GS550EZ 1984 headgasket

[Guest]

Hi all,
I have been busy for a while so haven't worked for a long time on the bike. The headgasket is leaking oil and I want to renew it. Is it possible to leave the carbs in place and getting the head out? And do most of you change the cilinder base gasket at the same time? Would you go for a genuine headgasket or get it from Ebay? Oops all these questions.sized_P8240870-1.jpg The bike is slowly getting better but still forkseals and this headgasket job to do.

Ton

[rapidray]

Carbs off & when you remove the head you will break the seal on the base gasket too. Change the head gasket, base gasket, using STOCK SUZUKI GASKETS, & disassemble & clean the head, lap the valves & replace the valve seals while you are in there. If it has over 30,000 miles, or has sat for more than a year or 2, I would ball hone the cylinders & put new rings in it too. Then you have a basically new top end! Don't forget to inspect the intake manifolds VERY well to check for cracking & hardness that can cause vacuum leaks.
Ray.

[Ton1959]

Carbs off & when you remove the head you will break the seal on the base gasket too. Change the head gasket, base gasket, using STOCK SUZUKI GASKETS, & disassemble & clean the head, lap the valves & replace the valve seals while you are in there. If it has over 30,000 miles, or has sat for more than a year or 2, I would ball hone the cylinders & put new rings in it too. Then you have a basically new top end! Don't forget to inspect the intake manifolds VERY well to check for cracking & hardness that can cause vacuum leaks.
Ray.

Manifolds not required. Renewed them recently. The engine is running really well . Thanks for the advice. It has got 54000km on . So around 34000 miles.

[Ton1959]

Started removal of the head today. Headbolts came undone easily after spraying penetrating oil on them and leaving them for a bit. One bolt on the front that is fitted upside down from the cilinderblock into the head snapped off. Looking at the bolt I can imagine why. It was corroded so bad. It didn't feel very tight but there was only a tiny bit of movement . So I sprayed it again tried to tighten it up slightly again and undoing it again but it was too weak and snapped off. So one that needs to be fixed. Tomorrow remove the lovely carbs cams and tensioner. Exhaust came undone easily.

[Ton1959]

I removed the head and cylinderblock today. How easy is it to slide the cylinderblock over the pistons again. It does have chamfered edges but what is the best way to do it. I have to piston ring compressor.

[Buffalo Bill]

You will need 2 piston ring compressors, because they move as pairs 180º apart.
I made these for my 550 project.

[ukjules]

I must be lucky but on my gs550 I have simply used
my fingers to close the gaps on the rings.

I do 2 and 3 first then 1 and 4 as BB says.
There is a good lead in and it is possible indeed mine have just
slipped in.

I admit though I have the said device informed of at the ready just in case.
The pic if BB's contraption is spot on for all you will ever need ! If fingers fail.
Remember to make sure the ring gaps are spaced correctly not all inline .....