Might have to rebuild a Gs850 Engine

[Guest]

Hey everybody. I am new here. I might have to rebuild my Gs 850 L motor. I take it in tommorow for a an assessment. If I do have to rebuild it how much do you think it would cost best senario and worst. Bought it for 75 bucks. So im not to worried about it but still.!

[thesingingfool]

By the way how do you post pictures in here

[thesingingfool]

Here is a picture of it

Here is a picture of my project

[Steve]

First of all,

What makes you think you need a rebuild on the engine? If it's simply because it won't start, you likely just need to attend to "the big three": valve adjustment, carb cleaning, charging system cleaning".

If you are taking it somewhere for evaluation, it's possible that this is not the bike for you. If you are uncertain of your mechanical abilities, you need to either brush up on them REAL QUICK or get a newer bike, because this one will need some 'loving' every once in a while. You will be fortunate if you can find a shop that will let it through the door. Most shops nowdays will not work on anything more than 10 years old. Heck, I'll bet that your bike is probably older than most of the "service technicians" at the dealership. Given that, along with the fact that labor costs are around $100/hour, many of your fasteners are probably rusted (and will break), your bill for a rebuild at the dealer will probably top a couple thousand dollars.

If you go to the GS Owners forum and introduce yourself, you will get a Mega-Welcome from our resident greeter and librarian, BassCliff. His library is his "little website", which includes little gems like How to Post Pictures on GSR.

.

[thesingingfool]

Thank you

Thank you. I dont know and I don't know much about bike, but I learn fast. Also i have friends that do. I am only taking it in because i want a full rundown of the cost list so i can decide what i want to do myself. I want to do alot myself, but a rebuild would not be in my scope.

[Triam]

Thank you. I dont know and I don't know much about bike, but I learn fast. Also i have friends that do. I am only taking it in because i want a full rundown of the cost list so i can decide what i want to do myself. I want to do alot myself, but a rebuild would not be in my scope.

You'd be surprised what's in your scope if you take pictures to post here so we know what you're talking about. This is one of the most helpful and newbie-tolerant forums out there. I started working on bikes/engines a bit over a year and a half ago, and with the help from this site I've done all the basic maintenance for my bike plus a carb readjustment for the pods on my bike, and a complete top-end rebuild. You can do it too if you just ask for the help.

[850 Combat]

Why not just start with getting it running?

[azr]

I would be VERY leery of a shop working on your bike unless they really know these old bikes. Sooooo many people have been burned by shops it's crazy. I'd do a bit of research first before you take it anywhere.

[thesingingfool]

i need help then

I neet to check if it retains pressure. I dont have the equipment. Im willing to buy it. Then i need to do the wiring because there is some sort of electrical problem, or maybe not. I dont want them to fix it i just want to know what things a broke so i can decide what projects to take on and which to let a mechanic do. I learn quickly, but I need guidance.

[2BRacing]

As you can see from the above replies, everyone here is willing to help you and all agree that it is not a good idea to take your bike to a shop.

I suggest that you take a step back; go sit in a comfy chair; grab a supply of your favourite beers, and settle in to reading the info on BassCliff's little site which Steve pointed you to.

You will soon get a grasp of the typical problem areas that require attention. Work through those systematically and try to get the bike running first in order to make a proper diagnosis of any potential major problems. Don't just dive in and do a rebuild - first see what you've got, post your findings on here, and you will get help on how best to correct any problems.

Good luck and enjoy the journey!

[thesingingfool]

sounds like a plan

Is there anyone in houston area or texas that would be willing to come up for a weekend to get me started. I would wine and dine you for sure ( no romatic stuff) and throw you a few dollars. Plus i live on lake conroe. I have a friend but wife wont let him help. Anyway, i will take internet help also. What threads do i need to get f ok r the carb manometer since i dont have one.

[chef1366]

Anyone in Houston that can help?

[eil]

Hiya!

I was in the same boat a little over a year ago. (And I think with the same bike, even... is that a 1980?) Since then I've repaired/replaced/rebuilt almost every system on mine.

You say you're a quick learner... that will help you a lot. But this is not necessarily something to rush into. Everyone here says you should not take your bike to a mechanic, and I agree with them. I understand where the temptation comes from: fear of the unknown. So before you fix anything else, fix that first. Get ye some knowledge!

Let the bike sit where it is for a few weeks and in the meantime, study up. Here are my recommended sources for coming up to speed on basic motorcycle maintenance:

* http://www.dansmc.com/mc_repaircourse.htm Dan's Motorcycle Repair Course. The guy is a bit nutty but has some good info. Consider this a very basic primer.
* https://www.youtube.com/user/mrmaxstorey mrmaxstorey on YouTube has a ton of videos. Some of his maintenance methods are just a tad on the 'redneck' side, but he's a cool guy.
* http://www.mtsac.edu/%7Ecliff/storag...nual_HiRes.pdf The service manual for your bike. You don't necessarily have to read it cover-to-cover, but it will help you a LOT to keep it handy and skim over the sections you're most interested in at that moment.
* http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/ The rest of BassCliff's site, containing very specific GS information and tutorials.

Become one with these resources and there's a surprisingly strong chance you will be more knowledgeable than any random "motorcycle mechanic" you stumble upon locally without even having touched wrench to bike.

Good luck. Feel free to ask (informed!) questions. I know we have Texans here on this forum, I hope someone is able to offer some in-person assistance.

[tom203]

Yes, get it running (yourself) before you reach conclusions- shops can't be bothered with these old critters- the bill would be more than bike's worth. Most of the problems stem from lack of proper maintenance- owners tend to drive them till something fails and then get frustrated or go broke paying someone else to attempt to fix it right.