the dome of each float bowl chamber. Air should exit via hoses or brass nipples. Inspect the emulsion tubes and passageways (cast towers that jets thread into) for discoloration and debris. Clean interior emulsion towers with a soft bristle gun cleaning brush. Clean each Venturi (main carb bore).
Needle Jets & Jet Needles: Clean the needle jets, jet needles, and passageway or tower that needle jet screws into. Clean the emulsion tube (pipe between needle jet and main jet) (Main Jet may screw into emulsion tube). Jet needles are part of the throttle slides. See below…
Throttle Slides: There are several types of throttle slides: Mechanical linkage, vacuum, diaphragm, and cable. Disassembling the jet needle from the slide is not always required for cleaning. If you have vacuum piston type throttle slides (large diameter solid metal slide), avoid cleaning the lubrication from sides and caps. If piston type check cap vents and passageways with air. Clean if necessary and re-lube. If you have rubber vacuum throttle diaphragms, inspect for dry-rot, defects, and tears by gently stretching rubber away from center. Do this until all areas around diaphragm have been inspected. Replace any defective part as described above. Clean carb body areas around diaphragm including air passageways and air jets. Diaphragms have a locator loop or tab fabricated into their sealing edge. Observe this locator upon reassembly. Avoid pinching the diaphragm when reinstalling caps.
Fuel Screws: Fuel screws have sharp tapered ends. Carefully turn one fuel screw in while counting the turns until it seats lightly. Warning: These screws are very easily damaged if over tightened into their seats. Record amount of "turns-in" and remove the fuel screw, spring, washer, and o'ring. The fuel screw is part of the enrichment (choke) circuit...clean passageways as described above. When carbs are assembled, spray low PSI compressed air into diaphragm air vents located at intake side of carbs. Throttle slides should rise, then fall when air is removed. Lightly lube external moving linkages. Reinstall carbs and follow through with carburetor synchronization.
Throttle Cables: Lubricate cables periodically. If cables are disconnected from carbs or removed for replacement, etc . . . remember cable routing and ensure proper reinstallation routing. Avoid bread-tying, sharp bends, and pinching cables. Adjust cables so throttle grip has about 5mm of play or throttle slides or butterfly valves may not open completely (full throttle)(wide full open).
Float Bowls: Inspect float bowls for sediment, gum or varnish, crystallization, and defects. Clean all pipes, tubes, passageways, and embedded jets with cleaners and compressed air. Remove and clean the drain screw and area. Inspect bowl gasket and replace if necessary. Clean and inspect overflow pipes and tubes, look for vertical cracks.
Floats: There are several types of float materials: plastic, brass, black composite, tin, and others. Handle floats carefully. Avoid bending, twisting, denting, or other means of mishandling. Most floats are adjustable by bending a small metal tab near the float axle end. Do not change the float adjuster tab unless tuning fuel service levels. Clean metal floats by soaking or by spraying cleaner and wiping clean. Other material type floats may require replacement if cleaning is necessary. Inspect the needle valve (float valve) and seat. Check needle valve's spring loaded pin. It should depress and return smoothly and without resistance. Check the needle valve's tip for a worn groove. Replace needle valve and seat if either symptom exists. These parts wear together and must be replaced as a set.
Synchronization: This is a fine adjustment performed usually and preferably with the carbs installed and the engine running. The unusual part is performed with gauged wire with the carbs on the work bench. Carburetor synchronizing balances Venturi vacuum at the exhaust side of each carburetor, resulting with smooth idling and optimized performance at all throttle openings. Synchronization is checked using a set of gauges which are either air vacuum type or liquid mercury type. The gauges are connected to vacuum ports on the intake manifolds via nipple tubes or if sealed with screws, sync gauge adapters will be needed. With the engine running at temperature, and with a fan or means of forced convection aimed onto the engine, the carbs fuel screws and idle are adjusted, then the synchronization is adjusted via adjustment screws on the carbs. A reserve fuel tank is recommended for convenience of accessing carbs during this procedure. See gauge instructions and repair manuals for detailed use of synchronization gauges.
Notes: While carbs are apart, record the jet sizes. Look for a very small number imprinted on the body of the jets. Verify that numbers are the same for all jets on models with in-line cylinders. A few transverse-4 models and V-engines, the inner and outer carbs use some different size jets and it's important to not mix them up. If you have dial or veneer calipers, measure and record float heights. Perform measurements with floats just touching needle valves, though not depressing the needle valve rods. Replace fuel and vacuum hoses. Be sure to use fuel rated hose for fuel. Install or replace in-line fuel filters. It's a good time to remove and clean interior petcock fuel filters. Inspect carb manifolds for dry-rotting, inspect all clamps and air ducts. Inspect, clean, lube, and/or replace air filter(s).
