In over my head??? Help Please!

[B Evil]

Ok, she is a 1981 GS 550 L and there's quite a few things I have planned for her during the off season. Here is a link to a previous thread of what's planned. http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=118950

Or the short version

New Petcock
Carb Rebuild thanks cyclerorings.com
New Intake Boot O-rings and bolts
Valve Adjustment
Carb Synch
Oil Change
Oil/Air Filter Change
New Spark Plugs

And Recently Added
New Tires
New Battery

Here's the thing, I realized the tires had a little dry rott and a few cracks in the side walls and wanting to be able to roll her around the garage with ease while she's being worked on, I used a little fix-a-flat (yeah, I know not good). Just so you know, I have no intention of riding on these tires. To make sure the fix-a-flat sealed, I had to clean the plugs up to start her up and get the wheel spinning. Well I pulled the plugs and they were pretty bad to say the least. I did have problems at first getting her going, so she was flooded out and all the plugs reeked of gas, but they also had a little bit of oil on them. I might be able to do some routine maitnance here and there, but I'm not a mechanic by any means. What issues am I looking at now with oil on the plugs? Could this actually be the gunk from the cyclinder walls from using seafoam? I haven't rode her since then so that's what I'm hoping this is.

Ok, so after this, I got her going, filled the tire and then rolled her to an open area to start dismantalling her. I noticed the Air Intake Box boots weren't completely sealed around the carbs. This probably had something to do with her horrible preformance among other things right? Well, I got the carbs pulled off and was feeling real ambitious so I decided to go after those pesky intake boot bolts. I've heard these have given quite a few of you fits and ended up having to use a dremell with a cut off wheel to make it a flat head screw. Well my dremell is broke thanks to a friend not knowing how to use it so I decided to takle these with the Suzuki supplied tool kit. I got thru 7 of 8 breaking them loose, but there is one that's really in there and started to round off. Any tips to get her out?

I haven't tore into the carbs yet, but that is coming very soon. One question I had before was about burnt, stuck, or bent valves and how I would know if I had one. A compression test was recommended but I'm guessing this is something you do the the bike put together correct? Any other way to check for a bad valve without taking the head off? I'm hoping I can get by with just adjusting them under the valve cover but I guess we'll wait and see.

As always, any help from all you GSperts is greatly appreciated and I'm sure there will be more questions to follow once I get tearing into the rest of this.

Thanks,
Bradley

[chiphead]

IMHO:
Don't worry about a little oil on the plugs until you get everything else in order.
Use a chisel from the side on the stuck intake boot screw to dig into the outside portion of the screw in the proper direction to loosen it.
Compression test is ideally done on a warm motor with the intake tract in proper shape and the throttle held wide open.

[Nessism]

One trick to getting the boot screws out is to take the outer screw out with vice grips and then try to spin the entire boot to crack the inner screw loose. Worked for my 550 but not on my 850. It's worth a try anyway.

Oil and gas on the plugs is no concern at this point since you haven't even gotten the bike up and running. Wait to pass judgment. Regarding the valves, do your adjustment and see where they are; bent valves are very rare but you are likely to find some of them overly tight - you will need a few smaller shims.

Good luck.

[B Evil]

I tried the spin trick but didn't seem to break her loose. I know the 1 and 2 are different from the 3 and 4 intake boots but are they all different? I was only planning on having one off at a time to make sure I don't mix them up. The stuck bolt is on the inside of the number 4 boot and I have number 3 off right now so I might try spinning it again since I should be able to go full rotation with number 3 off, right?

Thanks for the advice so far. I seen where some of you were talking about using zip ties for adjusting valves. I know this probably isn't ideal but if it works just as well as buying a $20 tool could someone explain this a little more? If it doesn't work as well I guess I'll just fork over the extra dough. Thanks again -Bradley

[mark]

Ok, so after this, I got her going, filled the tire and then rolled her to an open area to start dismantalling her. I noticed the Air Intake Box boots weren't completely sealed around the carbs. This probably had something to do with her horrible preformance among other things right? Well, I got the carbs pulled off and was feeling real ambitious so I decided to go after those pesky intake boot bolts. I've heard these have given quite a few of you fits and ended up having to use a dremell with a cut off wheel to make it a flat head screw. Well my dremell is broke thanks to a friend not knowing how to use it so I decided to takle these with the Suzuki supplied tool kit. I got thru 7 of 8 breaking them loose, but there is one that's really in there and started to round off. Any tips to get her out?

You did well for 7 of 8 to break loose. The standard tool to go after those 6mm screws is an impact driver. if you don't have one, get one, they aren't that expensive. Soak the stubborn screw in PB blaster for a day or two and then try that. If you round off the Philips head, you can try vice-grips on it or making the "flat head" screw thing with a dremel.

If all else fails, drill them out. Actually this is my FIRST choice with with stubborn Philips head screws, since I usually replace them all with hex-head screws anyway, but try other ways first if you must. Put a bit on your drill slightly larger than the shaft of the screw (you can check with the ones you've already taken out) and slowly drill into the head. Take it easy and the head will pop right off. Take the boot off and then you'll have a piece that's easy to get a vice grips on. Soak it good in PB blaster first.

If you strip the thing, then you'll have to heli-coil it. But that isn't too bad either.

Sounds like you're doing O.K. so far. Just don't panic or get too impatient and in the end you'll be fine.

Replace with 6mm hex-head screws!

[Nessism]

There is not a lot of room to swing a hammer if using an impact on carb boot phillips head screws. Spinning the boot works some times. If you must use the impact, taking out the air box is required - easy on the larger bikes but more work on a 550. Maybe you could spin the boot enough to get some vice grips on the screw?

Good luck.

[Dave8338]

Try tapping on the boot with a small hammer in a counter clockwise rotation. The quick jarring of the hammer seems to loosen the screw better than just rotating the boot by hand. Also you can try tapping lightly on the screw head itself...this often helps to loosen the little buggers. Then when you replace them, go with the torx head or allen head replacement. You are planning to replace the boot O-rings, correct?

[TheCafeKid]

Whatever you do, DONT use pliers to rotate the boot. I made that mistake on a motor i didnt end up using, but i dont think it did the boot any good. Left some nasty teeth marks in it, and may have torn thru.

[B Evil]

Ok using a little tap work with the chisel I was able to get the last bolt free. BUT . . . I accidentally chipped away some of the black coating on the mounting ears or flanges, whatever you want to call them. Do I need to replace the boot or should she be ok? The rubber on all four look great for being a 20+ year old bike but it was only this one that I chipped away some of the coating. What do you guys think? Will she be alright?

[Nessism]

Should be fine as long as the damage is on the outside.