Soft kickstart

[rollingroland]

Hello to everyone at GSResource! Just purchased a '78 Suzi GS550E, 13K miles (?), at least 5 years in a shed, and started to go over every inch of it to try bring it back to life.The bike came with the clutch in a basket, so first thing I purchased new friction rings and installed back in everything by the book. This is the first time I've worked in that area.The problem now is that the kick start does not engage the engine, and when placed in 1'st and pushing the bike,you can hear the transmission gears, but the motor does not turn. The electric starter engages the engine and the pistons are moving freely as well as the rear wheel when on gear. I would appreciate any help in the matter.

[BassCliff]

Greetings and Salutations!!

Hi Mr. rollingroland,

What's a kickstart?

Of course I know. But my bike doesn't have one. I can only guess that the kick starter guide (#11) is not guiding the kick starter drive gear (#14) properly. You may have missed something during reassembly. I think there's a service manual for your bike on my little website. Hopefully that will help. Or one of the 550 owners will chime in soon.



Anyway, let me dump a TON if information on you and share some GS lovin'.

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

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!"....

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 Rebuild Series, and the Stator Papers. All of these tasks must be addressed in order to have a safe, reliable machine. Now let me roll out the welcome mat for you...



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!

Thanks for joining us. Keep us informed.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[SqDancerLynn1]

You may still have something wrong with the clutch. The kick start drives the motor thru the clutch...

[rollingroland]

Thanks

Thank you very much, BassCliff for the reply,overwhelming welcome and the gold mine of information offered.Awesome website.I feel already at home here! By the way,I downloaded the owners manual for the 750e which is close enough to 550e, and I appreciate making it available to everybody.I do have the Haynes workshop manual but troubleshooting section is weak.Pictures will follow shortly.
Thanks SqDancerLynn1 for for hint. I'll be looking into what both of you mentioned and open it up again next week to look for the "bu-bu". I'll keep you posted

[Suzuki_Don]

Roland I think you may have left something out when you reassembled the clutch plates? How many fibre plates and how many metal plates did you insert? Does your clutch basket have straight cut or helical gears?

[rollingroland]

Roland I think you may have left something out when you reassembled the clutch plates? How many fibre plates and how many metal plates did you insert? Does your clutch basket have straight cut or helical gears?

Hi Don,
I have 7 fiber and 6 metal plates starting with fiber in the back and alternating with metal. The basket has helical gears.
Roland

[Suzuki_Don]

Roland remove the clutch cover after draining the oil. Remove the tension bolts and pressure plate and all the clutch plates. Now operate the kick starter and the centre clutch hub should rotate inside the basket. The basket will not rotate and will stay still. If this happens then the kick start operation is fine. If it does not then get back to us and we will tell you the next step.

If the centre hub rotates as described then all is normal as I said before, this motion is then transmitted to the clutch basket via the steel and friction plates compressed by the clutch pressure plate and springs. When the clutch basket rotates it will in turn rotate the crankshaft through the helical gear on the clutch basket and the similar mating gear on the crankshaft.

Follow the motion of this operation and you should be able to see where the drive is breaking down.

Let us know what you find.

[rollingroland]

Hi Don,
I did as you said, and the center hub is moving with the kickstart without moving the clutch basket. So it seems the kickstart is ok.This time though, after taking off the clutch cover, I observed the movements inside,before taking out the plates, and noticed that when center hub moves, the plates can be moved in their grooves with the finger. They are loose.It looks like one can fit another plate in there. What's going on. I have all the parts installed as per manual
Roland

[Suzuki_Don]

Hi Dom,
I did as you said, and the center hub is moving with the kickstart without moving the clutch basket. So it seems the kickstart is ok.This time though, after taking off the clutch cover, I observed the movements inside,before taking out the plates, and noticed that when center hub moves, the plates can be moved in their grooves with the finger. They are loose.It looks like one can fit another plate in there. What's going on. I have all the parts installed as per manual
Roland

Roland, you have a clutch adjustment problem. It would seem that the clutch pushrod is holding the pressure plate off the clutch plates. Just as if you have the clutch lever pulled in and there is no drive from engine to transmission. Check out the clutch release mechanism on the other side of the motor. There is a nylon helix gear in there with an adjustment screw in the centre, it needs to be adjusted correctly as per the manual. You do have a manual. If not I will email you the relevant pages on clutch adjustment.

