Top end rebuild.....

[Chris Daniel]

Well, my 1983 GS650GD is up for a topend. It has had a headgasket leak since I got it......but it has recently gotten quite a bit worse. Also, the cam end plug on the front right is leaking oil at a pretty heavy rate. Anyway, all this is leading up to me taking and rebuilding the topend.

I work at a machine shop so, I am going to completely redo the head (valvejob, guides, mill, etc etc), and while I am at it I am going to hone the cylinders and rering it (hopefully I wont need new pistons). She has 30,000 miles on her, so might as well.

Anyway, my quetion is this: Where is the best place to get EVERY gasket that I need, along with rings, and anything else that I will need on this adventure? I want to try and minimize my down time as best as I can as this is my primary mode of transportation, so I was just going to try and get everything I need to begin with.

I will surely be asking questions along the way, but this will get me started.

Thank you very much in advance.

[RacingJake]

Check with your local Suzuki or Bike bandit, even Schnitz Racing for pricing on the Web.

[SqDancerLynn1]

Gasket sets are available http://www.partsnmoreonline.com./
The valves seats can be recut, but the valves should be replaced if they need reconding. If you regrind the valves the factory hardening of the valve face is lost & will result in short life

[Chris Daniel]

Well, after much concideration. I have decided to simply replace the head gasket, and replace the cam cover gasket along with the little half moons.

The bike runs great, doesnt smoke, doesnt miss or do anything wierd, so I dont want to over complicate the matter. That and I fear going any farther would result in spending alot more money than I currently have, plus alot more time that is getting expensive due to driving my gas hogging truck everyday.

Sooo, who makes the best headgasket? Who sells the little half moons?

Are there any other gaskets I am going to need?(headgasket, camcover gasket, halfmoons,.....anything else?)

Is there anything to look out for etc etc etc?

This is my first time to tear a head off a motorcycle so any help or foreseeable pitfalls would help alot.

Thanks.

[Guy]

What sort of mileage? Do a compression check before you tear into anything to determine if the engine's going to need any other attention.
If you're just replacing the head gasket, you can decoke the piston crowns and combustion chambers, but be careful. If you break the seal on the base gasket in the process, you'll create LOTS of extra work for yourself.

[Chris Daniel]

30,000 on the milage with very stringent maintenence from me and the previous owner.

I was planning on doing that.

I have full hopes that I can do all of this without ticking off the base gaskets......


Would I be better off replacing them too, or can I get by with just the headgasket?

[Poot]

Well, after much concideration. I have decided to simply replace the head gasket, and replace the cam cover gasket along with the little half moons.

The bike runs great, doesnt smoke, doesnt miss or do anything wierd, so I dont want to over complicate the matter. That and I fear going any farther would result in spending alot more money than I currently have, plus alot more time that is getting expensive due to driving my gas hogging truck everyday.

Sooo, who makes the best headgasket? Who sells the little half moons?

Are there any other gaskets I am going to need?(headgasket, camcover gasket, halfmoons,.....anything else?)

Is there anything to look out for etc etc etc?

This is my first time to tear a head off a motorcycle so any help or foreseeable pitfalls would help alot.

Thanks.

Good Choice.

Im gonna be replacing my headgasket this winter, but I dont think I will be doing anything like that, as the bike ran well beforehand. Its now got 65 000 km on it.


Unless its a good idea to do something?




POOT



POOT

[Chris Daniel]

Just from my point of view.

I think since it is running good already, there is no need for me to mess with a good thing.

I am still looking for info on this subject BUT, I think I can replace the headgasket without distrubing the base gakset(s), if I am careful........Am I correct on this?

Also, I am assuming that all the gaskets that I will need are the headgasket, cam cover gasket, and the little half moons?.....Again, am I correct on this?

Should I just buy a gasket kit for 70-100 bucks......or can I get just the gaskets I need for cheaper?

I just want to use good quality gaskets and do this right.

Thanks again.

[bwringer]

Vesrah gaskets are very nice quality, and I've used them several times with no problems. To me, they often seem to be better quality than the Suzuki parts.

