Night of hell. Chaos.

[gspower]

So .......

Supposed to have spent today with my 1979 GS425 rebuilding and remounting carbs, putting the [tubed] front tire on, pulling the old and stripped studs/nuts on the oil filter cover to be replaced as well as installing the new filer. Then ... chaos.

Carbs rebuilt, check. Mount new tire onto front rim - fail. 1/8 left of the tire left to go and I hear "hisssssss" as I pop the inner tube. The tires are only supposed to be run tubed. I have to get a new tube.

Okay, I say. I will replace the oil filter. I do so before deciding to top off the oil. Okay. I forgot I had one liter in there and overfilled, so removed the oil drain bolt to drain a bit. As it drains, shards of metal come out. I slip and fall in the oil. The metal is from the threads on the oil drain plug hole. They are done for. I will have to probably pull the oil pan and rethread the hole with an upsized plug. Fine.

Well, the carbs are on. Lets put it back together and listen to my work, I say. Wrestle with the stock air box and finally get it in. Mount the battery housing. Prime the carbs. Continue to inspect the oil issue.

Five minutes later I smell gas. Oops! Forgot to stop priming the carbs. They are flooded. Gasoline is leaking into the air box. It is probably also in the crankcase, and in my engine. I drop my tools and swear. Leave it for another night.

This was supposed to be an easy surgery. I have had time to cool off. This is what I would like to do.

1) Forget the current setup and scrap the entire stock air system, replacing with neat K&N pods. I realize I will have to rejet to do this. I do not mind. If anyone has input on this (K&N pods to use and corresponding jet numbers) PLEASE get in touch with me. I realize that there is a hose coming from the top end (a breather) that is connected to the air box. What should I do with this?

2) Rework the entire electrical system. The R/R and starter are currently mounted to the airbox. I will have to put them somewhere else. Has anyone else done this? My upgraded SH-775 R/R is on the way as well as a corresponding Triumph harness. With this in mind, can anyone tell me where to start? Money is not really an issue at this point. I will spend what I must to get it done.

3) I have never run tubed tires before. Ever This is new to me. What am I looking for in a .... tube?

Additional questions: There are two nipples on the inner side of each carb pointing downwards - not the ones in the float bowl that connect the two carbs. I believe the ones I'm asking about are breathers, but am not sure. Anyone?

I am hitting a wall. What should have been a simple project just became a full rebuild. Garh. Comments welcome.

GSP

 

[wymple]

That all sounds normal in my garage........

 

[chuck hahn]

Little trick on tubes. Take out the shrader valve and expand them once they are inside the tire. This straightens them and takes out any folds. This will also help them NOT get pinched in the rim while infalting.

 

[terrylee]

Nipples should be where you attach vent lines which need to be run behind carbs and down towards bottom of bike. terrylee

 

[Griffyn]

Step 1: Breathe. Been there. Hated it. Good on you for walking away before you made it all worse.

Step 2: Do it like you're eating an elephant. Sounds like you were trying to 'fix' (get working) too many issues at the same time. Again, Been there. Live there sometimes.

Airbox change: Coming from someone with pods, I wouldn't do it. Stick with stock, it's designed like that for a reason. At least until everything else is perfect and you're hunting for something else to do on the bike.

Electrical: That SSPB looks like just the ticket if you're doing an electrical rebuild. It solves a bunch of problems you don't even know you have and if you're already doing the harness change you might as well just do it all at once.

Tubes: No idea. I hand my wheel to the guy with the little shop down the road and a couple hours later he trades it back with a mounted tire and a fresh tube for a $20 bill. I ride happy and he buys himself a case of good beer.

Hope this helps. The real trick is to just take it all one step at a time. Slow down as you approach the end of a job so you don't get excited and rush, it was the forgetting about the priming carbs that really did you in and that was a matter of trying to multitask.

 

[gspower]

Little trick on tubes. Take out the shrader valve and expand them once they are inside the tire. This straightens them and takes out any folds. This will also help them NOT get pinched in the rim while infalting.

Did this. I'm testifying that while it may help them 'NOT' get pinched, they can still get pinched easily.

Nipples should be where you attach vent lines which need to be run behind carbs and down towards bottom of bike. terrylee

Thanks. This is what I thought but wasn't entirely sure.

Electrical: That SSPB looks like just the ticket if you're doing an electrical rebuild. It solves a bunch of problems you don't even know you have and if you're already doing the harness change you might as well just do it all at once.

The SSPB? What's that? Also, after about twelve hours of sleep, I'm feeling much more level again.

 

[wymple]

GS Suzuki air boxes are designed to give the carb bank a decent supply of "dead air" to draw from. Going to pods allows for variations from crosswinds, etc to that air supply. No matter how good I got my 1100 to run, (and it did), it wasn't consistently great because of varying turbulence around the pods. They're ok on bikes I don't worry about all around performance on, but I never liked them on my daily street fighter. I'd use them in a heartbeat on a dedicated drag bike.

 

[gspower]

GS Suzuki air boxes are designed to give the carb bank a decent supply of "dead air" to draw from. Going to pods allows for variations from crosswinds, etc to that air supply. No matter how good I got my 1100 to run, (and it did), it wasn't consistently great because of varying turbulence around the pods. They're ok on bikes I don't worry about all around performance on, but I never liked them on my daily street fighter. I'd use them in a heartbeat on a dedicated drag bike.

I guess I am sick of fighting with the air box. Also, the PO looks like he might have mangled up the front portion of it (right behind where the boots connect to the carbs) as the rubber is all wavy looking. Even if I get it all installed properly it will absolutely have to be sealed. If this is the route I go, do you have any recommendations on a sealant for the air box?