P.S. You cannot do this adjustment until the clutch is reassembled.

[rollingroland]

Roland, you have a clutch adjustment problem. It would seem that the clutch pushrod is holding the pressure plate off the clutch plates. Just as if you have the clutch lever pulled in and there is no drive from engine to transmission. Check out the clutch release mechanism on the other side of the motor. There is a nylon helix gear in there with an adjustment screw in the centre, it needs to be adjusted correctly as per the manual. You do have a manual. If not I will email you the relevant pages on clutch adjustment.

P.S. You cannot do this adjustment until the clutch is reassembled.

Don, that rings like a Japanese bell ! Next weekend I'l go "on the other side".
I do have one of the manuals but the clutch adjustment description is confusing. If you have one with a more down to earth description,I would very much appreciate your help.
Stay safe,
Roland

[Suzuki_Don]

Don, that rings like a Japanese bell ! Next weekend I'l go "on the other side".
I do have one of the manuals but the clutch adjustment description is confusing. If you have one with a more down to earth description,I would very much appreciate your help.
Stay safe,
Roland

Roland, there are three adjustments on the clutch on the 550 models.

1. The adjustment screw at the helix. 2. Where the cable adjuster screws into the sidecover. 3. At the handle bar lever.

Following is an extract from one of Nessism's Words of Wisdom:

GS550 clutch adjustment

Originally posted by Mr. Nessism

It is not possible to adjust the progressiveness of the clutches engagement - only the place where engagement occurs.

550 clutch adjusts a little different than the large bikes.

The 550 clutch has three different adjustment points: at the hand lever, at the bottom of the cable where it enters the sprocket cover, and at the actuation helix built into the sprocket cover (under that small cover held on with two screws).

I suggest you fully loosen both the hand lever adjuster and the adjuster at the bottom of the sprocket cover. Use the helix to perform the main adjustment.

Loosen the lock nut on the helix adjuster and turn the flat head screw until you get the feel at the lever you are looking for - cable tightness determines where the clutch engages. Snug down the lock nut afterwards. You might want to leave the cable just a smig loose, and take up the slack with the hand lever adjuster. Very simple adjustment.

[rollingroland]

Roland, there are three adjustments on the clutch on the 550 models.

1. The adjustment screw at the helix. 2. Where the cable adjuster screws into the sidecover. 3. At the handle bar lever.

Following is an extract from one of Nessism's Words of Wisdom:

GS550 clutch adjustment

Originally posted by Mr. Nessism

It is not possible to adjust the progressiveness of the clutches engagement - only the place where engagement occurs.

550 clutch adjusts a little different than the large bikes.

The 550 clutch has three different adjustment points: at the hand lever, at the bottom of the cable where it enters the sprocket cover, and at the actuation helix built into the sprocket cover (under that small cover held on with two screws).

I suggest you fully loosen both the hand lever adjuster and the adjuster at the bottom of the sprocket cover. Use the helix to perform the main adjustment.

Loosen the lock nut on the helix adjuster and turn the flat head screw until you get the feel at the lever you are looking for - cable tightness determines where the clutch engages. Snug down the lock nut afterwards. You might want to leave the cable just a smig loose, and take up the slack with the hand lever adjuster. Very simple adjustment.

Thank you Don. Now that's directions I can follow.I'll let you know the results.
Servus,
Roland

[rollingroland]

Thank you Don, God Bless Australia! Adjustments made today according to those clear directions,and the clutch works as it should.Now it seems simple, but when you do not know it is a big problem.Next faze,I am going to recondition the carbs. With you guys at GSResource I have the courage to forge ahead.
See you around,and I am sure,we'll stay in touch.
Roland

[Suzuki_Don]

Thank you Don, God Bless Australia! Adjustments made today according to those clear directions,and the clutch works as it should.Now it seems simple, but when you do not know it is a big problem.Next faze,I am going to recondition the carbs. With you guys at GSResource I have the courage to forge ahead.
See you around,and I am sure,we'll stay in touch.
Roland

Well done Roland, really pleased you got it sorted and bike is operating well and kick start is working the way it is supposed to. Keep at it.

[linuxrick]

Perfect timing for this post, my GS425 starts up fine with the electric start but my kickstart does not catch at all. I would probably not use it much anyway, but would like to have it working at least! Great info here, thanks!!