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16V head swap?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
  • Start date Start date
A

Anonymous

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hey all. out of curiosity, can a 16 valve head for a GS550 be swapped over to a 8 valve model? there is a head on ebay, and it's off a 1984 model. mine's a 78. it looks pretty clean, and would give a bit better performance, and from what folks tell me is actually easier to do vavle jobs on. since both engines are dual overhead cam, would i have to update my cam chains and adjuster? or is it just a swap over, and everything else would kick into place once ignition timing/valves were set? i imagine that i would have to set timing to the 1984 bikes specs, if i am not mistaken? this is all theoretical of course. any ideas?
 
Re: 16V head swap?

I havent looked into that, so I cant say from experience, but I would expect that the oil passages to the head would not match up between the 8 and 16 valve heads. I believe NO is the answer.

Earl


shoggoth80 said:
hey all. out of curiosity, can a 16 valve head for a GS550 be swapped over to a 8 valve model? there is a head on ebay, and it's off a 1984 model. mine's a 78. it looks pretty clean, and would give a bit better performance, and from what folks tell me is actually easier to do vavle jobs on. since both engines are dual overhead cam, would i have to update my cam chains and adjuster? or is it just a swap over, and everything else would kick into place once ignition timing/valves were set? i imagine that i would have to set timing to the 1984 bikes specs, if i am not mistaken? this is all theoretical of course. any ideas?
Click to expand...
 
hmm.. bummer. would have been a neat swap. what about a hole 16 valve engine? what years fit? i know that the GS series ran 8 valves up until 1982. i am in all actuality looking for a decent motor for the bike, as extra insurance. isn't there also an electronic ignition mod for the GS bikes? if so, i may have to look into it. not a fan of computers or anything close to them in vehicles, but a simple magnet driven unit would be a decent practical mod. my kawasaki has a CDI ignition, and i am glad about this, as points are a thing of the past with it. downside? it has a mini-brain box. but i suppose it's a small sacrifice.
 
Once again, I have never owned a 550 4 cylinder, but as far as I know all GS models were 8 valve heads up to and including 1979. After that, all models changed beginning with 1980 to 16 valve heads. The exception to that is the 850 shaft drive models which I do not believe were ever changed to the 16 valve design.

I used to have a 79 750E with the stock 8 valve engine. I installed an 81 16 valve engine. The 16 valve engine cases were shorter and narrower than the 8 valve cases. It required centering the engine in the frame and making new engine mounts. It was not at all a direct bolt in. Nothing lined up to the original mounts if the engine was to be centered. I would check to find out what the dimensions of early and later 550 engine cases are before buying a spare engine. I would not be surprised if they are different.

A Dyna D electronic ignition comes in a model that will fit your bike. It uses no "brain box" or computer at all. (No GS models were built with CDI ignitions, only electronic or points)

Earl






shoggoth80 said:
hmm.. bummer. would have been a neat swap. what about a hole 16 valve engine? what years fit? i know that the GS series ran 8 valves up until 1982. i am in all actuality looking for a decent motor for the bike, as extra insurance. isn't there also an electronic ignition mod for the GS bikes? if so, i may have to look into it. not a fan of computers or anything close to them in vehicles, but a simple magnet driven unit would be a decent practical mod. my kawasaki has a CDI ignition, and i am glad about this, as points are a thing of the past with it. downside? it has a mini-brain box. but i suppose it's a small sacrifice.
Click to expand...
 
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