[Joemang]

Hey guys first post here been poking around a little. I picked up a gl1100 yesterday and it was running and driving, although a little out of tune. Today I decided to get some seafoam since the bike had been sitting for years. I put a small amount in the tank along with a couple gallons of gas and also about a cup into the oil fill hole. 1 1/2 oz per quart according to the can.

Since doing this I get the seafoam smoke I expected but also the bike is idling at 5k and racing. I didn't touch any of the cables or adjust anything since yesterday. So now I'm worried I wasn't suppose to put any seafoam into the oil or maybe the tank. The smoke also gave me a solid look at some leaks. It looked like smoke was coming out of the bottom left corner of the backside of the radiator. :?

If I killed my bike break it to me softly. I just don't think it's coincidental this is happening right after using seafoam.


UPDATE: Problem resolved by going through carbs. Unsure what specifically caused it though.

 

[wilmo]

Nope, it's doing it's job. I think I would've dumped the old oil first though and then done the oil thing. It's not too late....:readit:

 

[DriverRider]

A cup 8ozs in the crankcase might be OK for a car.

The bike has been sitting for years, before even riding it, it should have been gone through for potential/dangerous conditions.

It is all coincidence, as the bike is breaking back in things are sticking, getting unstuck and moving about.

Do a thorough inspection and start from there.

 

[redz90]

Welcome to the forum. The seafoam as you said will give you the smoke. The smoke you see from the radator is prob a small exhaust leak. Putting it in the fuel and oil is the right applacation. I did it to my gl 1500 about two weeks ago never smoked before it smoked when first started then went away for the most part after it warmed up. Now that i used that tank of fuel up the smoke is gone. The idleing at a high rpm can be a vacuum leak or stuck throttle linkage I sought it has anything to do with the seafoam.

 

[Joemang]

Really? So it'll go back down to normal idle speed? I put it in the old oil and ran it for a little bit got it warm and then I was scared I blew it up due to the really high rpm and dumped the oil and replaced with new fresh oil and cleaned and inspected filter/ o rings. Still is idling at 5k. How long do I let it do that? Feel like it'll overheat just sitting with no air hitting the rad.


Redz: how does a vacuum leak or stuck throttle happen overnight though? I did have trouble getting it started today at first but a battery charging solved that. Other than that nothing was altered. I will dissect the carb setup if it comes down to it. Always good to get in there and get familiar.
PS once warm smoke fades to blue and dies out but still surging

 

[SETHAN12]

Welcome:waving:Joemang​

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[RB]

High idle something is stuck open..cable, cv slide, choke stuck open or ??

does the throttle SNAP back after you crank it? if you take the air box lid off and remove the air filter and stick a mirror on a stick in there you can watch the slides open and close as you crank the throttle they all should snap back to the bottom of the throat..the sea foam might have loosened some crap that is now stuck on a slide.

 

[CaptainMidnight85]

You could have a slide and/or floats sticking where they shouldn't be sticking using that stuff.
You're committed now.

Run them carburetors on 100% SeaFoam; killswitch the engine at that 5K rpm idle directly after physically choking the air chamber inlet with a foamed board and let that stuff sit in there for about a week. Then start it with some E-10 and run that stuff for a while.
(...there's a clapping technique I use with that foamed board. Might try that)

During that week, go over everything else - especially the wirings connections.

 

[Joemang]

High idle something is stuck open..cable, cv slide, choke stuck open or ??

does the throttle SNAP back after you crank it? if you take the air box lid off and remove the air filter and stick a mirror on a stick in there you can watch the slides open and close as you crank the throttle they all should snap back to the bottom of the throat..the sea foam might have loosened some crap that is now stuck on a slide.

You're on to something. Throttle grip doesn't return confidently. Kind of have to assist it. I'm ripping it apart and making sure there's nothing bizarre going on in the carbs, especially since the guy I bought it from didn't seem very educated. I'm a car guy, and if this were a car, I'd say vacuum leak. Since I have a million carbs that adds quite a few extra factors so I'm diggin in.

