1979/1980 Parts Interchange

[uudfourty]

Will the transmission for a 1980 GS550 work in a 1979 engine? My guess is that it will, but I have no way of knowing.

The 79 has a kickstarter. Don't know if that makes any difference, but it does.

I have a chance to buy a whole trans assembly off of an 80. The 79 engine I have got dumped pretty well and the shift rod that sticks out of the engine got the crap bent out of it. Won't shift up past second, and it's a trick to get it that far.

[Nessism]

Not sure about the internal transmission parts but you can check at Bike Bandit, Alpha Sport, or any other on-line parts listing to see if the part numbers match between the two years.

Regarding the problem you describe, a bent shift lever, including the long rod inside the engine, can be changed without touching the actual transmission gears or splitting the engine cases. You need to pull off both the drive sprocket engine cover and the clutch cover. After the clutch cover is off you need to remove the clutch basket which will allow access to the shift rod and linkage. Hardest part of the whole job is getting the large nut off the clutch hub.

A manual for your bike is available for free download if you go to repairmanualclub.com. You will need a manual if you don't already have one.

Good luck.

[uudfourty]

Thanks for the quick reply Ness. I know I can always count on you.

I've got a manual and already have the engine for the 79 sitting on the bench.

I was just wondering if anyone had done it before with these two year models. Couldn't find a direct match-up on the search, so I thought I'd ask.

[Nessism]

I checked the parts fishe at Alpha Sport and it looks like all the transmission parts are the same between 1979 and 1980.

Are you planning on splitting the cases? As I said earlier, you can change the shift shaft and related parts without splitting the cases. If the shift forks are bent though, you have no choice but to crack the cases.

[uudfourty]

Well, I haven't decided yet.

The bike's been setting longer than I've been alive. It's got enough compression to blow my finger off pretty easily, so I'm not too worried about that end. I think the reason it was parked was just because it got dropped so hard it wouldn't shift out of 2nd gear and the PO didn't figure it was worth the trouble.

If I buy a shift rod, I get the whole transmission shebang.

[Nessism]

If I buy a shift rod, I get the whole transmission shebang.

Replacing the shift rod is a two hour job. Crack the engine cases, and it's more like 20 if you don't know what you are doing.