Interchangeable parts GS550 pre/post '80 engine

[Guest]

I am able to pick up a '81 GS550 engine cheap. Which parts will fit in a '78 engine? Or rather, which ones wont? It wont cost me much, but if there's almost nothing in there I can use, it wouldn't make any sense to buy it. I'm thinking top-end, cylinder etc. is the same?

(I've got the non-E with the kickstarter)

[dmctechnical]

Hi ,

lots of parts are interchangeable , including the head and cylinders , carbs are different , cases on the 81 will not have the kickstart as electric only .

[dmctechnical]

i am going off the australian e version

[cowboyup3371]

The easiest way to check is to use a parts fiche lookup on any of the dealer sites. Perhaps the easiest I have found is www.alpha-sports/suzuki_parts.htm

If you find the part number you want, copy and paste it into their look up tool, you'll get all of the other bikes that part was found on. For instance, just looking for the crankcase halves from the 1981 GS550T (part number - 11300-47812) gave me this list

Part Number Cross-Reference - Where Used

Part Number or Accessory Name

• 1979 SUZUKI GS550EN - CRANKCASE
• 1979 SUZUKI GS550LN - CRANKCASE
• 1979 SUZUKI GS550N - CRANKCASE
• 1980 SUZUKI GS550LT - CRANKCASE
• 1980 SUZUKI GS550T & ET - CRANKCASE
• 1981 SUZUKI GS550LX - CRANK CASE
• 1981 SUZUKI GS550TX - CRANKCASE
• 1982 SUZUKI GS550LZ - CRANK CASE
• 1982 SUZUKI GS550MZ - CRANKCASE

[11csive]

Thank you both for the replies. I ended up finding a decent looking pre-80' engine, so I went with that. Will probably get back to have some parts inspected by some of you more experienced wrenchers and GS-lovers

[Steve]

The upper end (cylinders, head, etc.) will probably bolt right on, but the head is different. Dmtechnical mentioned different carbs, the intake ports on the newer heads are larger, to match the carbs.

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