New (to me) GL1000 question

[WallaceRoger]

Hi guys, I'm a new GL1000 owner, I picked up my 79 a week ago. The bike has over 100k on the clock, almost all put on by the original owner who was a big time road tripper, including multiple rides up to Alaska from the lower 38, all over Canada, etc. The engine was rebuilt at 70k, apparently as a precaution. The original owner took great care of the bike and it's still in great shape when I picked it up from owner #2, who bought it out of storage with old gas in it. He cleaned it up, ran some seafoam through the tank with some fresh gas, did an oil change and some other maintenance stuff and the bike runs ok. It is difficult to start when cold, though that improved a bit after I put a bottle of techron in the tank.

Anyway, he didn't know when the timing belts were last done, so that's my first order of business. I removed the radiator and the timing covers and rotated to TDC per the various how to videos I've seen. I immediately noticed something looked wrong. The Honda shop manual and the videos all show a pair of shields sitting behind the tensioner pulleys. Mine are missing entirely and my tensioners have what looks like an extra bracket on them for some unknown reason. Pictures below.

PXL_20210531_173120260.jpg (130.4 KiB) Viewed 283 times

PXL_20210531_173125032.jpg (149.66 KiB) Viewed 283 times

My questions are, are those brackets factory and the manual just doesn't have a great graphic? Also, are those missing shields critical? I don't know Honda engineers to be the type to add unnecessary doodads, I'm guessing they were omitted during the 70k rebuild. The belts on the bike are Honda branded and my replacements are the correct-fit Gates alternative ones (the Honda ones are probably just made by Gates anyway).

Beyond that, when I opened up the radiator cap I saw some scale and whatnot, so it's been a while since that was flushed. In addition to the belts and adjusting the valves I'll do a cooling system flush. Finally, I plan to tune the carbs, as the prior owner definitely did not do that and I suspect the difficult starting is at least partly due to that (suspect the valves have also not been adjusted in forever). The spark plugs all look good and don't indicate lean or rich mixture or any other issues. The bike was also converted to electronic ignition by the original owner, so there's no breaker points to fiddle with.

[ob1quixote]

Flush the brake lines and have a look at the pads and caliper cylinders. All go and no slow, not good!

[WallaceRoger]

Flush the brake lines and have a look at the pads and caliper cylinders. All go and no slow, not good!

Prior owner did the brakes and flushed with new DOT 3, those are great!

[Track T 2411]

The brackets behind the pulleys are stock. The heat shields were deleted on later models, at least by 1978. I think you're fine without them.
As for the cooling system, check the water pump for any side to side play, and make sure the weep hole in the housing below it is clear.
The carbs can be a real project. A full disassembly and two or three cleanings are typically needed. When you think they're spotless, clean 'em again, lol!

[WallaceRoger]

The brackets behind the pulleys are stock. The heat shields were deleted on later models, at least by 1978. I think you're fine without them.
As for the cooling system, check the water pump for any side to side play, and make sure the weep hole in the housing below it is clear.
The carbs can be a real project. A full disassembly and two or three cleanings are typically needed. When you think they're spotless, clean 'em again, lol!

Excellent, exactly what I needed to hear! And I'll plan for plenty of carb work. Might as well pick up some rebuild kits for those.

[Track T 2411]

Just my opinion (and many others here and elsewhere), spring for Randakk's kit. Everything you need, nothing you don't, and high quality.

[5speed]

Just my opinion (and many others here and elsewhere), spring for Randakk's kit. Everything you need, nothing you don't, and high quality.

Another vote for Randakk's kit and if you've never been inside gl carbs I highly suggest his dvd as well. I got it, watched it first then watched each section,did that part, watched the next section, did that,etc.
I tore them apart, replaced parts, cleaned everything, reassembled them, put them back on the bike and it started.
Most importantly..I didn't have any spare parts left over.
I'm not 100% sure on this for a 79 but my 76 had a brown bakelite impeller on the water pump which indicates it was original.

[pidjones]

If it is running well and idling Ok, I'd just use the Techron every fourth tankfull or so, stick with 100% gasoline, and ride. Carbs that are working well need no rebuild IMHO.

[WallaceRoger]

If it is running well and idling Ok, I'd just use the Techron every fourth tankfull or so, stick with 100% gasoline, and ride. Carbs that are working well need no rebuild IMHO.

It's actually not running so great. It kinda falls on its face when riding. Hitting the gas makes it take off pretty well when that happens, but taking off from a stop kind of feels like it's bogging down and close to stalling.

I checked and adjusted the valves, all were slightly loose. I have a replacement fuel filter for it too.

The bike starts up easily. I'm almost tempted to pull the timing covers off again and see if it skipped a tooth somehow based on how it is running, although the stumbling was happening before, too. There's now some mild backfiring, which wasn't there before. I absolutely did the timing belt replacement correctly, took all day going really slow and doublechecked everything.

The original owner installed an electronic ignition in place of the old breaker points. I always figured these were pretty well maintenance free, or is there some way it can go out of whack? I'm not real familiar with them.

I'll sync the carbs this weekend and see if that helps things.

[Whiskerfish]

Start it up from cold and monitor the header temps to see if all 4 are firing at idle. An IR gun is best but a spray bottle of water works as well.

Also just a thought but if this is your first Gl they do require some rpm to take off. Many V Twin riders are used to having gobs of torque at low rpm's and that is not the case with these. Have seen some guys really struggle trying to get them rolling at 1500 rpm.

[Rat]

Like the Boss said ... if it works when you give it some gas ... give it some gas ...

Gord(put some miles on it) Jones

[sickradsean]

How are you running? Like once its warmed up do you still have to have the choke on to maintain an idle? If its bogging and misfiring Im gonna think its the carbs. They may be synched but not adjusted right. Run a bunch of seafoam through there, and then do an idle drop. If they are synced itll make a world of difference.

[WallaceRoger]

How are you running? Like once its warmed up do you still have to have the choke on to maintain an idle? If its bogging and misfiring Im gonna think its the carbs. They may be synched but not adjusted right. Run a bunch of seafoam through there, and then do an idle drop. If they are synced itll make a world of difference.

Yep that's part of what's going on. When I'm riding, it will kinda fall on its face, if I give it a bunch of gas it will improve, but I can't be hauling a%% through residential streets... too many stop signs. After warm up and riding for a few minutes it doesn't need the choke kept on. I rode it home about 30 miles from the seller's place and it got home fine, but was doing this during the ride and it's gotten worse since I've had it, although it's a lot easier to start now because I've been running it for a bit every day.

It does idle ok once it's warm. But the backfiring and kinda farty sounds happen when riding.

I'll do some seafoam this weekend and then do the carb sync. What's the best way to get seafoam into it with the intakes being where they are (under the fake fuel tank)?

[sickradsean]

I would think if it’s bogging that much it’s too rich. Check you mixture screws and make sure they are at stock to start. I add sea foam every time I fill up to keep things clean. You can drain out %90 of your gas and add a bunch of it. Then run the engine for a few mins to get it into the carbs. Let it sit for a day or so to un gunk them, then drain from the carbs. Repeat.

Check your plugs too to see if any are all black and nasty.

[brokentoe]

You mentioned the electronic ignition. Yes they are maintenance free, although they do fail from time to time. I'm on my second set on my GL1000.