 

[Chromo]

If you have to "Kind of Assist" the throttle back to the closed position then you likely found the problem for the high rpms and it's likely to be outside the carbs, not in them.

Linkage gummy and sticking open, cable sticking or in a pinch, things like that. I'd check all the external stuff before digging into the carbs, likely you may not have to mess with the carbs internals. At least make sure all else is working correct first anyway.

What you describe sounds about like my 82 1100 and all I have a problem with is the little throttle lock for a manual cruise rubs a bit on the grip, just enough to hold a fast idle unless I ASSIST it to close all the way.

Also check your choke, linkage, cable etc... If I leave my choke on a little the wings will idle way high also of course.
If your 1100 is same as mine, just 1 cable to pull out then push back in, it could be gummy/sticking and not be opening the choke all the way when pushed in.

 

[CaptainMidnight85]

Linkage gummy and sticking open, cable sticking or in a pinch, things like that. I'd check all the external stuff before digging into the carbs, likely you may not have to mess with the carbs internals. At least make sure all else is working correct first anyway.

The choke butterflies can stick open or closed and nothing is externally visible until the rack is popped out.

Can see them working with a inspection mirror in the air chamber though..

I'd bet that if a choke valve is sticking, then them carbs are coming apart.

Certainly the throttle is being rotated clockwise to lower the idle. Unless there is a broken return cable, the 5K rpm idle is not linkage related.

 

[Deputy40]

I've owned a lot of bikes over the years and Seafoam has been a regular part of my maintenance program.

2oz. per gallon is recommended as a cleaning dose and 1oz. per gallon as a maintenance dose.

I've found that when cleaning it works best if you take a short ride and then allow the Seafoam to sit so it can do its job and then to take another short ride to replace the Seafoam in the carb with a fresh batch.

I allow the bike to sit overnight between short rides and do this several times over a few days. For me, this seems to work better at cleaning than one or two long rides to burn thru a tank of gas.

 

[Medina]

hey, did not read the replies, but quickly wanted to add, SAME thing happened to me some years back!!
bike was running rough, dumped the seafoam in, smoked like heck and started racing
found out the PO knew it was running rough and started messing with air/idle screws hoping to get it to run good enough to sell!!!!


it'll be fine, I'm sure

 

[Joemang]

If you have to "Kind of Assist" the throttle back to the closed position then you likely found the problem for the high rpms and it's likely to be outside the carbs, not in them.

Linkage gummy and sticking open, cable sticking or in a pinch, things like that. I'd check all the external stuff before digging into the carbs, likely you may not have to mess with the carbs internals. At least make sure all else is working correct first anyway.

What you describe sounds about like my 82 1100 and all I have a problem with is the little throttle lock for a manual cruise rubs a bit on the grip, just enough to hold a fast idle unless I ASSIST it to close all the way.

Also check your choke, linkage, cable etc... If I leave my choke on a little the wings will idle way high also of course.
If your 1100 is same as mine, just 1 cable to pull out then push back in, it could be gummy/sticking and not be opening the choke all the way when pushed in.

The grip wasn't returning, but the throttle was fully closing sticky cables). All blades visually are in the same position as well. I've got the whole thing exploded on my table right now and I have already found a rotted out and cracked pump diaphragm. Ordered a new one assuming that isn't any good. Through one carb and so far so good (no plugged jets/ports thus far), other than that diaphragm. I pulled the plugs and I'm not sure which cylinder is which, but both left side plugs showed lean; the front right was rich and the back right looked good. So clearly these aren't synced.

I have a big set of feelers for valve adjustment, will these work for syncing? Is there a guide for that?

You guys kick ass and I appreciate the help. :claps:

 

[Chromo]

The choke butterflies can stick open or closed and nothing is externally visible until the rack is popped out.

Can see them working with a inspection mirror in the air chamber though..

I'd bet that if a choke valve is sticking, then them carbs are coming apart.

