Grime in Valve Cover

[Rich82GS750TZ]

I gave you one site above. Partshark.com. Or you can just get the part numbers from there and visit your local Suzuki dealer. BTY, 2 of the bolts for your valve cover are longer than the others.

Be sure to get 4 new dowty washer # 6. There are 2 under each the outside screws. As an alternative, I've used the rubber lined washers that come on metal roofing srews from the hardware store. You have to flatten them with a hammer first as they come convex.

[stossboss_gaming_and_news]

When I first started asking about the process here, was told by those who replied that it’s a “feel” thing. And I suppose if one has been wrenching on such things their whole life, It likely is a “feel” thing. But what if you (I) don’t have the experience?

This is what I'm mad at myself for, I have a lot of experience installing/removing/assembling IT/networking equipment and I definitely felt it over-tightening but against my own instincts I trusted some crappy tool (and even that the spec is 6-7ft/lbs so I thought I was on the safer side). In tech there is just so much money and people are so lazy, idiots will install 10-15k worth of equipment in a rack with a drill set to full torque then come time to remove it the 2 minutes they save ends up costing someone a full day or worse, theres no time to remove it and you have to abandon thousands of $$ worth of good equipment that will never be used.

[stossboss_gaming_and_news]

BTY, 2 of the bolts for your valve cover are longer than the others.

my 4 middle bolts are also longer but it doesn't mention that in the book.

[rphillips]

I had to look up flush cutter, I'd not heard that name before. Around here they're dikes... Glad got it sorted with way less trouble than I've had.

[Rich82GS750TZ]

Not sure what book you're looking at. Look at the diagram from partshark at the link above. # 3 part # 01550-0640A is a 40mm bolt that goes where shown in the front left (as sitting on bike) and I'm pretty sure in the opposite right rear corner. I'll try to confirm that later. I have a cardboard template at home that I'm pretty sure has the bolts in it from a project I never completed. 14 of the # 4 01550-0635A. I believe that's all 16 of the cover bolts. Parts list does call for 6 of the 40mm # 3 but I can;t remember where they all go. I can look later if you still need help.

This is why, when we take things like this apart, we put them in a template to keep things straight.

[stossboss_gaming_and_news]

So everything back together and it's still failing to start.

Spark - Ignition coils and spark plugs were replaced (I replaced one bad coil last year). Spark is present in all cylinders. Battery was fully charged and measured 12.6
Air/Fuel - Cleaned and bench-synced carbs. One was rebuilt with a k&l kit. Air screws set to 2.5 turns from bottom. All valves adjusted to meet spec. As I had tank removed (cleaned that too), I gravity fed with a water bottle and plugged the vacuum line.
Compression - I did not test this, but it ran last year.

Tried choke open and closed to same result, cranking about average; it isn't sluggish nor quick but engine doesn't start.

My next steps will be recharging battery, testing it while trying to start (under load), reconnecting the tank and using the vacuum on the petcock. I'm unaware if I'm appropriately supplying the fuel or it is flooding in some way and possibly that's why it's not starting, so I will hook the tank up and stand it up nearby. Borrowing a carbtune from a friend and plan to do that as well once I get it running.

My question is, is there anything I'm missing and am I on the right path? I really want to elevate my skills above spamming "cant start" threads.

[pdqford]

After trying to start it, I’d pull the spark plugs and see if they are wet with fuel or dry.
If dry you prolly have a fueling issues.
If wet with fuel prolly a spark issues.

Additionally, place the spark plug on the cylinder head with spark plug wire attached and try and start it.
If it throws a blue spark you prolly have a fueling issues.
If no spark you you have an ignition problem.

[rphillips]

Just wondering? Did you give it a shot of starting fluid?

[stossboss_gaming_and_news]

Just wondering? Did you give it a shot of starting fluid?

I gave that a few tries today along with my other additions, able to start for a couple seconds but battery quickly drained. Cranking at 10.4V which I imagine is low on the acceptable range.

[stossboss_gaming_and_news]

After trying to start it, I’d pull the spark plugs and see if they are wet with fuel or dry.
if dry you prolly have a fueling issues.
if wet with fuel prolly a spark issues.

additionally, place the spark plug on the cylinder head with spark plug wire attached and try and start it.
if it throws a blue spark you prolly have a fueling issues.
if no spark you you have an ignition problem.

