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Head Gasket Maker/Type

  • Thread starter Thread starter Brownie
  • Start date Start date
B

Brownie

Guest
Whats the preferred Manufacturer for head gaskets or other for a gs 850 1979. Also the type. A part number would be outstanding. Ive read some comments about a bad gasket starting with the letter C, cant remember nor find the post again, was the great debate re torque and friction. Any links or info would be appreciated.
 
Greetings and Salutations!!

Greetings and Salutations!!

Hi Mr. Brownie,

In the "mega-welcome" is a list of vendors. Most of the OEM vendors have an online parts fiche where you can look up your bike and find all the part numbers you need. CLICK HERE for a PDF file that shows you how to navigate a parts fiche and cross-reference part numbers. Note: The guide uses alpha-sports.com as a reference. They are the most expensive vendor but still list part numbers for discontinued parts. Sometimes that information comes in handy. You'll want to do most of your shopping at Z1Enterprises.com, partshark.com, gssuzuki.com, boulevardsuzuki.com, and partsnmore.com. Most of our favorite vendors are listed in your "mega-welcome" below.

Let me dump a TON of information on you and share some GS lovin'. :D

I just stopped by to welcome you to the forum in my own, special way.
big_hi.gif


If there's anything you'd like to know about the Suzuki GS model bikes, and most others actually, you've come to the right place. There's a lot of knowledge and experience here in the community. Come on in and let me say "HOoooowwwDY!"....
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Here is your very own magical, mystical, mythical, mind-expanding "mega-welcome". Please take notice of the "Top 10 Common Issues", "Top 15 Tips For GS Happiness", the Carb Cleanup Series, and the Stator Papers. All of these tasks must be addressed in order to have a safe, reliable machine. This is what NOT to do: Top 10 Newbie Mistakes. Now let me roll out the welcome mat for you...

carpet.jpg


Please click here for your mega-welcome, chock full of tips, suggestions, links to vendors, and other information. Then feel free to visit my little BikeCliff website where I've been collecting the wisdom of this generous community. Don't forget, we like pictures! Not you, your bike! :D

Thanks for joining us. Keep us informed.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
thanks for the welcome

thanks for the welcome

Great information thanks, Ive read most of the stuff, top ten , carb and stator papers. Got the suggested O rings for the carb and screws for the intakes and rings. Now if I can just get my bike back from the mechanic who put in new rings and cant seem to get the head gasket to not leak. (He's had it since the last week of March grr.) Then it will be on to a new rectifier and new tires. Only 26k miles on the bike but 2 cyl rings were froze up and had next to no compression #1 & #4. Will post Pic's when I get some, it is blue 1979 850 w jammer and vetter rear bags and trunk. I so cant wait to ride. This bike is basically my mid life crisis item and the wait is killing me. Patience I guess at least he wants the bike to be perfect.
 
Make sure you mechanic double checks the head and cylinder for flatness and surface imperfections.
 
It's critical to double check the head nut torque after a rebuild since head gasket will settle in and the nut torque will fall off. I'd check after each tank of gas until you confirm the torque has stabilized, otherwise you will get oil leaks.
 
Is the correct torque 27ft pounds and will an old needle wrench be sufficient? 1979 gs850
 
waited to long `

waited to long `

About mile 180 started to get weep from front center I didnt torque until 500miles and near the #3 head bolt (I assume) as I torqued and it was almost a quarter turn from 27#. She runs good and has new rings and valves now 558miles ago.

Now ive got a leak and have only my time to put into the bike.

How hard will it be for me to do it myself?
I imagine I will be doing the base gasket too as the one in there now is a "green " one.

I'll be putting in OEM parts.

Suggestions on which Manual I should get before I begin?

How do I check for warpage/ cracks on the head and block?
Any special tricks?

Gonna keep riding and wiping off oil till November then I think I will tackle this one.

IF :mad: there is a crack on the head as I see some JB weld on the front near the front 6mm bolt, whats the difficulty level of replacing the head w a new/ used one. I assume that will mean doing the valves again at least?

Hopefully I just missed the torque timing and got my leak.
 
Brownie said:
Is the correct torque 27ft pounds and will an old needle wrench be sufficient? 1979 gs850
Click to expand...

Yes and no.
Spring (Beam-type) torque wrenches are not accurate.
What angle are you looking at the needle when you reach the torque setting that you desire? ;)
Edit: has it been dropped? Is the needle bent? Has it ever been calibrated? Margin of error is how much %?

Eric
 
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7981GS said:
Yes and no.
Spring (Beam-type) torque wrenches are not accurate.
What angle are you looking at the needle when you reach the torque setting that you desire? ;)

Eric
Click to expand...

BS on the beam torque wrenches being inaccurate. They are just fine for weekend mechanics, particularly since they don't need to be calibrated.

You wouldn't be asking about a manual if you had checked Basscliff's link as provided in this thread (hint: he has the original Suzuki manuals for download for free).

That green gaskets means Athena. We told you not to buy aftermarket, and now you have to do the job again.:-\\\
 
Am downloading it now didnt see it at first and thought it was the wrong year an 80 somthing.
 
I didnt buy the gaskets my mechanic whom I now strongly dislike bought them and did the job prior to my asking on here, it was the third set that held for 180miles.
 
Brownie said:
I didnt buy the gaskets my mechanic whom I now strongly dislike bought them and did the job prior to my asking on here, it was the third set that held for 180miles.
Click to expand...

You might want to consider facing the head and cylinder if the surface looks bad. It's not cheap but better than a leak.

For gaskets, try searching ebay for "suzuki gs850 gasket". You can save some real money that way. Also, the GS850 shares the head gasket with the GS1000 so check there too and look for a good deal.

This one doesn't have the hole in the front center of the head gasket but you should get the idea.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/521-Base-He...ies&hash=item4d02c040fb&vxp=mtr#ht_554wt_1396
 
From an ebay posting how do you tell it its the good OEM gaskets? there are a few some say athena those to avoid but the others are not identified as OEM but then maybe Im not sure what I should be looking for.

1979 gs 850 head gasket, valve cover gasket, base gasket, o ring gasket under head gasket, half moons, anything else?

what does "NOS" mean? I know im gonna regret asking but oh well.
 
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