smoking gs1000e

[DAVE]

ive finally got my gs up and running but its smoking.
the bike had stood in a garage for years before i aquired it.
now its running quite nice apart from the smoke.
any advise would be appreciated.
thanx dave

[Anonymous]

Where's the smoke coming from?

Michael

[skip]

If it smokes on idle and gets worse under acceleration its probably rings. It very well could be a frozen oil ring. if it smokes worse when you first start it then goes away when its hot its valve guides, If its a stuck oil ring try filling the cylinder up with marvel mystery oil and letting it sit overnight with the plugs out. start it and if it does not smoke change your oil before you drive it.

[focus frenzy]

yes a ring could be stuck, but it is strongly posible that the bike was parked back then because it was smoking due to worn rings and cylinders.

how many miles are on it, and how mutch of the bikes history do you know?

[saaz]

The conditions under which it is smoking will give an idea. My GS1000 was due for a rebuild at 70,000kms, worn rings. Probably due to no oil cooler and a sports full fairing (ie lack of cooling). If it is around that age, probably rings. The valve guide seals get hard with age as well. Mine still has good compressions etc, but uses a little oil, I think due to old valve stem seals (rebuilt in the mid 80s)

[DAVE]

smoking gs1000e

the bike has 40k on the clock.
i have no real history of the bike except that it had been stored as the owner went to work away from home and was basicaly forgot about till earlier this year when they had a clear out due to getting divorced.
i have run the bike in my yard for about 30 mins and it runs ok starts every time with no probs and revs up ok.
when the bike gets warm there seems to be quite a lot of smoke / steam coming from the air box, could this just be condensation???
thanx dave

[Anonymous]

Re: smoking gs1000e

the bike has 40k on the clock.

when the bike gets warm there seems to be quite a lot of smoke / steam coming from the air box, could this just be condensation???
thanx dave

This is crankcase compression. I'd say your rings are worn and the combustion compression is blowing past them into the crankcase, and the smoke is coming up through the crankcase vent on top of the cam cover, and through the airbox.

Take the vent tube off the airbox and hold your thumb over it. You will probably feel the pulses of the motor - and your thumb will get a little greasy from the burning oil.

If it is "only" steam, it is another indication that your rings are worn. The steam is the result of burning hydrocarbon fuels and the motor is still cool enough for it to condense rather than escape unnoticed.

You probably also have hardened valve guide seals by this time. This will show up with extra smoke from the exhaust on start-up after sitting for a while, especially on the side-stand.

Welcome to the "it's time to change the rings and seals" club. Membership is free, but it's kind of costly to leave the club.

If you change the rings, remember to have the bores honed.

Kim

[DAVE]

smoking gs1000e

thanx for your help / advise.
can i buy the rings seperatly or do i have to buy new pistons as well???

[Anonymous]

Re: smoking gs1000e

thanx for your help / advise.
can i buy the rings seperatly or do i have to buy new pistons as well???

You buy rings in a set without pistons. Have a mechanic check the condition of the cylinders before you buy the rings, he will tell you if it needs a light hone or a more significant bore, and perhaps oversize rings. I don't know how Suzuki does its oversize rings and pistons. Sometimes you need both to go oversize, sometimes you can do the oversize rings with original pistons.

Here in Australia a set of rings is about $260 and the valve guide seals are about $70 a set. Add in a new head and base gasket set and the money is adding up. I've got to take my motor apart this week for all this, so I'm not looking foward to it.

Kim

[DAVE]

smoking gs1000e

any chance you can nip over here to the uk and do mine when youve finished yours. the weathers quite nice at the moment and i have 4 cases of cold beer in the celler.

[Anonymous]

Re: smoking gs1000e

any chance you can nip over here to the uk and do mine when youve finished yours. the weathers quite nice at the moment and i have 4 cases of cold beer in the celler.

In the cellar? That's not cold beer. :-)

I lived in Exeter for a few years in the '80s, and even got to like the local beer when it was pulled from a wooden keg sitting on the bar.

And it's about time we got back to The Ley Arms (built 1170 AD as I recall) our favourite pub - so with a bit more than 4 cases you might be able to entice me over there again. Rings might even be cheaper there so I guess I should bring the GS as well.


Kim

[DAVE]

smoking gs1000e

my celler is very cold and i mite throw in a bottle of scotch too.

[skip]

Re: smoking gs1000e

my celler is very cold and i mite throw in a bottle of scotch too.

Ahhh isn't bribery a wonderful thing?

[DAVE]

smoking gs1000e

i may even throw in a barbi or 2 if the weather stays like it is now.
infact we are all going out to a barbie later

[Anonymous]

So now we have four cases of beer, one bottle of scotch, a couple of BBQ lunches. Isn't there someone who can talk this guy up for me?

So far we've got the tools out of the shed, the tank and seat off, started on the air box, and the beer has run out, the scotch is half gone and we're getting hungry again. :-)

Kim