 

[Griffyn]

The SSPB? What's that? Also, after about twelve hours of sleep, I'm feeling much more level again.

Solid State Power Box. The invention by one of our fellow GSResources forum members that replaces the fuse block and a bunch of needlessly complex wiring with a single modern controller.
http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=210261

 

[gspower]

Solid State Power Box. The invention by one of our fellow GSResources forum members that replaces the fuse block and a bunch of needlessly complex wiring with a single modern controller.
http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=210261

My biggest concern with this is I know NOTHING about how to install it. Also, I've never seen a fuse box on my GS425. That indicates a problem to me as either A) There is no need for it or B) I am too incompetent to start this.

 

[Guest]

When you pull your oil pan off, have a threaded steel insert installed. Make sure you use an OEM pan gasket, not one of the knock offs on Ebay. No more worries of ever stripping again. A self threading drain plug is just a band aid.

 

[Guest]

One more pic from the bottom side. All you have to do now is locate a plug to fit the threads and a copper crush washer. I've been going to NAPA for the those.

 

[qisteve]

A heat gun on the air box rubbers and intake hoses along with spray dry silicone works wonders on airbox assembly. You'll be amazed what a difference it makes. I made a small L shaped tool (about 3/8" with a 6" handle) out of coat hanger wire to help wiggle the rubbers on. A miserable job made tolerable!

 

[allojohn]

My biggest concern with this is I know NOTHING about how to install it. Also, I've never seen a fuse box on my GS425. That indicates a problem to me as either A) There is no need for it or B) I am too incompetent to start this.

The early machines only had a single main fuse, so you do need to add fuse box. I did the same. Route the main power through the box and then as you add mods such as horn relay, coil relay, headlamp relay and ignition relay do the same.

 

[tkent02]

I did the same. Route the main power through the box and then as you add mods such as horn relay, coil relay, headlamp relay and ignition relay do the same.

Just curious, how did you divide up the existing circuits?

I'm doing the same to a 550.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[gspower]

A heat gun on the air box rubbers and intake hoses along with spray dry silicone works wonders on airbox assembly. You'll be amazed what a difference it makes. I made a small L shaped tool (about 3/8" with a 6" handle) out of coat hanger wire to help wiggle the rubbers on. A miserable job made tolerable!

What should I use to seal it all up? I'm afraid I might have some air leaks, particularly around the O-ring connecting the air filter housing to the air box and on the boots connecting to the carburetor.

As for the popped front tube, I just ordered a BikeMaster inner tube with a sweet looking valve for under $20 shipped.

So ....

1) I will continue to finish mounting the tire before I do anything. This way when I run into another catastrophe I can move the bike and put an oil pan underneath.

2) I will use the stock air system but only after using a worthy sealant to fill in all the air leaks, if they exist. Last thing I need is an air leak.

3) I think all of the shavings came out and I don't want to remove the pan. It is a pain in the butt on the 425's as there is no simple way to remove the oil pan. I'm going to carefully rethread with an oversized plug, flush it out a few times to ensure everything is gone, and call it a day.

4) I am replacing all the gaskets in the carbs since I have to take them off again anyway. I will keep the stock jets. Gaskets are at my door by tomorrow.

5) I will not be buying the Solid State Power Box. My bike only has the single main fuse, the work involved is daunting to me, and I will not be adding any more mods to the bike. The stator, as far as I know, is fine. The R/R will be upgraded to the Polaris unit. I think this will suffice.

5A) I have screws coming in the mail (mangled a lot of them) to reconnect the battery box and battery to the rest of the bike. Should I replace my old battery with an MF version so that I don't run into issues? I can pick one up for under $60. Can anyone else with a 425e take pictures of their electrical setup (both battery side and airbox side) so I know how everything goes back together? I took on too many projects at once.

 

[koolaid_kid]

gspower, you may consider something like the Blue Sea 5028. Simple to install and configure, inexpensive, and uses modern blade fuses.

I suggest you get an AGM battery. I like the MotoBatt, but there are lots of choices. Pre-charged, leakproof, lasts years and years.

 

[allojohn]

Just curious, how did you divide up the existing circuits?

I'm doing the same to a 550.

Thanks,
Tom

I didn't Tom, not smart enough . But it made adding the relay mods a breeze.

 

[Gorminrider]

..... Prime the carbs. Continue to inspect the oil issue.

Five minutes later I smell gas. Oops! Forgot to stop priming the carbs.

This doesn't sound good. I can leave my carbs on prime and there's no gas flooding out even if I'm usually on the centre stand when I do need to prime...(not often-and some bikes don't even have a prime function-just turning the motor over a bit will get them out of storage-mode)...but it shouldn't make a difference.
When you are going down the road, the vacuum port is going to open the tap wide anyways.

There's Likely only supposed to be one fuse on that bike, same as mine.

 

[gspower]

This doesn't sound good. I can leave my carbs on prime and there's no gas flooding out even if I'm usually on the centre stand when I do need to prime...(not often-and some bikes don't even have a prime function-just turning the motor over a bit will get them out of storage-mode)...but it shouldn't make a difference.
When you are going down the road, the vacuum port is going to open the tap wide anyways.

There's Likely only supposed to be one fuse on that bike, same as mine.

Actually I think this is pretty normal. Without the vacuum cut off the gas is supposed to flow freely. Perhaps your petcock needs a good cleaning? Also, on the carbs I have there is no real way to adjust the float. they come prefabbed to a certain height and sit freely. If they are out of spec, they are replaced, yeah?