Certainly the throttle is being rotated clockwise to lower the idle. Unless there is a broken return cable, the 5K rpm idle is not linkage related.

Maybe.
But when I was working on my 80 I simply had a cable loose at the carb and it was gummy linkage at the carb, and the idle would not come down then either, nothing wrong inside the carbs causing the high idle, only external!
Adjusted and tightened the loose cable and sprayed the linkage with cleaner/lube and all was well with the idle!

If the choke cable is not pushing the choke lever all the way then the choke will not open all the way also. I've had that problem before too.
It may look on the users end as if the choke is pushed all the way in, but the other end can be stuck a little and not be all the way out like it should be.
After all, ain't that the point of pulling out the choke cable, to manually close the choke, so if when pushed in the cable does not fully go out the other end it's the same thing as pulling it out at bit at the users end.

 

[Ken Bergen]

Through one carb and so far so good (no plugged jets/ports thus far), other than that diaphragm. I pulled the plugs and I'm not sure which cylinder is which, but both left side plugs showed lean; the front right was rich and the back right looked good. So clearly these aren't synced.

For what it's worth synchronizing the carburetors will not cure the differences in the fuel/air mixing of the carburetors. Only correct cleaning and setting up of the carburetors will do that.

 

[CaptainMidnight85]

I have a big set of feelers for valve adjustment, will these work for syncing? Is there a guide for that?

...you talking about a bench sync?
Pretty much anything uniform in size will do.
I've used bread ties to get it done (a piece of wire).

So long as the throttle valves are set uniformly to one another it should idle well enough when started, then the engine can get a proper sync once running.

 

[Joemang]

For what it's worth synchronizing the carburetors will not cure the differences in the fuel/air mixing of the carburetors. Only correct cleaning and setting up of the carburetors will do that.

I'm going through the all of them right now. Front right carb MJ was plugged up about halfway. The inside of that carb was significantly nastier than the back right carb. That half is all back together and cleaned, except for the pump diaphragm. Still can't believe that little thing was $30. Looked like it was lit on fire though and a bunch of grime was in that spot. Any idea what the symptoms of a bad diaphragm are?

...you talking about a bench sync?
Pretty much anything uniform in size will do.
I've used bread ties to get it done (a piece of wire).

So long as the throttle valves are set uniformly to one another it should idle well enough when started, then the engine can get a proper sync once running.

Yes, bench sync. Which screws do I adjust? I'd rather ask than twist everything until I figure it out. Also, what are the little knobs for underneath that can only turn 90 degrees each direction? Are those idle mix?


PS: My carb experience comes from my modified Honda Ruckus, so these huge, plural, carbs are a bit new to me. For reference, my jet sizes in the Ruckus are 80/35 compared to the 145/35 in these things lol.

 

[Cornpone]

If you have to "Kind of Assist" the throttle back to the closed position then you likely found the problem for the high rpms and it's likely to be outside the carbs, not in them.

Linkage gummy and sticking open, cable sticking or in a pinch, things like that. I'd check all the external stuff before digging into the carbs, likely you may not have to mess with the carbs internals. At least make sure all else is working correct first anyway.

What you describe sounds about like my 82 1100 and all I have a problem with is the little throttle lock for a manual cruise rubs a bit on the grip, just enough to hold a fast idle unless I ASSIST it to close all the way.

Also check your choke, linkage, cable etc... If I leave my choke on a little the wings will idle way high also of course.
If your 1100 is same as mine, just 1 cable to pull out then push back in, it could be gummy/sticking and not be opening the choke all the way when pushed in.

+1:claps:

Before digging in to them I'd clean the outside of them, let dry, then see how things perform.

 

[Joemang]

Okay all carbs are reassembled, all linkage has been adjusted and lubed. All cables have been inspected and are good. All idle mix screws are at 3 turns out (3/4 were like 6 turns out), all jets are cleaned, all floats functioning.

The to do list for tomorrow: sync carbs, clean crankcase off, and wait around for the pump diaphragm to come later in the week.