shim size all over the place.....

[tkent02]

Check that the valves themselves seal too. It's easy to do.

[chuck hahn]

YUP...its apart so put as much new in now and be done for the next 20 years is good advice. May not "need it" but like Steve says..1,000 miles from now you may have a differing i!!!!

[chuck hahn]

I wasnt the first to diagnos it...I simply agreed with them.

[Chopperjake]

okay, okay, I'm still listening.

I thought about doing the valve seals but feel a little bit in over my head. The manual from BikeCliff (http://www.mtsac.edu/~cliff/storage/...ice_Manual.pdf) (approx page 67) had me worried when it's talking about "valve guide removal" and "reamer" and such.

But are you just saying to swap out the seals (http://www.z1enterprises.com/ItemDet...em=KL14-6386-1) but not the guides?

I was just afraid that if I removed the valve to change the seals then it may not seat back down right and I really feel out of my league with "valve lapping" or whatever.

Think as long as I put the same valve back in the same spot it will seat fine?

And, do you think these are better?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Suzuki-GS750-GS850-GS1000-GS1100-VITON-Valve-seals-set-of-8-/120999388256?hash=item1c2c202460&vxp=mtr

(my gasket kit from Z1 ( http://www.z1enterprises.com/ItemDet...&item=MAGK1295) (which I'm not even sure is OEM, although some people like the Vesrah ( http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...ght=z1+gaskets ) didn't come with the seals, and I know some people like these on ebay vs the Z1 ones above.

(man, if i keep listening to you guys, before I know it I'll have a bored-over, nitrous-injected dragbike putting out 200 Horsepower....)

[tkent02]

But are you just saying to swap out the seals (http://www.z1enterprises.com/ItemDet...em=KL14-6386-1) but not the guides?

Yes, very easy to do and once you do one it's the same thing seven more times. No big deal. No special skills or tools required really.

I don't think it matters which you use, any stem seals are probably fine, but the original Suzuki ones are still going strong on most of these bikes. Sitting unused for decades dries them out, then they crack and crumble.

The gaskets I'd use the OEM ones on anything like a base or head gasket where if it leaks it's a lot of work to fix. Clutch cover or whatever, use whatever you want, if it eventually leaks it's no big deal to fix.

[chuck hahn]

I wouldnt worry about the guides like Tom says. I squeeze the sides of the seals a tad with needle nose pliers and give a twisting pull and theyn usually pop right off the guides. Just be sure the guide tops and the groove the seals snap into are clean and free of stuck on old rubber. Some hemostats with a green dish scrubbie patch and acetone will take any stuck on crap off. Little wipe of oil on the top of the guide and push the new seals on with your thumb.

If they give you fits getting them on the guide, then get a socket that fits over them but rides on the metal rim and use that and a short extension as a toll. Little tap with a hammer on the extension and they go on. I always give them a little turn to be sure they are seated well in the groove too.

Little oil on the top of the stem as you insert the valve and turn it as you are going thru the new seals. This will spread the seals rubber and keep you from damaging the surfaces as the valve passes thru.

[chuck hahn]

And yes on putting them back in the same spots. I take valves out from the intake side first and just one at a time. Take intake 1 out and run it on the wire wheel to get the carbon off. Permanent marker and mark the face of the valve I 1. Then do I 2 and so on.

[cowboyup3371]

Check Basscliff's site for a Valve lapping guide that Steve and I put together