Bad main bearing 1980 GS 1100 L

[RJBrown]

My engine started getting too noisy to ignore. I pulled it and tore it down. The # 5? Main bearing, next to drive output gear is loose and noisy.
This is the first motorcycle engine I have taken apart. It was running great, same as always. 30,000 miles just this summer. What is the best and most cost effective way to fix it?
It looks to me like I need a gasket set, rings and crank repair or replace. What do I do with the crank and where to get parts? Are there any other areas that I should address?

[Nessism]

Stock gaskets are best. Aftermarket, particularly Athena, is a huge gamble if not downright criminal.

Fixing the crank will cost plenty. It's very unusual for a bearing to fail. I suspect foreign material got into that bearing some how. I suggest finding a good used crank. They are typically good for 100,000+ miles.

For OE parts Boulevard Suzuki is a good choice. I'd check ebay too, you might get lucky.

[blowerbike]

i have seen plenty of bad main bearing in the 1100/1150's mostly from being at Pearson's.
when dissembled the rollers fall out of the cage and you can see all the wear on the race and the later model with aluminum cages are worse.
call john for the repair or a replacement crank...he has good used mains also.
he is in ohio.
937-839-9723

[Nessism]

So '80 1100L is chain drive right? I was thinking 1100GL, which is shaft drive.

I believe what Terry says about seeing bad crank bearings at Pearson's, but I wonder how many of those were on drag racing engines?

Next question is how much would Pearson charge to fix the old crank? No doubt he will suggest the full welding treatment too. This of course would be the ideal way to go, along with maybe upgrading the LH crank end to the large rotor snout, but you are into some pretty serious money now.

[oldschoolgs1100e]

crank

I'am in the same boat on my 1100e 37k mi. I have a line on a G model w/10k on it, 150.00 at the salvage yard, but not sure if it would work. Same size bearings, bore x stroke but that is as far as I've gotten.

[blowerbike]

So '80 1100L is chain drive right? I was thinking 1100GL, which is shaft drive.

I believe what Terry says about seeing bad crank bearings at Pearson's, but I wonder how many of those were on drag racing engines?

Next question is how much would Pearson charge to fix the old crank? No doubt he will suggest the full welding treatment too. This of course would be the ideal way to go, along with maybe upgrading the LH crank end to the large rotor snout, but you are into some pretty serious money now.

these was stock cranks/cores ect..
maybe they had been ran hard but not purpose built racing cranks.
i believe dirty oil/ran low on oil/gas in oil/ over heated causes the damage.
john can give a rough price over the phone but there may be more damaged parts once the throws are pressed apart.
you are right...with the upgrades you mentioned a person would be better off looking for an 83 crank/rotor ect..
then on the other hand..
could a person find an 83 or 84-86 1150 complete motor for similar money.
tough call!

[TeamDar]

I just happen to know that John Pearson has a lightly used 83 big taper GS1100 crank that has been trued and welded (more than the factory welds) with angle cut gear on the shelf. Give him a call and tell him Dar sent you.

[rapidray]

I have work done by John Pearson too & will say that he is good at what he does. Pearson, Stan Gardner at GRC & Bob Mosher at Accurate Crankshaft are the ONLY places in the USA I would let touch a roller bearing crank. Don't even CONSIDER Falicon!!! Bob Mosher was the lead shop guy at Falicon & left them due to their dishonesty. On the other hand, I can disassemble a low mileage 83 motor & send you that crank & entire starter clutch assembly/charging rotor for 500 bucks shipped if interested. This motor is in NICE shape & was never drag raced. I knew the owner & the engine's history. He had me build a 1400cc motor for him & I took his motor in trade to build it. Ray.

[RJBrown]

I Guess I need to know what cranks will fit my engine. I was under the impression that 80-81 16 valve chain motors only.

[chef1366]

Nope 80-86 1100/1150 cranks will fit. The 83-86 are better and are already welded . They also have a larger taper so you don't spin off your starter clutch and damage it.
The 1150 cranks have a different piston pin size and use a different clutch basket.
I would go with an 83 1100 crank.

[Nessism]

Tons of into in the archives about how the 1100E crank evolved over the years.

'80 to mid-year '82 had non-welded cranks. Sometimes they twist, particularly during a high torque start such as launching hard off the line. Suzuki started to weld the pins as Ray states some time during the '82 build. The early cranks also had a small snout that the rotor and starter clutch attach to. On these bikes the rotor sometimes comes loose and damages the crank. The '83 cranks had both a larger crank end and with the welded pins. You can interchange the later crank with the early but you will also need the rotor and starter clutch. The 1150 crank will also fit into the cases but you will need a new clutch hub to match the crank. Plus, the 1150 piston pins were larger so you will need new pistons as well.

[RJBrown]

So all those cranks whether chain or shaft drive will work? It sounds like after 83 would also need different pistons.

[RJBrown]

I have a line on a crank out of an 82 gs1100L 2 valve motor. Will it work?

[TeamDar]

I have a line on a crank out of an 82 gs1100L 2 valve motor. Will it work?

NO it will not work. Primary gear is in wrong location.

[RJBrown]

A year later and it is going back together. Thanks to the help here I found a crank. Now that the engine is sitting back in the frame I need a little more help.
Does anyone know the routing of the wires from the electronic ingition pick up? I believe it goes under the pan and around but I would like to see pictures of where it goes. My memory let me down and I did not get a picture of the routing just where it plugs in.