Need Help Fixing Bike

[PuzzlePieces]

Hello. A friend of mine just gave me a 1970-something Suzuki DS80 that he found in the trash. I have never touched a motorcycle before (even though I'm a bicycle junkie/wrench from waaaaaay back) and I was wondering where do I start in fixing this thing? Any and all suggestions/websites are welcome. I took the gas tank off and it's rusted inside pretty badly. Thanx for reading my post. .:Puzzle:.

 

[todd36]

Heres what I do when I drag an old machine home. First thing I check for is a nice blue spark. Then I pull off the carb and completely clean it . I make sure I can see some light thru the jets. Drain any old gas out of the tank and put some nice fresh in and make sure you have flow thru the gas line. Give it a couple of kicks and see if it will start. If it will not start then i start troubleshooting

 

[ohmthis]

I like that no nonsense approach. Look for a tank sealer of some type I'll post a link look Here. I wouldn't try and start or run it with a rusty tank. It will only clog up the carb after you just cleaned it. Also get yourself a cheap inline filter, it will prevent any missed rust or dirt. If you don't have spark look at the points, they probably need to be cleaned and then reset.

 

[ZOMBIE666]

very true about the rusty tank re clogging a newly cleaned carb but you will want to make sure it runs before you drop money on the bike. start off with a DRY carb, prime the motor with gas and oil and give it a kick. if it fires up, clean out the carb very well, manually fill the carb and run it disconnected from the tank. if it runs well then fix the tank. Tank sealing kits aint cheap, no point dropping the cash if it turn out the bike's a turd. :uh:

 

[ohmthis]

Zombie,
Kit was only $32, I've never used this kit, but supposed to be pretty damn good. Just a clean carb may not be enough to get it to fire up. Those old bikes had to have the points in good condition and set correctly. A small amount of time and money will be required to get it running.

Take a piece of fine sand paper and fold it with the rough part on the outside. Open the points and put the sandpaper in between them. Close the points and easily pull the paper out. Do this a few times and clean with a cleaner that will not leave a residue. Take a .025 feeler gauge and put that between the points and adjust them. This may not be the factory setting, but should be "close" enough to get it to work.

 

[ZOMBIE666]

$32, that aint too bad, the por15 kit for my HD was 100, and the kreem kit was 70 some last time i looked, who made the 32 dollar kit? i may pick one one to keep handy.

a clean carb with a full float bowl should definitly be enough to start that bike. ive had so many of these old bikes i lost count years ago (including a ds80). good tip with the sand paper ohmthis, i use my girls emery board thing (the girlys use it for sanding their finger nais) works perfecly for cleaning points

 

[ohmthis]

Zombie,
I put a link to the sealer in I think my first post, post number 3. I had an old bike and I cleaned the carb and put in a fresh plug. Kicked it over nothing. Thought maybe bad coil or magneto. Cleaned the points, vroom. I was a happy camper.