There's another brand you see on eBay called Athena that's not quite as good. I've used them, and I didn't have any problems or leaks, but I had to trim and modify several gaskets slightly because they didn't quite fit correctly.

The "complete" kits for either brand are certainly not complete -- they omit seals and gaskets for the cam chain tensioner and tach drive, and they normally do not include intake boot o-rings.

If you're removing the head, you MUST replace the base gasket, along with the oil passage o-rings and the cylinder liner o-rings. It's an old, brittle gasket, and no matter how careful you are, the block will shift just a tiny bit when you remove the head. After that, the old gasket and the o-rings won't seal again. Besides, you're 99.9% of the way there -- how are you saving any effort by skipping the last step?

If you want to save money, you could just quickly and lightly flex-hone the cylinders, slap on new rings and bolt it all back together. I doubt that new pistons or boring are needed with only 30,000 miles.

Some penniless souls have also gotten away with simply leaving the old rings in place and replacing the block without any sort of honing. YMMV -- sometimes the old rings will seal and go on about thier business as if nothing had happened. Sometimes they won't.

[Chris Daniel]

Very good advice......

Where can I get a full set of the above gaskets, so that I can do all of the above?

Where can I get rings? Any machine work I can take care of. I just need the proper.....and quality parts to do it right.

Thank you for the above, and in advance.

[xifer]

If you're removing the head, you MUST replace the base gasket, along with the oil passage o-rings and the cylinder liner o-rings. It's an old, brittle gasket, and no matter how careful you are, the block will shift just a tiny bit when you remove the head.

Oh? Uhm, maybe I've got the wrong end of the stick, by 'base gasket'
do you mean the gasket between the cylinders base and the block?

Because if you do, I've replaced just the head gasket on my GS
with no problems from the rest of the engine. TBH, I really didn't
see the need and on other engines (ok car engines) I've had the top
off I've only ever had to do the head gasket.

[Chris Daniel]

Well, I ordered a complete engine gasket set for my bike from Dennis Kirk. The gaskets are Versah, they were highly recommended over the Athenas more than once, they were a bit more expensive but so be it.

I will go on ahead and do the base gaskets as well just so I dont have to take it apart twice when they begin leaking (because with my luck....they will). I am going to also check the cylinders for any wear, if there is none to very very little, then I am going to leave it alone and put it back together. If there is any unusual wear, then I will hone and rering.

This will also give me a chance to check valve clearance, carb boots, and some other maintenece items.

Thanks for the input, I will be asking more questions if I run into a stumbling block during this process.

[LW_Icarus]

good call on replacing all the gaskets. imagine how frustrating itd be if you got it all together and the base gasket leaked. then youd get to buy another gasket set and start over.

I very lightly honed my cylinders and threw new standard rings in as well, and they sealed up perfectly. (that was the problem that made me pull it apart)

[bwringer]

Some folks have gotten away with replacing head gaskets without replacing the base gasket. Some others have not.

I think it's silly to take the chance -- you're 99.9% of the way there, not even any more bolts to remove, and somehow replacing the base gasket is too hard? Granted, getting the pistons back in the block is a little tricky, but certainly not worth the risk of a nasty leak and having to do the whole thing over again.

It's also important to replace the oil passage o-rings and the large o-rings around the bottom of the cylinders. These are most certainly hard and waiting to crack after 25+ years.

If you have more time than money, then it might make sense to gamble on keeping the old piston rings and/or not honing the cylinders, especially on a low-mileage engine.

My personal feeling is that you should at least install new piston rings and lightly hone the cylinders. There's no need for anything fancy or expensive -- I use a flex-hone (about $25) and a low rpm cordless drill, which is a pretty cheap and foolproof way to get a nice, consistent finish.

[Chris Daniel]

Where do you get your rings from?

I really wouldnt mind, its just that it doesnt smoke, use oil, or anything of the sort. So I am hesitant to mess with a good thing.

Like I said, the machine work isnt a problem, that is what I do for a living.

My only problem is money at this point is very tight, and the longer it is down the more money I have to spend on gas for my fuel hungry truck .

Thanks again.