Service Bulletins for Low speed driveability Improvement!

[Guest]

I just got a Clymer service manual, in the introduction to chapter 6 it describes these service bulletins... it seems possible now that the price of the book saved me the frustration of cleaning my carbs and not resolving my hesitation issues. The summary pretty well nails my low speed complaint, especially the mention of 'light acceleration'. However I cannot find the part number details of Service Bulletin 10, only the following:

SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER: GL1200 #10
Bulletin Sequence Number: 051
Date of Bulletin:June 1985
NHTSA Item Number: 80102
Make: HONDA MOTORCYCLE
Model: GL1200
Year: 1985
Component: FUEL:CARBURETOR:SINGLE:OTHER PART
Summary:
GL1200 ASPENCADE/INTERSTATE LOW SPEED DRIVEABILITY IMPROVEMENTS- HESITATION
UNDER LIGHT ACCELERATION BETWEEN 2000 AND 3000 RPM. DRIVEABILITY KITS ARE
AVAILABLEFOR IMPROVED PERFORMANCE. DRIVEABILITY KITS INCLUDE NEW SLOW JETS,
NEW JET NEEDLE, AND NEW O-RINGS FOR INTAKE MANIFOLDS AND AIR SUPPLY TUBES.
HONDA GL1200 ASPENCADE/INTERSTATE MODELS (1984 49 STATE MODELS AND 1985
CALIF. MODELS).

SB 9 is similar for 85 Aspencade 49 State models...

SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER: GL1200 #9
Bulletin Sequence Number: 050
Date of Bulletin:June 1985
NHTSA Item Number: 80101
Make: HONDA MOTORCYCLE
Model: GL1200
Year: 1985
Component: FUEL:CARBURETOR:SINGLE:OTHER PART
Summary:
GL1200 ASPENCADE/INTERSTATE 1985 49 STATE MODELS LOW SPEED DRIVEABILITY
IMPROVEMENT- HESITATION UNDER LIGHT ACCELERATION BETWEEN 2000 AND 3000 RPM.
NEW CARBURETOR JET NEEDLES AVAILABLE FOR IMPROVED DRIVEABILITY. NEW JET
NEEDLES MAY RESULT IN A DECREASE IN FUEL ECONOMY. 1985 HONDA GL1200
ASPENCADE/INTERSTATE MODELS (49STATE).

I found these at <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://webpages.charter.net/catmek/LTD%20tech/RECALL.TXT">http://webpages.charter.net/catmek/LTD% ... RECALL.TXT</a><!-- m -->

It would be nice to know the part numbers or size info for the 'new' slow jets and needles that my left coaster needs.... any suggestions?

Someone mentioned to me some time ago that they shimmed their needles out a bit so maybe that's all I need to do. I guess maybe I should write to Mr. Raadak about this....

[Guest]

Yesterday I had a great conversation with Jack, who's service listings can be found at <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://myworld.ebay.com/ebaymotors/oldschoolcarbs/">http://myworld.ebay.com/ebaymotors/oldschoolcarbs/</a><!-- m -->

He loves to talk about carbs! \/

We talked about the service bulletin and my low speed, no-load performance complaints.

about the first thing he says is that the bike will run better if I get rid of the Emissions Control system (CA models only). If/when my carbs have to come off I'll probably attempt that mod.

Jack suggested that very lightly enriching the pilot mixture might help me out, as my pilot plugs are still in place and it known that they're set pretty lean at the factory.

If that doesn't smooth things out then will look for an air leak somewhere, and shim the needle if no leaks found... or maybe I'll find the part number or size for the slow jet referenced in the service bulletin.

[Guest]

I am still having problems with my carbs. It ran fine before I took them off and cleand them. Rust in the bowls and other crap. I put on a new fuel filter and put in new jets, needle and seat, mix screws, jet needles and a slow air cut off valve. I cleaned the carbs and blew threw all the passageways. Put them back together and adjusted them out. Before I did this. I never had to use the choke. Now I have to use the choke to keep her running in the morning on cold start up. And I have to run with a little choke going down the road. If I take the choke off she acts like she is starving for fuel! Can't tell that by the way the gas gage goes down. I set the mixture at 3 and 1 half out, and then set each one with the engine hot. I have tried running at less than 3 out and now I am clear up to 5 turns out. I still have to run with choke. I am at a loss!! I don't understand what I would have changed just by putting in new jets that are the same size as the ones I took out. I also set the floats at 7 mm instead of the 7.5 like the book said because I thought it might help with a touch more fuel in the bowls. I know the snow is comming, but I would like to be able to just start her up in the spring and not worrie about it.
Can anyone help or know of any Ideas????

Thanks!!!!!

[ghostrider52005]

You can probably go up one size on the idle jets. since those jets are what you run on until about one third throttle it should take care of the coldies :mrgreen: on the road and at idle. Did on my harley, suzuki and some other bikes I ride with. Figure it works on the wing too.

[Guest]

If it ran fine before you 'fixed' it then obviously you don't need different size jets. Time to start over and review your work. I have to take mine off again too. I was in such a hurry that all I did when I pulled mine was to take off the bowls and clean the slow jets. Now it runs fine at low rpm but stumbles a bit around 2200 to 2600 rpm so I get to do it all over again for the other jets.

[maestro319]

Quick survey:

Premium gas (91%) or regular gas (87%) ??

[scott]

Always 91 Octane...

[Oldman]

87 Octane since it was new. It's has 116,000+ miles on the clock.

[Keener]

87 octane here, too. Once a year, though, I give her a tank of Premium as a treat!

[Guest]

Well I guess now I don't have to worrie about it. I took it out lastnight for a 40 mile ride. It started acting like it wanted to shut down but then came back. Still had to run with choke. Now today on leaveing work I didn't have to run the choke, but it stumbled a little and poped in the air cleaner box. I stoped to pick up smokes and it restarted hard. Then stoped at 7/11 to pick up some pop...Well it wouldn't restart. The battery was to far dead! Jumped it and got it home, at 3000 rpms the volt meter reads 12.4 volts. I now think the noise I hear in the back of the engine is the stater coming apart!!!!! Glad I'm trying to get another engine. Was hopeing for a few more rides.