When i tested spark initially it wasn't very blue, more orange than anything - and it was dusky out. I'll do the plug checks when it gets a little warmer out, the cold returned and i'm working outside

[rphillips]

No, 10.4 V is way below the acceptable range. If eng. starts and tries to run a few sec. on starting fluid, that's a strong indication your carbs are the problem. If carbs supply correct fuel, eng. will run on that fuel same as on starting fluid... As always just my opinion, I don't guarantee anything... keep us updated.

[stossboss_gaming_and_news]

Well it may be time for me to throw in the towel. 2 weeks and many a dollar on tools, chemicals, and parts later I'm actually at a worse place than where I started.

New battery, went through the carbs again and made 100% sure float height in spec, moving freely, no clogged passages, o-rings replaced (the only thing not replaced were those rubber caps but I soaked them to swell them up a bit). My non-homemade valve cover gasket and new half moons finally came in, so I replaced the homemade and old.

Primed, starter-fluid, choke engaged, ran for about 40 seconds but when I look at the tachometer it is no longer functioning... The only difference this time is that it idled longer and it "stumbled" and slowly failed instead of an immediate cutoff like previous attempts. But spark plugs appeared dry so most likely still a fuel delivery problem?

My fear is I did not seat the tach gear properly and I can only imagine the damage that can do, the whole valve cover was quite "wobbly" when installing, so I turned the tach gear a tiny bit and that fixed it - was that wrong to do? And suppose that I didn't shred anything more on the camshaft (when installing it was already a bit beat up, but it worked), I still cannot get this bike to idle and probably never will.

My final attempt, I will go through carbs again and check on the tach seating. If there is serious damage I know camshaft repair is far beyond my expertise when I cant do something as simple as getting the bike to idle. I'll either sell it, part it, or bring up to NY where I can work on it in a garage and have some family armchair mechanics to share the blame in further ruining this bike.

[Rich82GS750TZ]

You will often have to spin the tach drive worm gear to get gears to mesh, and for the the cover to plop down properly. All that sounds right. Without the tach cable connected, you should witness the flat tab of the drive gear spin when the engine is running. If it does, then you probably just didn't have the cable in properly at either end. But anything's possible, if your gears were chewed up to start with.

You should not need starting fluid to start the bike. I have never used it, even after 2 full top-end tear-downs and rebuilds. Priming the dry carbs for about 20 seconds, then back to ON should be sufficient to fill dry carb bowls. This, and the dry plugs leads me to believe that you do have a fueling problem, IMHO.

[stossboss_gaming_and_news]

You will often have to spin the tach drive worm gear to get gears to mesh, and for the the cover to plop down properly. All that sounds right. Without the tach cable connected, you should witness the flat tab of the drive gear spin when the engine is running. If it does, then you probably just didn't have the cable in properly at either end. But anything's possible, if your gears were chewed up to start with.

You should not need starting fluid to start the bike. I have never used it, even after 2 full top-end tear-downs and rebuilds. Priming the dry carbs for about 20 seconds, then back to ON should be sufficient to fill dry carb bowls. This, and the dry plugs leads me to believe that you do have a fueling problem, IMHO.

Thank you, drive tab was checked and spinning so at least it's not worst case scenario!

As for fuel delivery I may have possibly found an issue, my new vent tee o-rings were quite thin and it didn't fit together snugly (incredibly loose) when ganging the carbs, so I'm concerned air is leaking through and consequently the pressure is inadequate. I ordered some different ones to see if there's a difference. As I have never rebuilt carbs before I wasn't exactly sure how it should feel but it's the only thing I can think of at this point.

[rphillips]

"The whole valve cover was quite wobbly", that shouldn't happen. There's supposed to be a dowel in the bolt hole in the head for the front, far left and rear far right valve cover bolt. If I remember right those holes in the gasket may be slightly bigger. Wouldn't think damage to tach drive, unless you really over did something when it wasn't lined up, slight adj. to tach drive should let cover drop right on. If runs on fluid but not on carbs, let's see, must be something about carbs... Out here in the shade tree part of the world, we'd try starting fluid, with choke and a little throttle, then with starting fluid and no choke with a little throttle, just to see if it may possibly do something. Also may try with idle adjustment at different places, guessing you have no idea how hi or lo idle is set. Probably won't help, but what you got to lose?.. As he ^^^^^ said if everything is right it should do fine without fluid, but we're pretty sure something isn't fine.