Very High Idle

[teufel_hunden_rider]

Hello everyone. I'm new to the site and new to riding motorcycles. I have only had my 2000 Suzuki gz250 for a few months. But ever since I got it it has been idling very fast once it warms up. Typically it runs well once I start it for the first time that day but after a matter of minutes it idles and runs very high. If I take it past 50mph it goes really high. I turned the black cylindrical, screw like, throttle adjustment that is right next to the throttle handle all the way to the low end as far as it went but that just lets me start it in a somewhat normal rpm but it creeps back up quick.

I've got a few months to fix up my bike before I go to boot camp for the marines and I want to leave a well running bike for my girlfriend to start learning how to ride on since I'm going to get a new bike when I get my first duty station. Any help you guys can give me would be very much appreciated. I would love to get it fixed before I go so I can teach her a bit myself before she does STARS.

[jonathan180iq]

The cylindrical thing beside the throttle handle isn't the idle adjustment. There are some gross throttle adjustment knobs there, but that's for taking the slack out of the throttle cable.

Are you using choke when you start the bike? Are you turning the choke off after it's started?

Let the bike get warm, and then turn the actual idle adjustment screw until you reach a stable and low RPM at idle. "chugchugchugchugchugchug" It should not sound like a constant "chuuuuuuuuuuuuuuug", if that makes sense. Listen to some of the videos on YouTube of other GZs to get it dialed in, since we don't have a tach or anything.

If, after adjusting the proper idle adjustment screw it's still not working for you, then we can diagnose what some other possible issues might be.

Never fear, though. This will be an easy one. :)

PS: Adjust this thing:
http://i41.tinypic.com/sphv6g.jpg
Ignore the red arrows. It's that white knob.

[blaine]

Turning the white knob counter clockwise increases the idle,clockwise decreases it.
;) :)

[alantf]

Turning the white knob counter clockwise increases the idle,clockwise decreases it.
;) :)

???? Screwing it in (clockwise) increases the speed. Screwing it out (anticlockwise) slows it down. This is because, screwing it in, pushes the throttle quadrant, thus opening the throttle further.

[blaine]

Turning the white knob counter clockwise increases the idle,clockwise decreases it.
;) :)

???? Screwing it in (clockwise) increases the speed. Screwing it out (anticlockwise) slows it down. This is because, screwing it in, pushes the throttle quadrant, thus opening the throttle further.
Yes....But to turn the knob in you have to turn counter clockwise (Right hand threads)

:cool: :)

[JohnC]

Yes....But to turn the knob in you have to turn counter clockwise (Right hand threads)

:cool: :)

Only if you live in the southern hemisphere.... ;) "Lefty loosey, righty tighty..."

[jonathan180iq]

...just turn it whatever way you need to until you feel the idle move up or down, and then keep going whichever direction you need. :)

[teufel_hunden_rider]

That's very informative, thank you. I will go to the grocery store in a few minutes and try that out. Hopefully it fixes the problem. Thank you so much for all of your fast responses.

[alantf]

Yes....But to turn the knob in you have to turn counter clockwise (Right hand threads)

Errrrrr....No you don't. Grab yourself a screwdriver, and try to put a screw into a piece of wood. Then tell us which way you had to turn the screw. At the same time, find a clock to look at, so you know which way is clockwise. :whistle:

[teufel_hunden_rider]

Hey that worked great. Went to and from store with a nice purr that I could actually count the rpm and not just hear a constant roar. I'll take it out on the freeway next week to fully check it but it seems good so far. Thanks guys for this simple fix and the picture made it super easy.

[alantf]

BTW...Suzuki recommend an idle speed of 1200 to 1400 RPM.

[jonathan180iq]

COOL! Fixing problems is...

http://timothyjwatson.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/more-awesome-than-a-double-rainbow_4663-l.jpg

[5th_bike]

Yes....But to turn the knob in you have to turn counter clockwise (Right hand threads)

:cool: :)

Only if you live in the southern hemisphere.... ;) "Lefty loosey, righty tighty..."
It all depends if you look from the top or from the bottom. The adjuster is mounted upside down, so if you look from above, to increase rpm you have to turn it counterclockwise (in), and to decrease rpms turn it clockwise (out), which is what blaine said in his first post here.

If you look from below, swap directions.

[blaine]

Yes....But to turn the knob in you have to turn counter clockwise (Right hand threads)

:cool: :)

Only if you live in the southern hemisphere.... ;) "Lefty loosey, righty tighty..."
It all depends if you look from the top or from the bottom. The adjuster is mounted upside down, so if you look from above, to increase rpm you have to turn it counterclockwise (in), and to decrease rpms turn it clockwise (out), which is what blaine said in his first post here.

If you look from below, swap directions.

Yep!! :) :cool:

[blaine]

Yes....But to turn the knob in you have to turn counter clockwise (Right hand threads)

Errrrrr....No you don't. Grab yourself a screwdriver, and try to put a screw into a piece of wood. Then tell us which way you had to turn the screw. At the same time, find a clock to look at, so you know which way is clockwise. :whistle:
I know very well which way is clockwise.......what is your problem????? :??: :skeptical:

[alantf]

......what is your problem????? :??: :skeptical:

My problem is that I don't like confusing people. :2tup:

[Water Warrior 2]

All I know is the top comes off the peanut butter jar in a counter clockwise motion.

