What do I tackle first? 82GS1100GK

[Guest]

Well it's a GK but I've taken the fairing and bags off so I'm calling it a G (shaft) now. And I'm a total newbie... decent mechanical sense but I'm ignorant to many of the names of the parts I'm dealing with, so bear with me. I've also been studying the carb rebuild section for a while and lurking the Tech threads, so fortunately, I am somewhat prepared, but still befuddled by much of what I read because I lack much of the terminolgy...

First things first...

1. I'm removing the tank (which has some light interior rust) and cleaning it. I've had several suggestions on methods for doing this and any other opinions or things to watch out for would be great.

2. I still have to remove the rear mounts for the luggage. I noticed it's mounted behind the top mount for the shocks. At least the top part of the shock will need to be pulled loose in order to remove the mounts. What will happen when I do this? Am I in for any surprises or pitfalls?

3. Gas is leaking from carb #4 with the petcock ON and engine not running and hardly any gas in the tank. I realize a carb rebuild is in order, and I'm sure I can do it, but i'd like to get a little more experience before I start this process.

4. Oil is leaking from the gasket on the left side engine cover. I guess it's called the engine cover... it's the big one that has the Suzy stamp on it. Any resources out there that give detailed info on the actual technical terms for each of these common parts? As in more than "this the clutch lever, these are the handle bars, this is a wheel" but more about the engine and tranny and shaft stuff? I need to get my terminology up to speed... again.. any pitfalls I should expect here? Anything else to look for when this cover comes off?

Background of the bike... 26K miles and has sat garaged for about 2 years. It runs and sounds great on starting but the battery is dead and there was only a tiny bit of gas in it, so I don't know how well it runs. I haven't bothered putting fuel in it since I would rather start the cleaning process first anyway. No doubt I'll discover other issues along the way. i'll also need to make decisions about headlamps and rear turn signals, but since it won't be on the road for a good while, I can deal with that much later.

So... as a newbie with extremely limited funds but a whole lot of time... which projects would you suggest I begin first? Or simultaneously? Or to look for xxx while I'm doing xxx? Be sure to also change the xxx while doing xxx?

I'd have broken all of these questions down into separate smaller posts, but mostly what I want to get at right now is which things are best/easier to start with! THANKS!!

[chiphead]

Block the rear wheel up when you remove the top shock mounts. You may have to take the shock right off in order to get the top far enough out to remove the box mounts.

I'd clean the carbs first and get it running before you worry about oil leaks etc.

IMHO

Steve

[txironhead]

If the mounts are behind the shock, you will have to install washers when you remove the mounts to line the shocks back up. Not a big deal, take the mount off, take it to a hardware store, and buy enough washers to compensate for the thickness of the mount. I had to do this when I removed the "grab rails" from my bike.

My first bit of advice to a new mechanic, and it helped me out a great deal when I first started wrenching, is BUY A MANUAL. Clymer or Haynes is okay, but for a first timer that needs highly detailed step-by-steps, try to find a factory manual. Someone here can tell you where to get one or may have a spare, or, better yet, a copy on CD they can send so you can print out what you need as you go. If it gets greasy, print another one!

Basic carb rebuilding is not as daunting a task as it seems. Basically, you take it apart, clean everything, replace the gaskets/o-rings/whatever else came in the rebuild kits (which can be pricey), put it all back together and fine tune it. The tricky part comes when you have to rejet because of modifications like aftermarket exhaust, cams, pod filters, etc. (trust me, I'm in the process of learning this myself) The hardest part of a basic carb rebuild IMO is removing/reinstalling the carbs themselves.

For the tank, the POR-15 etching/lining kit is the way to go, apparently. It's had rave reviews here.

For the rest, welcome to the forum and welcome to wrenching! I have to admit that there's definitely satisfaction in doing the work yourself. It truly makes it YOUR bike. There's plenty of great people here who are more than willing to help you out if they can. You can find lots of great parts here, too. Remember, the only stupid question is the one that's not asked.

[marvinsc]

Shirley, A Necessary and Reasonably easy Task For a Bike that Has Sat is Changing Out All the Fluids, Engine Oil, Shock Oil, Brake Fluid. There Have been Numerous Threads on All of These Here. Good Luck on the Wrenching, You will be Surprised at How Soon Spring Will arrive while You are Busy Wrenching in the Winter!:-D

[Commodus]

1. I'm removing the tank (which has some light interior rust) and cleaning it. I've had several suggestions on methods for doing this and any other opinions or things to watch out for would be great.

