Would someone please help me?

[ooqueso]

I'm extremely discouraged at the moment. Every time I go to do anything to this bike, I find something completely different from my GS500, and have no clue what to do. I searched the forums, and I can't seem to find a simple explanation on how to remove the gas tank without losing all the gas in it in the process.

I don't know where the oil on my engine is coming from, I don't know what the strange rubbing noises are when I push the bike, I don't know how to find the answers to my questions, and I don't know what the deal is. CA bikes are expensive, so I still feel I got a pretty decent deal seeing as the bike runs, but I simply don't have the knowledge to tackle these issues it has.

I'm willing to trade way down for a bike that doesn't need any work, willing to pay gas for someone to come out and help, but not willing to go deep into debt to have a mechanic repair a bike that is older than I am.

I got the intake boot o-rings, and have the carb o-ring set on the way in the mail, and will be ordering the tach seals from a nearby dealership. I have a good set of tools, and no problems tackling an issue so long as I know how to do so. If I can't get it running soon I will be up a creek without a paddle.

Would anyone have the heart to stop by Long Beach and help me out?

[Dave8338]

Would love to but Minnesota is more that an hour away...sorry. If you have some skills, these are fairly easy bikes to work on, it's just knowing what to look for, and that is why you're here. Having said that, start with a full description of your bike, its list of issues and let us sort out the order of opperations so that you're not doing things twice or buying parts that you don't need. :-D

[ooqueso]

I'll do my best at a full description...

First, the gas tank - I don't see anywhere to stoop the petcock. I have fuel, and prime. And it looks like I need a screwdriver to turn it either way. I have one bolt holding on the gas tank, and only see one tube coming from the gas tank - which apparently leaks. So, looks like I'll be getting some fuel line, as well.

Under the cylinder heads, around the exhaust pipes, there is just oil all over. Right now I don't have a hose, and I don't want to steal the neighbors to rinse it off well, and wiping it off doesn't seem to do much good.

When I push it, I hear strange little "zing" type sounds that I'm guessing are speedo related. It also reeks of gas every time I move it.

I've come to the conclusion that I got thoroughly f****d over, and that I don't know anywhere near as much about working on bikes as I had hoped.

[chuckycheese]

Too bad!

I'm sorry to hear that you have problems but I feel sure you'll get it worked out. The best thing to do is try to tackle one problem at a time. If you look at each one individually, I don't think you'll be too discouraged.

You can take your gas tank off by shutting off the fuel at the petcock, taking off the bolt next to the seat and disconnecting the fuel line. There's also an overflow tube but it will simply slide out when you remove the tank. (You'll also need to disconnect the wires that go to the gas gauge.)

If oil is all over your engine, there's a good chance it's coming from the valve cover gasket. You'll probably want to change it anyway since adjusting your valves would be a good idea (and not hard to do). You can shoot some degreaser on the engine and get it at least partially cleaned up...this will make it a little easier to figure out where oil is leaking from.

If something is rubbing....that's not good, but not necessarily a big deal. However, you've got to get that figured out right away since it could be dangerous. sit down next to your bike and look at it very carefully; you may be able to see the problem. If not, push it slowly and have someone help you determine where the noise is coming from. I think you'll find it within a minute or two.

We've got a number of people down there (Keith, Lynn and others?) and I'll bet someone will be glad to help you with the things that you need assistance with. Good luck and don't be discouraged!

[chuckycheese]

Also

You've got the famous 1980 petcock....you can take a screwdriver and turn the white part in order to shut off the gas. Those petcocks are fraught with trouble and often leak. Switching it out will cost a few bucks but it's not hard to do. It may not be necessary but my guess is that it will be.

Unscrew the speedometer and see if the noise stops. If it does, lube the cable and try again. (If it doesn't stop, lube the cable anyway.)

[ooqueso]

Alright, then... First goal will be to fix the big leak. Valve cover gasket shouldn't be too hard, I did the valve shims on my GS500 with no problem. What all should I do while I have the valve cover off? Or rather, what all can I do with basic tools? I don't have, nor can I afford a set of shims. Man I wish I had a garage and a lot more time for this.

What kind of petcock should I look for to replace my infamous 1980 version?

If I can get this bike running well, I will be so psyched. I really like it, but because of the commute I intend to use it for, I need it to be in good shape!

[chuckycheese]

No shims

Your bike doesn't have shims so adjusting the valves will be a breeze as a result. I would suggest you get a Pingel petcock. Do a search and you'll find scads of information including which model to get. I wrote about 5 or 6 of them and a number of other people have, as well. However, I don't think I'd sink any money into the petcock until I found out about the extent of the other problems.

[ooqueso]

Alrighty... You think the valves would be the best place to start? I suppose I could do the carbs and tach at the same time without much problem...

[chef1366]

If he has an 80 GS1000G it has shims. It is an eight valve motor.
Do a search for gerogefix on ebay and get a new 80 petcock. This is not an option. Just do a search for petcocks and you'll see why. Valve cover gaskets are really easy. Don't sweat that one. If I were you I'd get a Clymers manual because they cover most of your questions with pictures and everything.
Your rubbing sound is probably the brake pads on the rotors. If the wheels spin freely I wouldn't worry about it. Can you locate the origin of the rubbing sound?

[TireSmoke]

If you have a vacuum operated petcock it should not leak at all when the engine is off. If it does, its toast. try oldbikeparts.com

The "zing" sound you get could be from a warped brake rotor. To find the oil leak, it would help if you clean the engine with a cleaner like orange fantastik. Ride for a few miles to get the engine up to temp, then see if you can locate the source of the leak. Valve cover & head gaskets tend to be common culprits. Hope this helps.

Paul

[Nessism]

Does the bike run well enough to get to Torrance? If so, I can help you Sunday afternoon. Please let me know.

Ed
310-782-8227

[ooqueso]

Yeah, I could make it to Torrance! Gerogefix and what I thought might be possible variations on gerogefix brought nothing up on ebay.

[relic-rider]

It is his seller name Georgefix. Here is a link to his auctions:

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZgeorgefixQQhtZ-1QQfrppZ50QQfsopZ2QQfsooZ2QQrdZ0?

[Reddawg]

oil leak

hey, glad to see 80gs1000g owners, I love mine, mines down too but it's definately worth the effort. I also had an oil leak and it turned out to be the tach gear o-ring or seal. It was cake to fix. It can leak alot of oil as well. Just a suggestion. How bout some pix when u get a chance.
I commuted with mine for a year before I started mods on it. I also have gas leaking badly through the #4 carb but I think it's because of the petcock so I bought a new stock one. I probably could have gotten one cheaper aftermarket but I went stock anyway. You'll fall in love with this site as well as your bike in a short amount of time.
:-D

[chef1366]

Sorry, I spelled it wrong