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Taking Carbs off again - maybe a rust issue? - Filter sug.?
Hi, wonderful GL1200 people.
I've been out riding my 1986 GL1200 Interstate, a lot lately and I find that I get to take my carbs off again, (for the 7th time).

A little history, The previous owner had stored my bike out in his driveway, uncovered for about 2 years and I did find a little bit of rust in the tank. I took the tank out and did the rust treatment on it, (I think it was the Yamaha rust remover, but it may have been Kreem), and I carefully dried the tank in my screen print drying room, (which has a dehumidifier). I have been careful to keep gas in the tank, (mostly full), over the last 4 years. The bank of carbs I have on the bike are a different set that I VERY CAREFULLY rebuilt to specs, (set float levels to within .001 of each other). I have new CV throttle diaphragms, new OEM O-rings, new fuel lines, new filter, brand new fuel pump.

One day, while riding last fall, I was riding along, minding my own business, going about 80 or so, when one cylinder dropped out. I could tell the performance really suffered because I have no power on top end. I thought at first I bent a valve, but I think it's probably a high speed jet has become clogged with a small bit of rust from the tank. The engine seems to be fairly even at idle and low speeds, but under load and aggresssive riding, it misses terribly. I top out at about 105 mph, now, when it used to be 127mph.

What I plan to do is get out my original carbs, and go through them carefully and reinstall them with 2 fuel filters.

Can anyone recommend fuel filters that would be better than OEM? Are the microfine sintered bronze filters better at filtering rust? I think there must have been some rust down in the seams of the tank and it got loosened up and pumped into the carbs.
I want to try to ensure this doesn't happen again so I hope the duel filter option may help.

I had posted before about my compression and that seems to be very good, but I will check it again this weekend to compare to results from a couple years ago.

Oh, I also wanted to ask, can a bad pulse generator/coil? cause high speed power loss or does it run bad all the time? I really want to get this performance thing sorted out because it's fought me for years.

Thanks,
Don W., Winchester, KY
Reply
#1 04-01-2010, 06:02 AM,
Before you go that far.
Try a tank or two with 5.5oz (more is not better) of Berryman's B12 carb cleaner.
For good filters, get a wix filter, it does wonders.
In lieu of dubling them, just replace them more often.

Have you tried taking off your "petcock" and flushing out that tube?
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#2 04-05-2010, 05:58 PM,
Thanks, I will try both of your recommendations.
I do believe I will have to take the carbs off this time, though.

Thanks again,
Don W.
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#3 04-06-2010, 05:06 AM,
Just thinking of simple steps first:

spark supply to all cylinders - I would check spark plugs when one cyl misfires or stops firing at high load.


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#4 04-06-2010, 05:14 AM,
I'm wondering if it is a spark issue at speeds about 4500 rpm. I know that there is a shift sensor that affects spark timing in 4th and 5th gear. I wonder if the sensor is not working properly or
the ECU, (or ignition module), isn't working properly. I replaced the original with one from Ebay
and it didn't make any difference. I also replaced my coils and wires.
Most of my performance issues show up at highway speeds, but I notice the strange uneven rumble at most speeds from 40mph and up. The engine just doesn't sound like it's pulling together. The plugs look almost perfect, though.

Really strange thing, this bike.
Part of me wants to buy another well-running bike and put on all my plastic and painted parts.

I have my original set of carbs so I will tear into them and get them perfect and then try them on the bike. Still wondering about ignition, though.

I will try the methodical approach, first.

Thanks.
Reply
#5 04-06-2010, 05:26 AM,
By the way, I did have the petcock off when I redid the tank 3 or 4 years ago.
but I will take it out just to see how much rusty crud may have collected in it.
There shouldn't be much, because I really worked on getting all the rust out of the tank.

I think I'm going to get one of those replaceable element filters in addition to a Wix or OEM filter.
I really don't want to take the carbs off again, (this time is lucky number 7).

I just tried to find a Wix fuel filter on their website and they didn't have anything for a GL1200.
Can you tell me if there is a Wix fuel filter that will fit our bikes?
Reply
#6 04-06-2010, 05:40 AM,
I found the link for the Wix fuel filters

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.wixfilters.com/filterlookup/motorcycle.asp">http://www.wixfilters.com/filterlookup/motorcycle.asp</a><!-- m -->
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#7 04-06-2010, 05:52 AM,
Oops. I've only found the oil filter, Wix P/N 24940

Maybe the fuel filter is unavailable for the GL1200
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#8 04-06-2010, 05:58 AM,
i think your filter has 1/4" i/o so a wix # 33001 will work,in the later years with 5/16" i/o's the 33002
is the correct #
1987 Aspencade 129K
1986 SEI 93K
2014 Tri-Glide HD 17K

Hancock,MD
Reply
#9 04-06-2010, 09:49 AM,
i think your filter has 1/4" i/o so a wix # 33001 will work,in the later years with 5/16" i/o's the 33002
is the correct #
1987 Aspencade 129K
1986 SEI 93K
2014 Tri-Glide HD 17K

Hancock,MD
Reply
#10 04-06-2010, 09:49 AM,
Thanks, Earl. I tried searching for a filter on the Wix site and it just gave me the oil filter.
DW
Reply
#11 04-06-2010, 10:03 AM,
Just in case, trying a highway run with your gas cap on but loose just in case it's a gas tank ventilation problem.
Ed (Vic) Belanger - 1954-2015
Founder of gl1200goldwings.com

Reply
#12 04-06-2010, 11:20 AM,
I will try the highway run, but I did buy a brand new gas cap last year from the dealer. If I keep at it long enough I will have all brand new parts on my bike, LOL.
I think my biggest problem is vacuum. My 1&3 carbs have always been jittery during a carb sync, (I probably done well over a dozen carb syncs since 2004).
I always use new OEM o-rings when I pull the carbs and with two different sets of carbs on the bike 1&3 still always seem jittery compared to 2&4.
I'm going to try the propane trick after I switch my carbs back to the original set. Problem is my new girlfriend loves to ride so much I can't tear the bike down, (and that's a great
problem to have, isn't it? Smile
Reply
#13 04-06-2010, 04:18 PM,
Have you ever calibrated your synch tool?
Ed (Vic) Belanger - 1954-2015
Founder of gl1200goldwings.com

Reply
#14 04-06-2010, 05:20 PM,
Yes I did calibrate my dial gauge sync tool. I have the mercury sticks but I sucked the mercury up into the engine a couple years ago so I bought the dial gauge type. I had the bike running decent until last fall when a cylinder dropped. It's pretty odd how the bike runs because the sparkplugs look great, (almost no color on them at all).
I made some brass adapters on my metal lathe drilled with the smallest drill I could get in area. That has helped even things a but but the sync is still jittery at idle and up to 1800 rpms or so.
I verified my last synch at 3500 and 4500rpms and it was pretty smooth.

I am going to conquer this thing this year...
Reply
#15 04-06-2010, 08:02 PM,


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