My GS is also running on only two cylinders. but...

[Guest]

It's the left two. I think I blew a head gasket between cylinders number three and four, since these pipes do not get hot.

The bike, a GS 1000 GL, is bone stock and has just 33k miles on it. I can't believe it and I am not happy about it (duh!)

Any thoughts, suggestions on what to do? (I'll probably pull the head off sometime in the next few days). Good place to get gaskets? (The dealer says that a new head gasket is about $75!)

Yeah, I know to make sure the head's mating surface is flat before putting it back on...

[Dave8338]

Have you run a compression test on it yet?

[Steve]

I would pull the drain plugs on carbs 3 and 4 to see if there is fuel in there before I would pull the head. 8-[

Even if there is fuel, I would check the carbs for fuel flow, and check the plug wires. Try swapping the plug leads to 1 and 4, and also 2 and 3. If the other two cylinders now get hot, it's the wires or caps. If no change, check the fuel. That is a LOT easier than just jumping to the head gasket. And, like Dave suggests...have you done a compression check?


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[GS850_Coug]

Along with fuel and compression there is one other component to internal combustion engines: spark. Check all the things posted previously and spark. Then repost your results and we can go from there.:-D

[highmileage]

Thanks guys. But before I posted I checked all of this. Plenty of gas in the float bowls and plenty of spark in all four.

Can't find my damn compression gauge (I haven't used it in decades), but cranking it with a finger over the plug hole it feels okay, not that means alot.

But since they're all getting spark and all the carbs have gas, and both right side cylinders had cool pipes while the other two were hot...

[GS850_Coug]

I wouldn't even start to suspect head gasket until you have verified it with the compression test. If you are certain that is the problem, there are kits available all over the internet....Bikebandit, ron ayers, ebay, etc. You could get a complete gasket set including valve seals for just about $10 more than your dealer is quoting.

[RobGS850L]

Cool pipes usually suggest something other than a head gasket (fuel,spark etc.). I think if it was a gasket and the pipes were cool that would mean that the cylinders in question would have to be sucking nothing but outside air and that would be a real noticeable leak I would think. Definately get the compression tester. I feel it may not be as bad as it seems right now. In other words it may be alot better than you may think.