Putting a 80 GS850G engine on an 82 GS850G

[Anonymous]

After a long and brutal trip from Chicago to Mexico and back, the engine on my '82 Suzuki GS850G was pretty much shot. On ebay, I found another engine that came directly from an 80 GS850G, and thought that once the engine was mounted, we would be set - but then I realized that the 1980 engine was points, where the 82 was electronic.

The clymer manual appendix says that "the major change is the wiring from the signal generator to the igniter, and the test proedure for the signal generator and ignitor unit are different." So that must mean they're swappable.

We've already pulled the 82 and mounted the 80 engine, so once ignition systems are cleared, we're good to go! So here's my question.

QUESTION ONE:

On the 82 engine (see http://www.phiangels.com/visual/roni...e/IMG_0130.JPG), I struggled to get the signal generator screws off with some liquid wrench and a punch. But how do I get that damned flywheel off? You'll notice there's an allen wrench hole in the middle and a regular wrench head on the outside. I've held the outside while banging the allen wrench on the inside with a rubber mallet, but no go.

QUESTION TWO:

Once this thing is off, will it work on the engine that's already mounted (http://www.phiangels.com/visual/roni...e/IMG_0127.JPG)? I certainly hope so, but there doesn't seem to be anything online about such a conversion.

Thanks a million on this one. I've been stuck on my only ride for at least a week!

Cheers,

Ronin

[focus frenzy]

image not found!!!!

if the 82 850 is like the 1100 it has electronic advance.
the 80 850 has electronic ignition, the 79 has points, the electronic system used for 80 and 81 used the mechanical advance.

[SqDancerLynn1]

It may be a 79 engine if it has points, it will still work. Check your carb fit You may have to get the older slide type carbs. Or use your original cyl head

[Anonymous]

Links

Ah, those links included punctionation which was supposed to be part of the sentence. Here they are again:

1980(?):

http://www.phiangels.com/visual/roninengine/IMG_0127.JPG

1982:

http://www.phiangels.com/visual/roninengine/IMG_0130.JPG

First thing I have to do though, is get that ^&*ing flywheel off the 82!

Help Please!!!

[Anonymous]

image not found!!!!

if the 82 850 is like the 1100 it has electronic advance.
the 80 850 has electronic ignition, the 79 has points, the electronic system used for 80 and 81 used the mechanical advance.

Are they swappable?

What kind of work has to be done in order to ensure that the bike works correctly?

[SqDancerLynn1]

The 1980 pix IS not points It is the electronic ign You should be able to swap them

[bwringer]

I did the same thing -- my 1983 GS850G (same engine as the '82) is wearing a mostly 1980 engine.

You just have to remove the mechanical advance (the thingy in the middle) and replace it with the fixed rotor from the '82 engine. You also need to swap the plate with the pickups over. Everything just bolts into place with no other mods needed.

That allen head in the middle is a standard 8mm right-hand thread, in case you were wondering and/or need to give up and drill it out. It is not a left hand thread.

Also, I hope you have the driveshaft from the 1980 donor bike -- the spacing of the bolt holes on the 1982+ driveshafts is subtly different. Not enough so you can easily see the difference, but enough to drive you absolutely batty until you figure out why the %$#@! driveshaft won't bolt up. WHY? WHYYYYYYYY? Er, sorry. Traumatic memory there.

Hope that helps. The transplant is otherwide painless -- all the other wiring and other connections mate right up. Once installed, you just have to remember the clutch cover and valve cover gaskets are different.

[Anonymous]

uh oh.

I haven't gotten to that part yet...but it looks like there's another monster ahead with the driveshaft you're talking about.

I'm stuck with my old 82 shaft - is there any way to work around it?

We turned the thing around quite a bit, and it seems like they matched perfectly. But like you said, this may be where the problem comes from.

By the way, fogive the newbie question - but what does right-handed thread mean? Reverse threaded? I'm not familiar with the terminology (which also means that I shouldn't be doing this either...arg.

Thanks a million for your help, fellas. This job means a lot to me.

[bwringer]

Right-hand thread means a standard thread like everything else. You know, righty-tighty lefty-loosey. You turn it clockwise to tighten.

Left-hand threads are somewhat rare but sometimes used where rotation of a shaft might tend to unscrew the fastener. I don't know offhand if there are any lurking in GS engines.

Since you couldn't budge the allen head bolt in your crankshaft, I went out to the garage and verified that it was, in fact, a standard right-hand thread.

[SqDancerLynn1]

If the bolt pattern of the driveshaft matched the engine It should be fine I know the 1000 & 1100 use a larger bolt pattern. I alway thought the 850's were all the same. Right hand thread is just the standard, rt-tight/ left is loose

[LW_Icarus]

Before ya go nuts with the drill- take an allen wrench the right size to fit that bolt-

cut the "elbow" off the wrench. (if you have a good 3/8ths drive allen socket you can skip the tool making )

spray a little penetrant an the bolt if it looks like thatll help at all

insert long straight allen key in the bolt and tap it with a hammer. Id avoid beating it to death as the parts could be damaged, but a long series of solid raps with a light hammer will serve to loosen any rust/debris and break the adhesion of the bolt.

then, cut a chunk off that allen off or clean up the short chunk and get an impact driver. use a 3/8ths socket that fits the allen tightly, apply rotational pressure to the left on the impact driver and smack it a few times with the hammer.

if all that doesnt work out yer back to drilling but in my experiences that approach or variations saves alot of risky field repairs to threaded parts.