Before making a bad situation worse....

[Bookmon]

I am in awe of yall who just go yank a part off, fix it, replace- and your bike runs. How/where does one learn to do this? Did all of yall take a small engine class?
I have an '85 GSA 450. Motor is in parts due to a shyster repair person. NOBODY in Bama will touch it (without charging mega thousands as a total restore).
If it will ever run again, I guess it is up to me. But, I have zero clues and repair books are in a foreign language with their useless diagrams.
I bought a Clymer's for a '01 Yamaha 650 I own. The diagrams and wording show nothing on my bike that I can see.
How do you do it? I'm not a total spaz. Heck, I am a certified PC repair, network engineer (geek- maybe). But motors, with their small springs and screws, are a diffo animal.
It seems to me, there has to be repair books/videos in plain English with photos of how it really looks.

[1_v8_merc]

My answer probably won't help you, but...

You learn as you go, when things break along the way, lol.
Reading books and taking classes don't magically make you a mechanic. You have to suck it up, tear it down and figure it out, like a puzzle. Look at the physics, look for identifying marks, and imagine the motion of How it could work.

It really helps to have someone with experience, but just because someone's been doing it for 30 years doesn't guarantee anything...they could have been doing it wrong for 30 years! lol

Also, research goes a long way these days, with google and youtube specifically.

[JEEPRUSTY]

You need to await your meg welcome from basscliff.
No motorcycle is as hard to diagnose as a computer hardware\software\ end user scenario.

Yes it is all good.

Many a person here has torn a bike very far down in a resto.
SOme down to the crank but most to an all but engine out of frame affair.

And what is BAMA is that short for O BAMA?

AL would seem to indicate you are from Alaska but I dunno.

[JimmyR]

Oh yeah! One thing I have learned in my brief experience with working on bikes is that there is a LOT of misinformation out there! Some guys refuse to believe that a bike can be made any better than when it left the factory and that any modifications are the work of satan. The there are others who think that it's no good if it HASN'T been modified.

My (limited) experience is that getting a couple of different manuals for the exact model of your bike is better than having just one. My Clymers manual shows an earlier bike than mine in a lot of important aspects which are quite different from mine. So the Suzuki workshop manual I bought off ebay has helped a lot.

You just have to keep an open mind. My local mobile mechanic is a great guy but even he gets things wrong. He swore to me that Japanese bikes like mine have a particular way of clamping handlebars and front wheels but I showed him the manual and it was different from what he said. A lot of guys are absolutely positive that they are right and are very convincing in what they tell you!

My approach is to take baby steps. Research what you are doing - you will often find 2-3 different ways of doing the same thing. Work out which makes the most sense to you but don't be afraid to tear it down again if you find it's wrong. With Suzukis I have found that usually the stock way is the right way - at least it will work. This is MY experience with my GS1100G. The only areas where consensus seems to be right is in replacing the stator and regulator/rectifier in my bike.

It's not a fast process. About 10 years ago I decided to try building a tube guitar amp. Took me a month or so to build one that worked and sounded good. But it took about 3-4 years before I was able to build something that worked really well, sounded great and was mechanically sound. The same thing is happening with my bikes. I'll never be an expert but I will have some cool rides!

[Bookmon]

No, not from "O Bama". Although many Auburn fans make the same joke. Alabama- as in Ramma Jamma, Yella Hamma, Give 'em hell, Alabama.
Yikes, Lived in Nevada (Fallon) and Washington (Walla Walla)- AK is way tooooo cold.

Thanks to all yall whom replied. Research, we can do. Mistakes, not afraid to make- if it meant my fav bike of all time would ride again. Time to clean out the garage for a dry safe place to work and store the parts between sessions.

oh, Yella Hamma is cheering slang for Yellow Hammer- the State Bird. Shorty Price, one UA's best drunk fans would slur it, "Yella Hamma". He was a hoot.

[Steve]

You're in 'Dega? I am currently just south of you, in Montgomery.

Unfortunately, I will be leaving for home next weekend for a couple of weeks, but will be back the first of April.
Might be able to swing by there this weekend, if you are interested.

Not the expert on twins, but can certainly give you some pointers, and we might even get a few parts tossed together.

Send me a PM with contact details.

.