Yep, the POR stuff is the way to go from what I hear...but I've used Kreem with good results.

2. I still have to remove the rear mounts for the luggage. I noticed it's mounted behind the top mount for the shocks. At least the top part of the shock will need to be pulled loose in order to remove the mounts. What will happen when I do this? Am I in for any surprises or pitfalls?

Well, the wheel is going to be unsupported. Easily enough avoided, just do one at a time and have the rear of the bike supported to easily get the shock on and off.

3. Gas is leaking from carb #4 with the petcock ON and engine not running and hardly any gas in the tank. I realize a carb rebuild is in order, and I'm sure I can do it, but i'd like to get a little more experience before I start this process.

Well, the petcock is probably leaking too. Just buy a new one, they're like $70, you can get 'em right from Suzuki and it's way less hassle than trying to rebuild em - which often doesn't work anyways.

4. Oil is leaking from the gasket on the left side engine cover. I guess it's called the engine cover... it's the big one that has the Suzy stamp on it. Any resources out there that give detailed info on the actual technical terms for each of these common parts? As in more than "this the clutch lever, these are the handle bars, this is a wheel" but more about the engine and tranny and shaft stuff? I need to get my terminology up to speed... again.. any pitfalls I should expect here? Anything else to look for when this cover comes off?

It's just a gasket. Do it when you change the oil, though, cuz you'll lose some oil. If you don't want to, you can prop the bike up so it leans off to the right, and you'll lose none or hardly any oil.

Background of the bike... 26K miles and has sat garaged for about 2 years. It runs and sounds great on starting but the battery is dead and there was only a tiny bit of gas in it, so I don't know how well it runs. I haven't bothered putting fuel in it since I would rather start the cleaning process first anyway. No doubt I'll discover other issues along the way. i'll also need to make decisions about headlamps and rear turn signals, but since it won't be on the road for a good while, I can deal with that much later.

So... as a newbie with extremely limited funds but a whole lot of time... which projects would you suggest I begin first? Or simultaneously? Or to look for xxx while I'm doing xxx? Be sure to also change the xxx while doing xxx?

Well, I think I'd do everything at the same time. The tank has to come off for the POR treatment, so that's a good time to replace the petcock, and while that's curing is a good time to remove those brackets and drain the oil/replace the gasket...

I'd have broken all of these questions down into separate smaller posts, but mostly what I want to get at right now is which things are best/easier to start with! THANKS!!

And for some reason this post is too short unless I add something here...

um...this forum really is a bit of a bear...

Good luck! And great choice of bike!

[Dink]

The first thing I would do is scrub the bike!!! get it clean. It makes it much easier to identify stuff, & it then isn't so grotty to work on.
Kreem seems to be very picky about everything being "just so" i.e. temperature etc. POR15 is much easier to use in the real world.
Change ALL fluids, in fact I would flush & change them, kerosene or diesel works well, use methylated spirit in the brakes.
Left hand side engine covers are; in line with the crank is the stator cover, behind that is the primary cover of the shaft drive.
Seperate and clean EVERY electrical connection on the bike.

Dink

[txironhead]

Does your bike have the @#$@#$ philips head screws on the engine parts or are you lucky enough to have the hex-head bolts? If you have the screws, do yourself a HUGE favor: go to Sears and buy a hand-impact driver with philips bits. Chunk all of the screws in the trash and replace them with allen head stainless bolts. I can send you the link if you need them, they're only $25 for the complete set delivered.

[MissFabulous]

Does your bike have the @#$@#$ philips head screws on the engine parts or are you lucky enough to have the hex-head bolts? If you have the screws, do yourself a HUGE favor: go to Sears and buy a hand-impact driver with philips bits. Chunk all of the screws in the trash and replace them with allen head stainless bolts. I can send you the link if you need them, they're only $25 for the complete set delivered.

Looks like mostly bolts so far, although I haven't gone over all of it and from removing the luggage and fairing, I've noticed the PO used some odd bolts and things here and there.

