Gs 250 restoring to riding condition

[mike_of_bbg]

Well, I'll tell ya, don't ditch the thought of that master cylinder yet. OEM rebuild kits are available for your stock master cylinder, however, the one in the picture of your bike does not match the fiche image for a stock master cylinder on an 80 GS250T. Note that in the parts fiche there's a round plastic reservoir with a round plastic lid, but your picture looks like a rectangular one with integrated reservoir and a screwed-on cover. So it might not be Suzuki, or even if it is it might not be the "proper" one for your model. You should see if you can identify the master before you think about ordering parts to rebuild it.

 

[eil]

Post some good up-close pictures of your master cylinder and someone here can help you identify it. If you can get an OEM rebuild kit for it, that's the way to go.

I highly recommend rebuilding the master cylinder and caliper. (calipers?) It's not at all difficult and you'll be secure in the knowledge that your brakes are a known-good state.

 

[Guest]

Missed this one! Tuning in now...

 

[1980Gs250]

if it warms up after while i shall get pictures to post for you guys.... right now it is 17 degrees and pouring the snow lol.... it is true i noticed as well that the master cylinder doesnt look like the other ones ive seen on gs250's.... i dont know the previous owners and you gotta not believe what they say anyways so ugg.... the ones ive seen were all round ones as well

 

[1980Gs250]

in fact if im honest the one off of a suzuki gz250 marauder not a gs250 looks just like mine

 

[1980Gs250]

this is the closest i could come up with at the moment but i think that price is a bit much http://www.ebay.com/itm/80-SUZUKI-G...Parts_Accessories&hash=item564b17488e&vxp=mtr

 

[isu2014]

I would swoop this one up if I was you. I paid $25 just for the plastic fluid reservoir when mine was cracked.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1980-Suzuki...Parts_Accessories&hash=item51a95de525&vxp=mtr

 

[1980Gs250]

will that one work on a 250?

 

[isu2014]

Yep it will work just fine.

 

[1980Gs250]

ok sweet... i didnt know if they had different size pistons master cylinders etc. i saw that one earlier but wasnt sure. i will snatch it up now! i called suzuki and they said the bike never came with a square master cylinder only the round one so who knows where this one came from. sigh

 

[mike_of_bbg]

Pretty much any master cylinder meant for a single-disc GS model should work great. The master cylinders for single-disc models used either 13 or 14mm bores IIRC, but the dual-disc models used 16mm bores. You don't want to go to a bigger bore than 14mm. The most important thing - particularly with a used master cylinder - is to KNOW what you have so it's a lot easier to find rebuild parts!

The 12.7mm-bore Chinese one would likely be fine. It's a 7/8" clamp, has the 10mm threads for the mirror, and is a fine bore size. I have a generic Chinese master cylinder on my bike - that's how I know what a few of the gotchas are. The biggest being, when/if this one starts to go bad on me I'm going to have to replace it because there are no rebuild kits. It works fine and even looks quite nice though!

 

[1980Gs250]

I'm inclined to keep the bike as stock as possible for the nostalgia look. I have many many people comment when i was bringing it home because people love these old bikes. I am gonna bid on that one that he found and rebuild it if necessary. I also noticed from pics that I am missing a chain cover I will need to find. I wish it would stop snowing and warm up sigh.

 

[1980Gs250]

There is some surface rust on them frame near the back that I don't like the look of. Its not structurally bothering the bike but i would like to sand it off and paint it. Is there an easy way to paint the frame without stripping the bike?

 

[Guest]

Lots of newspaper and tape

 

[1980Gs250]

Ok so tape off areas that dont need paint. what about getting rid of the surface rust? just sandpaper the crap out of it?

 

[isu2014]

I use this stuff called "Naval Jelly". It's a thick liquid that takes rust off really well. I would only use it on painted parts though, it might dull chrome.

 

[1980Gs250]

so do you scrub it in or what?

 

[isu2014]

No just pick up a bottle at lowes and read the directions. I smear it on with a small brush since its literally like jelly, then let it sit for a while. Rinse it off and the rust is gone. Might take a couple rounds.

 

[1980Gs250]

whoa thats very cool... will have to try this

 

[mike_of_bbg]

Naval Jelly works well for cleaning up corroded brass wiring connectors, too. I take a baby food jar and just dip a few connectors at a time in it. After about 15-20 minutes in the stuff, remove and wash vigorously in a water bath until all the Naval Jelly is gone, then spray with WD40, then brake cleaner. They come out looking like new. Coat with dielectric silicone compound before re-assembly.