[TheCafeKid]

As stated already, step one in your journey was logging on here. Step two will be to purchase AT LEAST a Suzuki Factory Shop manual for your bike. A second, like a Clymer or Haynes isn't a bad idea either as it's always nice to have different pics and or different explanation that may help clear up a misunderstanding.

Step three will be reading, reading and more reading. Both on here and your manuals. Having a good idea of what's going to need to happen before you actually crack into something is always a help.
Step four will be actually doing. Some people are hands on learners. I am. You could show or tell me how to do something a hundred times but until I lay my hands on it and do it myself I won't fully understand the process.

These are air cooled motors, and for the most part, pretty simple. Once you get a feel for how they work, what does what etc, you'll quickly pick it up. I can say for me its a hell of a lot easier to understand than building a computer...

Good luck!

[speedorchid]

some manuals

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/

hope that it helps...I'm with you...starting to get scared about redoing my gs1000L
this forum is awesome though and thanks to all the experienced ones who makes it that way.

[Buddy]

You've done it now! You've got Steve interested. He's a wealth of knowledge and willing to help. I'm just a little farther south than Montgomery, but still close enough for a day trip. I may be able to help out.

This knowledge you seek is earned from the sweet of your brow and the skin of your knuckles. It may be cheep, but it aint free. Most of it comes from experience.

Also, we need pics. Is that a GS450A as in automatic?

Ride safe,
Buddy

[850 Combat]

Go to Part Shark and look up the parts Fiche for your bike. those show how the parts fit together better than manuals do. It helps to print them out, as computers are unwieldy for that kind of thing. If you don't know how motors work, try the library.

This stuff is simple. An average person can do it. You have to put in the time to acquire experience, however. That said, I personally would not take on assembling an old GS450 engine disassembled by others. It is enough trouble for me to keep things working. Starting that far in the hole isn't good for me. In my experience it isn't less expensive, either. Have you considered purchasing a used motor and installing that? It would be project enough, and likely as not no more expensive.

[Bookmon]

Weegle Weegle, Y'all

To Buddy and Steve- War Eagle(?) Wow, 2 folks near by! Sorry I did not log on sooner. Busy day helping wife redo the kitchen. (not to mention still sore and recovering from skin cancer surgery this week.)
Would love to connect with eirther of you two. I could load on a trailer and bring down. or, if you're headed this way, let me know. I shall try to post pixs of parts, ect.. on the member site.

To All: Bless yall! Everyone has been kind and helpful.

Yes, GSA is the 2 speed automatic, drive shaft transmission. I do believe, I have all my parts, save a nut or two. The carbs are on, supposedly reworked. Mufflers off, side covers...down around oil pan/transmission are off, spark plugs missing, some other parts off. But several boxes of stuff that look like mine.

I feel lucky. When the shyster's girlfriend opened up the abandoned shop for folks to get their rides, many came out with half a bike aying, "We can't find the other half!?"
-Bookmon

[Good Times]

I can't tell you anymore that has already been said about the bike. Get with Steve and Buddy if you have the chance.

Welcome to the Forum. Roll Tide.

[1948man]

If you can find a tutorial with pictures posted on a site like BikeCliff's, they are superior to most manuals. When like-minded riders post tutorials, they think like DIY riders instead of manual writers. The trick is finding a tutorial that applies to what you're tackling at the moment.

[Suzuki mad]

Going back to your question, I had a dad who was a trained mechanic. I learnt by watching and then copying.

I've stripped bolts, cracked case's, lost parts. That's all the fun of working on these bikes. The more I do the more I remember what he used to tell me.

Part of the trick is to have lots of bags, felt tip marker pens, a digital camera and take your time. When things don't fit, don't rush. Get a good manual for your bike and READ IT! Look on-line for the spare parts fiche's as they can also explain how parts go back in your bike too. Get a good torque wrench (dont know what you call it in the USA) that goes down to 10 foot lbs and up to 80 as it will cover most of the bolts on your bike.

Then take it easy, work slowly, methodically through each set. You don't build a house starting with the roof first. You start with the foundations. So with the engine you start at the top to dismantle and at the crankcases when you rebuild.

And finally, ask questions with pictures on here as somebody will know the answer having done it before you.

[Bookmon]

Great Extra Ideas

Thanks, Suzuki Mad. The photo, zip locks and sharpies is a small, yet great step. Slow and steady. Be the Turtle.