[jonathan180iq]

All I know is the top comes off the peanut butter jar in a counter clockwise motion.

Not if you hold the jar of peanut butter upside down...

:poke2:

:popcorn:

[JohnC]

All I know is the top comes off the peanut butter jar in a counter clockwise motion.

Not if you hold the jar of peanut butter upside down...

:poke2:

:popcorn:

You guys are arguing semantics. My wrist turns the same direction regardless of whether the jar is upside down or right side up.

[jonathan180iq]

Go try and take the pedals off of your bicycle

[JohnC]

Go try and take the pedals off of your bicycle
Which one? (So far the discussion has been limited to right hand threads...)

[jonathan180iq]

It depends on which one you want to look at and your relative perception in relation to said pedal... (If you want to keep going like the rest of this conversation)

http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/will-troll.gif

[JohnC]

It depends on which one you want to look at and your relative perception in relation to said pedal... (If you want to keep going like the rest of this conversation)

I guess I haven't been following closely enough. My point has been that, simply, if you turn a right hand screw clockwise it will advance into the threaded nut. Perception has nothing to do with it. Likewise, if you turn a left hand screw clockwise it will advance out of the threaded nut, again regardless of the perception. So, of you want to increase the idle speed, and you are looking at the knob, you want to advance the screw into the threads and turn it clockwise. If I'm looking at it from above but still turning the knob, I'm still making the same motion with my wrist to turn the knob, and still turning the knob clockwise. After all, you wouldn't say that a clock runs anti-clockwise just because you were looking at the back of the clock, would you?

[Water Warrior 2]

Now we are just getting silly.

[alantf]

Now we are just getting silly.

But that's part of the fun. :crackup :yes:

[5th_bike]

Perception has nothing to do with it.

Perception has everything to do with it.

With your right hand inside turned up, lower than your head (you're looking at your fingertips) if you make a counterclockwise rotation with it (unscrew the lid of the imaginary upside down peanut butter jar), you will observe that your hand is rotating in a *clockwise* direction!

So it is all about perception.

[Water Warrior 2]

And you will still need a spoon to get the PB out.

[blaine]

Perception has nothing to do with it.

Perception has everything to do with it.

With your right hand inside turned up, lower than your head (you're looking at your fingertips) if you make a counterclockwise rotation with it (unscrew the lid of the imaginary upside down peanut butter jar), you will observe that your hand is rotating in a *clockwise* direction!

So it is all about perception.

Thank You!! ;) :)

[JohnC]

Perception has nothing to do with it.

Perception has everything to do with it.


If I were to unscrew the lid of the peanut butter jar with my right hand, with the jar right side up, I would turn the lid opposite the direction my thumb points. If I invert the jar, I still turn it in the direction opposite the direction my thumb is pointing. Perception can only confuse the issue. Likewise, I don't have to reverse my ratchet to unscrew a bolt that is installed from the bottom up.

[jonathan180iq]

And you will still need a spoon to get the PB out.

:plus1:

Without the spoon, the idle will never go down.

[Water Warrior 2]

And you will still need a spoon to get the PB out.

:plus1:

Without the spoon, the idle will never go down.
Tasty bit of info that! Does that apply to raising the idle too??

[jonathan180iq]

Of course!

See, peanut butter has a lot of calories and if you increase your calorie consumption then your idle will go up. And you can't consume the PB without a spoon.

Now, some of you will argue that one could use a fork to eat the PB, or the lesser dignified among you would say that one could simply eat the PB with their fingers. But this is false. Using a fork requires multiple smaller bites, which actually burns more calories. And using your fingers leaves this slimy/sticky film and doesn't allow for complete insertion of the PB into the mouth. Less PB in the mouth means less calories, means an idle that won't raise up high enough.

The only way to correctly set your idle is to turn your PB lid to the left and eat it with a spoon.

http://vtsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/peanut-butter-spoon.jpg
EAT IT!

[Water Warrior 2]

Thank you Jonathan. A perfect logical reason for the existence of PB and should be declared a separate food group of it's own.

[alantf]

Am I the only person in the world who finds peanut butter the most revolting substance known to man? :cry:

[Fawlty]

Am I the only person in the world who finds peanut butter the most revolting substance known to man? :cry:

It's quite tasty caramelised and coated on deep fried spam.

[Water Warrior 2]

Am I the only person in the world who finds peanut butter the most revolting substance known to man? :cry:

It's quite tasty caramelised and coated on deep fried spam.
I tried to imagine that and had a very sharp pain in my head. Where are my meds??

[OldNTired]

Am I the only person in the world who finds peanut butter the most revolting substance known to man? :cry:

Well, at least the only one that I have ever heard about! :)

[5th_bike]

PB - OK
PB&J - bleh
PB & Almond chocolate paste or Nutella etc - YUM !!!

[jonathan180iq]

http://imglols.com/wp-content/main/2012_03/now-kiss-nutella-and-peanut-butter-sandwich.jpg