leaking gaskets

[Hoggystyle]

so i got my first ride in this winter today, after valve adjustment, rebuilt carbs(still a little rough) and rebuild brakes. after a few miles i started smelling smoke, so i pulled off and the engine is dripping oil. a drop or so every few seconds. in one spot it is leaking right above the exhaust, where the head sits on the cylinder wall, and then off the the left(facing forward). im not sure if its only the head gasket or the base gasket as well. i guess wat im asking is whether a head and base gasket is all i need or do i need a full rebuild kit. it seems like as soon as i fix something, another problem pops up but hopefully this is the last big thing. i rode it around when i bought it and it didnt leak oil, i adjusted the valves so maybe the torque did something and threw it out of whack. let me know what you think, thank you!

[Hoggystyle]

oh, and i checked the oil in the crankcase after my ride and is smelled of gas. it goes without saying i will change the oil and filter. could that have damaged anything?

[Nessism]

Maybe the valve cover is leaking and oil running down?

Gas in the oil should be corrected immediately, but not tragic unless you ride the bike a lot.

[Hoggystyle]

i checked the valve cover and watched it while it was running, it is definitely leaking from the cylinder head, right above the exhaust pipe. under the valve cover is dry all the way around so i can rule that out. i ordered new filters for the oil but dont know what to do yet about gaskets. i'd like to go OEM as ive heard nothing good about aftermarket gaskets for the head. is this a job i can tackle by myself and is there any extra parts i should get before i tear down? ive done valve adjustments and rebuilt the carbs and that want difficult but actually going into the motor is something i havent done yet and am a little apprehensive about.

[Big T]

Did you confirm it's not the tach drive that's leaking?

I just mention that because the fins on the cylinder head have a way of making the oil seem to be coming out somehwere other than were the leak is.

Before tearing into it, clean the motor and sprinkle it with talcum powder to confirm where the leak originates


If you;re going to tear it down, replace all the gaskets, O rings and the half moons to boot. You may also need cam chain guides and piston rings

Pulling down the top end of the motor is pretty easy, especially when you have a FSM and the GSR

[Nessism]

How can it be the cylinder head if it's leaking "right above the exhaust pipe"? Above the exhaust pipe is the valve cover, or the tack drive. Can you post some photos showing the leak area?

[Hoggystyle]

thats true, i think i just assumed becuase it was dripping from the seam on the cylinder head, but at first glance it looked like it was coming from the exhaust pipe which im sure isnt likely. also the tach drive cable end is dry

[Nessism]

Well...might well be the head gasket, but do as Big T suggests and confirm before tearing stuff apart.

OEM gaskets all the way. Check ebay, sometimes you can find good deals on original Suzuki gaskets.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/77-79-OEM-Suzuki-GS550-Head-Gasket-/290675231029?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item43ad980935#ht_1291wt_1396

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-OEM-VINTAGE-SUZUKI-GS-550-GS550-77-81-CYLINDER-BASE-GASKET-11241-47081-/200714953781?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item2ebb8b2435#ht_669wt_1163

[Hoggystyle]

ill do that tomorrow and source the leak for sure, but in the case of it being a bad head gasket, do i need anything else? any special tools or seals?

[SqDancerLynn1]

that does look like a head gasket

[Big T]

ill do that tomorrow and source the leak for sure, but in the case of it being a bad head gasket, do i need anything else? any special tools or seals?

Probably no special tools

But, I get some Gunk and scrub up the front of the motor real good. You've got layers of baked on oil there

BTW, probably the valve cover gasket, on the short inside run, is leaking

[Hoggystyle]

well ill see what i can do tomorrow. ill clean the engine up really well and see if i can get some athletes powder or something of the sort and trace this leak. maybe i'll get lucky and all i'll need to do is readjust the valve cover. it was leaking before the valve adjust so that could be the culprit but tomorrow will tell all

[Hoggystyle]

well it looks to be in the inside of the rectangular divit on valve cover, but i cand be sure until i cane go for a long ride, which i cant do right now because of mt carburetors. the PO never adjusted the valves but rejetted for a 4-1 so when i did the valves it ran way too rich. so im at 87.5 mains, and the needle is 2nd up from the bottom, moving up one notch. its still very rich and hard to rev at all without bogging so im thinking this needle position isnt needed. i also have the original airbox, sealed, with a uni-filter. any thoughts while this thread is still alive?

[Big T]

well it looks to be in the inside of the rectangular divit on valve cover, but i cand be sure until i cane go for a long ride, which i cant do right now because of mt carburetors. the PO never adjusted the valves but rejetted for a 4-1 so when i did the valves it ran way too rich. so im at 87.5 mains, and the needle is 2nd up from the bottom, moving up one notch. its still very rich and hard to rev at all without bogging so im thinking this needle position isnt needed. i also have the original airbox, sealed, with a uni-filter. any thoughts while this thread is still alive?

You have to check all the settings on the VM carbs to achieve a proper tune. It's not just the main jet

Fuel screws - 3/4 turn out
Air screws - 1 1/2 to 2 turns
Mains - you have 87.5
Pilots - ?
Needle - middle of 5

[Hoggystyle]

i did the rebuild with the basscliff tutorial, and set it to his numbers, but i think i might have mixed the fuel/air screws. the fuel screw is the one on the bottom of the float bowl that runs horizontal correct? once i have the motor rebuilt ill be able to fine tune the carbs

i found that it was indeed my head gasket that was leaking, and that the po never had exhaust gaskets with the 4-1, so i tore down the top end and decided to just take it down to the base and replace with all new gaskets and oil seals. the cylinders are smooth as glass, no scoring and everything looks alright besides a few burnt valves unfortunately, but im debating whether or not to just ride it as it is as ive already dumped so much money into this bike already. parts add up so fast its hard to keep track anymore