Opening up my 83 650GL

[kerrfunk]

Hi, I'm Kerry, I post a lot in OT, I don't know much about the inside of a bike, but I had a friend's help today.

I bought my 650 on eBay last year and found out it was not a good buy. I thought it had just been neglected, but it's been abused. But this is my fourth GS and I want an L, I want a shaft, and I want a 650 or 750, so I have a good feeling about this bike.

My friend Carla came to spend the weekend to work on it.

After a bunch of jimmying we got the carbs out. There was algae inside #4, but the parts look like they'll clean up fine.



Carla noticed signs of a bad head gasket, so we tackled that next.



Got the cam shafts out (nothing remarkable there) and then we found TONS of SAND when we got the engine block out.

Click here for larger picture



Carla thinks everything will clean up okay, and this bike just needs some love.

One particularly interesting part is pictured below. That's exhaust #4, and what do you think is going on there? Carla thinks it's some kind of heat damage.

Click here for larger image

[Charlie G]

I'll follow along and see how you do on this, as someday I'll have to fix my head gasket.

cg

[tom203]

Sand ,algae ?? just where was this thing that you recovered ? The 650 shafties are really nice riding, plenty of power high and low (my only complaint is I wish it had 6 gears), so it's worth the effort. Plenty of them sitting around waiting for some tender loving revitalization even in my area
Here's an example languishing on CL maine for months- others will pop up once owners can see thru snowpiles

http://maine.craigslist.org/mcy/4396325226.html

[Steveb64]

I hate to say this Kerrfunk - but that poor bike looks like it's a dog (well, the engine at least). The sand is a REALLY bad sign - means it's prolly been ridden on the beach (any near you?) or the desert... off road... The leaking headgasket is another giveaway that it's probably been worked on by a novice (they don't often fail). A careless one at that. Same goes for that exhaust port pictured - it's had a beating. My guess is a loose pipe - as in the studs had/have dropped out, or have stripped out the thread (looking at the picture, the visible thread doesn't 'look' right) and fallen out - and been out for some time, allowing the top end of the header to vibrate around, creating that interesting looking 'pattern' on the inside of the flange, as well as breaking out the bit of flange.

It may be easier and cheaper for you to track down another engine, and recon that instead, using anything that's still usable on the current engine as 'donor' parts.

At the very least, spend a LOT of time checking things like bearings for free play and slop, as if that sand has gotten inside - it'll have done a lot of damage.

Good luck!

[tkent02]

I think that chunk broken out of the exhaust port in the head is from riding with the back of the mufflers unsupported, the head pipe levers on the top and side of the port and breaks it out. I've seen it before. Not a big deal in itself, the gasket surface is undamaged, just support the pipe bettter next time. If the bolt holes are stripped you can tap it for larger studs or use a Helicoil or one of the better brands.

The sand, it just piles up in between the cylinders and the head studs, it comes into the bolt holes from between the cooling fins, a lifetime of riding will pile up some junk no matter where you ride. It didn't get into the engine from there until you opened it up, it can't. There is always some crap in there, and usually a lot of rust from the steel studs too. It's hard to keep it from falling into the engine. Take the oil pan off, turn the engine over and wash the sand out from the bottom. You may want to split the cases to get it all out. Not a bad idea anyway just to see what's inside.

I'd say keep going on disassembly, check for more damage. There's nothing there yet that would preclude rebuilding it.

[coldwhiteguy]

Great pics

As a fellow 650gl owner I'm rooting for you, and really looking forward to seeing how your rebuild/replacement turns out.

[recycled64]

Great pic of the exhaust port, it looks like the outer metal band of the exhaust gasket is still in there, hopefully you caught that-

[kerrfunk]

Thanks for chiming in, folks. Carla took the carbs and the top of the engine block with her (she lives 5 hrs away) and will clean 'em up there. Probly come back in a month and we'll see what to deal with next.

Meanwhiles I'll do what I can with the parts I have.

I know I'll need a bunch of new gaskets, and she'll need some carb stuff before she comes back.

Oh yeah, since it'll be a few weeks before I see any progress on this, this thread might go silent for a while. I'll bring it back when there's new info.

And some of you probably know exactly what I need... so don't be silent

[kerrfunk]

Two years later, and this bike is rolling again. After taking it apart (as documented earlier in this very thread) it sat in my garage for a year and a half. GSRick noted my plight and offered to put the bike back together again, so I sent him the parts (including a new exhaust) and he cleaned and reassembled and sent it back, and I am on the road again, hallelujah.
1983 Suzuki GS650GL by Kerry Bart, on Flickr

[Wingsconsin]

Wow -- 2 years to be rescued ... but it's alive and back on the road ---
Persistence !