[maplewingnut]

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Back in May, I became the proud owner of a 1989 GL1500 with less than 25,000km. I soon learned that I was also the owner of a hesitation problem that the early 1500's are famous for.

The problem wasn't so serious that I couldn't ride the bike. It just let me down a couple of times when I needed power and didn't get it. I learned to aviod the flat spot and rode it all year. Meanwhile, researching the archives of this wonderful forum, I learned that I was not the only one to experience this. Two possible solutions appeared. One was to replace the slow jets and the second was to advance the timing by installing a 4° trigger wheel.

The jetting solution seemed to make the most sense to me, based on what I was experiencing with the bike.

I bought a couple of #60 jets from PJ Motorsports $7.00 each ($27 delivered)

http://www.pjmotorsports.com/



I finally got around to installing them. Pulling the plastic off the bike was perhaps the hardest part.



While I was in there I took a look at the sub-filter. The foam crumbled when I opened it. Made a new one from a foam paint brush (thank you Mr. Dusty Boots).



Again, thanks to this forum for the links and info on how to pull my carbs apart. I would never have attempted it without knowing that this forum would help me if I got into a jam.



Today, I got her all back together and took her for a test ride. What a difference! Hesitation gone. I could not make the bike stumble no matter howI tried.

 

[DaveO430]

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Thumbs up to ya. :claps:

 

[psu1]

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maple,

Can you possibly provide a link or links to the threads which were most helpful in replacing the jets? I too am a recent owner of an 88, still under 500 original miles. I get the hesitation also. Ran enough Seafoam to open a witch's b_tt.

I guess I need to do what you did. Also can you provide more specific order details for the jets? Thanks!

psu

 

[maplewingnut]

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Well I did all my research back in June and determined that the #60 slow jet was the one for me. When I went to write my update, I couldn't find the reference that had recommeneded the #60.

This thread mentions the '88 specifically.


http://www.goldwingfacts.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=95427



This thread has lots of links that were also very useful:

http://www.goldwingfacts.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=77599



Finally, the jets I installed were '18 - Keihin N424- 21 - 60

See here: http://www.pjmotorsports.com/keihin-jets.html



Hope this helps.

 

[psu1]

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maple,

Thanks! I'll be spending some time on the net getting more details. Once the cast is off of my broken ankle, I'll attack this project.

psu

 

[Racerx]

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Did you need to put a new accerarator pump in also or was that OK?

 

[maplewingnut]

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Racerx wrote:

Did you need to put a new accerarator pump in also or was that OK?

Didn't look. So I guess it was ok. :action:

 

[maplewingnut]

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OK, so maybe the title of this thread was a little premature.

When I started the thread, I had run her for a bit and for sure, the hesitation was gone. I figured the new pilot jets that I had installed had done the job.

Now that spring has arrived, I have done a little more riding. First thing is that the gas milage has dramatically dropped off. Secondly, I suspect that she is running rich. This is from the smell of the exhaust fumes.

Finally, I am experiencing surges at low speed, like the engine is hunting. The transmission does not like it!



So - I decided to adjust the pilot screws. I have oficially given up trying to find them. CANNOT locate them!! I know exactly where they are supposed to be, but there is no way I can find them to adjust them.



I gave up and brought the bike to my mechanic. He is reluctant to get into the carbs, as they are 'off stock'. I pulled out the service bulliten for the '88 GL1500. (No mention of the '89). It suggests installing #55 pilot jets.



So where do I go from here?

Do I go back to the original #50 pilot jets and live with the hestiation?

Do I pull it apart and adjust the pilot screws on the bench? Anyone like to hazard a guess on how many turns out for the #60 jets, and will this improve gas milage?

Should I be considering #55 jets??



Help!

 

[DriverRider]

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Changing the slow jets will always require adjustments to the pilot screws through an idle drop. The carbs all have some type of tamper proof caps which need to be removed. And the screw heads will take a special tool to turn. The original TSB stated to turn the screws in one turn going from the 50 to 55 jets. A good starting point would probably be 1 3/4 turns in.

It really should be done on the bike with the engine running. You might find it easier with the air cleaner box off and guide the tool in while looking down. Be sure to paint the screw head yellow or orange to help sighting from the front in the future.

JD

 

[77Pinto]

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The factory shows 50s, my bike has no evidece of ANY work being done but had the 55s. I installed the 60s.

Could you have maybe hooked a vacuum line up wrong? Vacuum leak?

I agree with JD, however I have yet to do an idle drop on mine.

Honda put two small access holes in the top of the grille, and they are VERY noticable. If you look through them slightly upwards you have a clear view of the screws.


Bill

 

[maplewingnut]

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Hi guys,

Thanks for your comments and suggestions.

I pulled her apart again today. Didn't quite go so far as to take the carbs out, but I could eyeball the pilot screws from abovewith the airbox removed and see where I was poking with the adjusting screwdriver.

