[dgreene]

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How do I know if my carbs need synchronized? I'm new to Goldwings. I have an 82 GL1100 andthe engine has a bit of a throb or gurgle to it especially at higher rpms. I can't tell if it is actually missing or if it is just a normal way the engine runs. Sometimes there is a bit of smoke when starting the bike cold, and I sometimes (rarely) smell unburnt fuel like one or more of the carbs is running rich.



I am thinking of cleaning the carbs and re-syncing them over the winter. Where is a good place to buy the guages? Or since it seems to be running decent and has plenty of power, should I leave it alone.

 

[exavid]

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Out of sync carbs most commonly evince themselves by a rapping or knocking sound when first opening the throttle. Also by poor initial throttle response when coming off idle, poor idling and slow return to idle speed when the throttle is closed. You may see one or more of these symptoms. Carburetor sync is less important at rpms around 2500 and up.

There are many different tools to sync carbs. Expensive units are available from many vendors online, you can find them with a google search. You can make a simple manometer which will do the job for a couple bucks. You can also but a couple of cheap vacuum gauges from Harbor Freight and stick an aquarium valve in line with each gauge to reduce the needle flutter.

Here's a link that might help:

http://www.powerchutes.com/manometer.asp

You might try dosing your bike engine with Sea Foam, it's available at many car parts stores as well as at Wal Mart. I'm not a believer in 'miracle in a can' but the stuff really does help clean the fuel system and carbs if they're not too badly crudded up. The best source of information and rebuilt kits for these engines is Randakk's Cycle Shack. He's THE best source of carb information and parts.

http://www.randakks.com/

 

[mastercylinder]

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"if it ain't broke don't fix it" carbs are a pain in the a-- to remove and repair..

 

[Cody in MN]

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Welcome to the forum :waving:Glad to hear you have an 1100 going there :action:

Be patient with her, she will get better... Run your seafoam in, get her out and run

through the RPM's... Probably not worth cleaning carbs yet... See if she will come

out of it first, Do not be afraid to run her right up close to redline & down to 3000

off & on... It should help, run her hard... Change the air filter... Help my overall

performance bigtime...

 

[sfruechte]

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Be careful synching carbs that you are not compensating for right valves, out of time, ignition problems, etc.

 

[Bike...and Dennis]

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The four-cylinder 'Wings run with what I've heard described as a "washing machine" sound. If that is what you're hearing...

Anyway what you describe could be carbs but, as gumby says, they're a tough job. Look elsewhere first. Fuel filter, air cleaner, valve adjustment etc.

Smelling raw fuel could be a slight leak in a gas line or a float that doesn't. Smoke at start up is normal.

 

[dgreene]

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Thanks everyone

I tend to tinker with things and make them worse before better. I added a little Seafoam to the gas, and ran it for a while. The bike pulls really well when I hit the throttle. It also idles well. I think I'm going leave it alone, except for replacing the timing belts this winter. It's tough not to fiddle with everything. It's part of my nature. BTW I found the How-To guides on this site. They are incredible.

 

[53jimc]

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Synching the carbs is easy. Taking them off and cleaning is not. I'd go with the easiest option first. Run Seafoam through them a couple of times, then synch. Pull and clean if problems aren't solved. I was surprised how much better my 84 aspy ran after a synch.
Jim(inSC)

 

[dgreene]

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Hmm, Sounds like something I did did with my CB360. I was having issues with the bike cutting out so I disassembled and cleaned the carbs multiple times. Next I purchased rebuild kits and rebuilt the carbs. Last I tried soaking the carbs in vinegar to clean them. This was a big mistake the vinegar actually ate away the carburetor housing. Next I purchased another used carburetor from ebay and rebuilt it. Still had problems. In the end I found the problem was with the fuel filters I had added to the bike. They were not letting enough gas through. Now that I have removed the filters, and just clean the pitcock regularly. The little bike runs great. Sometimes I feel like a real idiot. lol

 

[tomswift99]

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I have to agree with the last post (about finding the problem somewhere besides the carbs) - I just worked hard to synch up a GL1100i carbs and the engine still ran poorly. Turned out the plug caps were fubar.... 10 min replacing them had the bike running like new.

So, the paths to happiness would seem to be (in increasing order of difficulty)
1. Seafoam in the fuel (this assumes you have good fuel to begin with)
2. new plugs
3. new air filter
4. new plug caps
5. new fuel filter
6. verify valve lash
7. have someone else fix the carbs
8. fix the carbs yourself
9. remove key, go find another Goldwing that runs good with same number on the lock

 

[chesterwgunn]

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I hate to be overly simplistic, but have you changed your fuel filter? My 1200 would start acting "erratic" when I shifted gears at higher rpm's...So I changed the fuel filter and everything was fine..

And I used to buy into the "seafoam" thing, but I've not used any Seafoam in several months..maybe even a year, and I cannot tell a difference...You really just have to put the bike in a strain on a regular basis..Or at least that seems to work for me..Or at least I'm going to keep doing it until it changes my way of thinking..But then I ride my bike just about every day..For those who let their bikes set up for days or weeks at a time, it might be the greatest thing since sliced bread..or the alarm clock..or the ipod..or the atom bomb..or color tv..or the moon landing..or indoor plumbing..or porn on the internet..who knows?

 

[kengeewing]

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I CHANGE MY FUEL FILTER JUST LIKE MY OIL FROM 3000 TO 4000 MILES OR IF I WANT SOMETHING TO DO I JUST CHANGE IT ,, NOTHING TO IT AND IT PROTECTS THOSE CARBS..

 

[kengeewing]

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SORRY TO BE BACK SO SOON ,, BUT I HAVE A DRIVE OFF FRONT STAND THAT KEEPS MY GL1000 SITTING STRAIGHT UP ,, THAT HAS ELIMENATED THE LITTLE BIT OF SMOKE THAT SOME TIMES OCCURES ESPECIALY IN HOT WEATHER ,, A LITTLE OIL SEPS PAST THE VALVE SEATS WHEN LEANED OVER AND THERE IS THE SMOKE ,, NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT ,,KEEP THE WING CLEAN AND VALVES ADJUSTED AND IT WILL RUN INDEFINATLY.LOVE TO TALK ABOUT THE GOLDWING SO ANY TIME ?

 

[GSMacLean]

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Synchronizing the carbs is really quite an easy thing to do, and if they are out of sync at all, you will immediately notice the smoother and (what feels like) more powerful pull from idle when accelerating.

Have a look: How to synchronize your carburetors

The first time I did it (as shown in the article) I used four gauges, and it's a bit of a pain having to calibrate the four gauges against one another.

The next time I did it, I used just one gauge, swapping it from carb to carb, so all I had to do was match the same reading on the gauge, and I got (I think) a better, more accurate sync, and what felt like a smoother engine.

 

[chris in va]

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Sat Sep 19th, 2009

Old post.

 

[mill-knee]

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chris in va wrote:

Sat Sep 19th, 2009

Old post.

Still good info though...

 

[jpconner]

83 gl100 40k miles Seems to run OK, need some other typ maintence this winter, should I clean the carbs due tothe mileage and 30 years?