Thanks everyone with all of the suggestions. Tank is coming off, rear luggage mounts next, then I'll clean her up, start figuring out where all of the fluids are, drain and clean and get my head ready for the carbs, cleaning the electrical connections, with plenty more reading and searching between each step.

When I was a teenager, I helped a boyfriend rebuild the carb for his 72 Camaro... it was ages ago but I remember so much about it and it was one of those things that always stuck with me and fascinated me. I think it's having 4 of them to keep track of that makes doing this seem more daunting, but I'm going to do it! I'm pretty sure all the pipes and everything are stock, so hopefully it will be a standard experience. I don't have the factory manual yet, but a friend is sending me the carb section on CD.

Little by little, I will get through each step... I don't want to get in over my head, but I must say it's really tempting to strip it down to the frame (and repaint) and work my way back up. Not ready for that, yet, but this is why i'm glad that, after a summer of searching for a bike, I'm thrilled that I ended up with a GS - because of YOU guys!!!

Thanks a bunch!

[SkeletonLake]

First thing (imho) is flush all the old brake fluid and be sure the calipers move smoothly in the bores. I would also rebuild the master cylinders iof iot sat for two years, I would expect to see rust in the piston bores. As I've accumulated more grey hair, have come to appreciate all the other stuff doesn't matter much if you can't stop. New brake lines too. Sounds like a nice bike by the way.

[txironhead]

I think it's having 4 of them to keep track of that makes doing this seem more daunting,

Believe it or not, it makes it a bit easier, especially if you don't seperate the bodies. If you're really worried about how it all goes together, having at least one assembled carb as a reference helps. If you do take the carbs off of the rack, you can still rebuild them one at a time. If you go that route, take the time to dip them in carb dip (Berryman's is recommended), you'll be glad you did. Here's a link that made the entire process much simpler for me:

http://www.thegsresources.com/gs_carbrebuild.htm

Oh, and if you're still nervous about how things go back together, grab a Polaroid or a digital camera and take a ton of pics. I used to get such strange looks from the people at the Wal-Mart photo lab......

There's also someone here that sells the o-rings for your carbs much cheaper than you can normally find them (IF you can find them, they don't come in some kits).

For the record, I am not a pro at GS's or carbs in general. I am just passing on the knowledge that was handed to me by people in the know who have helped me try to get my bike on the road.

Payin' it forward, people.

[Dink]

When you are ready to strip the carbs, be sure to have four containers available, number them from one to four, then if a screw, washer jet pivot shaft .float etc comes out a carb it goes into that carbs container.
Be VERY strict about what comes out of one carb goes back into the same carb. BTW small ice cream containers or butter containers are perfect.

Dink

[MissFabulous]

When you are ready to strip the carbs, be sure to have four containers available, number them from one to four, then if a screw, washer jet pivot shaft .float etc comes out a carb it goes into that carbs container.
Be VERY strict about what comes out of one carb goes back into the same carb. BTW small ice cream containers or butter containers are perfect.

Dink

Good thinking - thanks! When I look at the carb series on the home page, I thought it was cool that they write the number son them with a marker, but I figure that will come off in the cleaning, and the egg carton suggestion for the little bits seemed too iffy - one little bump and the little bits will get scattered.

Are there any items that should NOT go into the soak bins? Ideally I'd like to put everything from each into the same bin. Guess I also need to figure out which Ts get grouped with which carb... I can be methodical when I set my mind to it and I know here I have to be... while removing the much less complicated touring gear, I already got confused about which bolts cam eoff of what, within minutes!!!

Oh, a single carb would be so much easier!!!

[txironhead]

Only metal pieces should go into the dip. O-rings, plastic parts, etc. should be removed, although I read here somewhere that there is a nylon sleeve in the carb body somewhere that is not harmed by dip. Also, you should get some spray carb cleaner to blow out the ports in the carb bodies if you don't have an air compressor. A compressor (even a small one) and a "blow gun" do a much better job.


I may not know that much about jetting, but I've cleaned a lot of stock carbs. The main thing is to get them as clean as possible.

[Dink]

Do not put plastic or rubber parts into the dip, put the fuel tubes in with whichever carb they stick to when you seperate them off the rack.

Dink

[UncleMike]

I like to use old egg cartons for my carbs. Easy to label and separate.

But if you ask me what you should do first, you might want to think about checking your valves. I heard it helped someone on this site once.*