I think I figured out why I was not able to adjust them when fully assembled. There is a HT cable exactly in the way of viewing the screw on theleft carb from the front. That was part of the problem. The other problem is my failing eyesight. I have difficulty seeing the right screw with the naked eyeball and can't position my eyeball correctly when wearing eyeglasses.

Looking down on the carbs, I was able to guide the adjusting tool onto each screw with a long-nosed pliers. I turned both of them in 1.5 turns.

Took it for a brief ride and it seems ok.

I will clean the spark plugs and put her back together and ride her for a while and see what happens. I will be monitoring the gas milage closely and also will see what the plugs look like after burning a tank of gas.

Will update the forum when I get some results.

 

[maplewingnut]

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Here's the latest:

Gas milage was crap! 10 l/100km or 23.5MPG (US), 28MPG (UK).

My right side plugs look healthy, but the left plugs are very sooty.

I pulled the airbox off again and went to adjusting the pilot screws some more.

Screwed in the left side until it bottomed out. It went in 3 1/2 turns. The left side went in 1 1/2 turns. Screwed them both out 1 1/2 turns.

Put it all back tegether and went for a ride. I am very pleased with how she rides. No hesitation. Will pull from a low speed in 5th gear and keep on going. Checked my gas consumption: 7.5 l/100km = 31.4MPG (US) = 37.6 MPG (UK)

Still not great, but a move in the right direction. Checked the plugs on the left side and still sooty. So I guess I need to go a bit leaner on that side.

Would love to do the idle drop adjustment. I even bought a digital tachometer on flea bay. Will go at it again sometime but for now I'm going to ride it.

 

[Car Toad]

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Are you leaving in the stock #155 main jet ?

 

[Jsalpha2]

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I believe most go with the
JET, MAIN (#158) 99101-393-1580 $6.59
JET, SLOW (#60) 99103-MT8-0600 13.37
I think the prices are from Western Honda.
The thread is quite old, but my research on this shows that you may also
want to adjust the floats from 8mm to 7.5mm. Not sure how or why.
Then resync the carbs when done.

I paid someone $600 to fix mine, now will have to do it over myself.:X

 

[Car Toad]

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Why do you feel that you need them redone Jsalpha ? Still have hesitation issue ?

 

[Jsalpha2]

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Yes, I'm pretty sure that the mechanic put back the stock 89 small jets after I repeatedly told him not to. After all He's a mechanic and I'm just a stupid customer. The parts listed in the manual are always right. Right before I moved from Florida to Ohio I started to get a fuel leak from the carbs. After I was gone for almost a month, he finally said it was ready, so my wife and I flew down and got the bike and rode it back. It ran great before he fixed it. Now it does not leak, but runs bad until you get to over 15MPH. I live in Ohio now and his shop is in FLA so no taking it back.

 

[maplewingnut]

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Car Toad wrote:

Are you leaving in the stock #155 main jet ?

yes.. I only replaced the pilot jets.

 

[maplewingnut]

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Quick update.I was getting frustrated trying to adjust my pilot screws. I couldn't see them to adjust them. I can't believe that I am the only GL1500 owner that has struggled with this.

I found the solution:

This is a USB Endoscope that I bought on Flea Bay. It is 10mm diameter camera, taped onto a wire coat hanger. It issmall enough to squeeze into the gap between the frame and the radiator and let me see what is going on in there. It has a built in LED light that I can adjust.

Then I just set up my laptop beside the bike. I have a printed photograph of the carbs in front of me so I can navigate where I am going. When I get the adjust screw in the camera, I stick in my adjusting screwdriver andI can see exactly what I am doing.

The extra good news is that this handy dandy endoscope only cost me $15 including shipping!! It did take almost four weeks to get to me though!

 

[DriverRider]

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Whats with all them dandelions.

That will be a good tool for the loaner program, thanks.:applause:

While diagnosing the leak source around a transom shield on a boat all I could borrow was an old colonoscope. Same thing different end, though did work a charm.

JD

 

[maplewingnut]

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Update on the saga of my hesitation problems:

The performance with the #60 jets was gradually getting me down.

First of all the gas milage sucked. I was getting an average ofabout 9.0 l/100km or 26MPG (US). On top of that, the engine surged at idle. This had the effect of causing problems at low speed, especially whencornering.

I decided to pull the carbs apart again, double check for vacuum leaks, generally look for anything wrong, and if I didn't find anything, then install the old jets and learn to live with the hesitation again.

I didn't find anything wrong and soinstalled the original jets. Set the idle screws at 1 1/2 turns on the bench, per the book.

Worked into the wee hours in the garage last night putting her back together. Went for a ride today and what a difference!

For some reason, the hesitation has disappeared!! The bike ran beautifully on a 460km run. I averaged 5.5 L/100km (42MPG US)mostly highway at 100 to 110km/hr.

the only thing that I can think of that might have made a difference through all this is that I re-synched the carburettors. (I also installed new spark plugs)

Right now, I'm happy to leave it the way it is with the original stock jets. I will update further if there is any change in the performace.