Gs 550e valve clearances mech advance?

[basta]

Hi
Can anyone tell me the valve clearances for a 1980 GS550E?bike runs points and condensors plus CV carbs
Secondly does the bike have a mechanical advance device on the timing?
thanks Roy

[Suzuki_Don]

Your bike should have mechanical advance. It should not have points and condensors, it should have a signal generator instead. The valve clearances are 0.03mm to 0.08mm cold (that means not started at all on the day you take the measurements). Message STEVE for the spreadsheet to make doing the job easier, especially if you have to change shims).

[hampshirehog]

Roy, the valve clearances should be between 0.03 and 0.08mm, though you can go to 0.1 if you haven't got the correct shims to hand. Don't go tighter though.
Your bike probably has the mechanical advance unit I think but check which set up you've got - you can find a free manual for your bike at:

http://search.ebscohost.com/

User ID: library
Password: library

(look in small engines / motorcycle engines).

[basta]

Don
the bike DEFFO runs points condensors not electronic ignition
thanks Roy

[basta]

Hampy
Thanks will check them out still have the bike popping and farting at 6 to 7000rpm but thanks to you I now have the correct mixture cheers mate
ROY

[hampshirehog]

Roy,
the Yanks got transistorised ignition in 1980, we had to wait to 81. I dunno when Don would have switched in upside-down-land.

[Suzuki_Don]

Roy,
the Yanks got transistorised ignition in 1980, we had to wait to 81. I dunno when Don would have switched in upside-down-land.

We had neither. We went back to Lucas magnetos. Haha

[hampshirehog]

Roy,
might be worth checking that you're delivering enough fuel to the carbs. I assume that you checked float levels but you could have a problem with the fuel tap, or possibly an airlock caused by the fuel tank filler cap not allowing air into the tank. First try taking the cap off. Next, try unplugging the fuel pipe from the tap and rigging up a jerry fuel tank (Fairy Liquid bottle with the bottom cut off works at a push). If your tap is duff you're best getting a new one (or a Pingel = problem solved for ever) rather than a rebuild kit as the quality of those kits ranges from fine to rubbish and you won't know what you're getting until it shows up.

Then if you've got a strobe check your ignition settings - static and advance. Max advance comes in pretty low (around 2500 revs or so - manual will specify).

And definitely check your valve clearances, even if it runs right. Wrong clearances are probably the main road to ruin with these bikes as you gradually burn the top end out.

[basta]

Hampy
HEY I DO HAVE A LUCAS MAGNETO WOW!
no seriously I think its a timing check issue will give it my mate Dave he is the top man for this job (2 tz 750 yams )
I just checked the mechanical advance and although it was a little dry after a little lubrication it felt better but no change
As for fuel it flows freely from the tap into a can fairly p*sses out no leaky into cyl 2 either vacum pipe is dry and works perfectly
When I had the big jets in the bike would rev out fully to max in the garage but then die at 6000rpm on the road, it now revs upto 7000rpm
and instead of dying pops and farts like an electrical fault which also happened before I replaced the condensors so lets get Dave on the strobe and take things from there
Cheers Roy

[Suzuki_Don]

Hampy
HEY I DO HAVE A LUCAS MAGNETO WOW!
no seriously I think its a timing check issue will give it my mate Dave he is the top man for this job (2 tz 750 yams )
I just checked the mechanical advance and although it was a little dry after a little lubrication it felt better but no change
As for fuel it flows freely from the tap into a can fairly p*sses out no leaky into cyl 2 either vacum pipe is dry and works perfectly
When I had the big jets in the bike would rev out fully to max in the garage but then die at 6000rpm on the road, it now revs upto 7000rpm
and instead of dying pops and farts like an electrical fault which also happened before I replaced the condensors so lets get Dave on the strobe and take things from there
Cheers Roy

Roy don't forget to get back to us and let us know the full story when you get the problem fixed.

[basta]

Don
Will do mate this one wont be left in the air youve all been really great with this problem especialy Hamshire frog (aka Wal) he sent me a set of carb inlets and jets well a whole set of carbs infact THANKS WAL!
This has been a rough ride into GS ownership I rode a mates GS and was VERY impressed but soft arse me bought one with problems "it just needs a carb balance mate" yeah right
Ah well just off for a ride on me trusty 2 stroke R5C yam HEAVEN!
Thanks again all
Roy

[Suzuki_Don]

Don
Will do mate this one wont be left in the air youve all been really great with this problem especialy Hamshire frog (aka Wal) he sent me a set of carb inlets and jets well a whole set of carbs infact THANKS WAL!
This has been a rough ride into GS ownership I rode a mates GS and was VERY impressed but soft arse me bought one with problems "it just needs a carb balance mate" yeah right
Ah well just off for a ride on me trusty 2 stroke R5C yam HEAVEN!
Thanks again all
Roy

Stick with it Roy. There's nothing like that raw 550 power when you get it all sorted. i'm in the process of punching mine out to 700cc as we speak with six speed.

[basta]

Hi
Well no progress on the bikes running problems fitted new points and condensors, timed the bike spot on and no change, so I think the next step is rolling road to checkout if its electrical or fuel delivery
Seems what ever I do the bog out dosnt go away, stripped and cleaned the carbs,fitted the correct main jets,new coils and leads,new stock air filter,new inlet rubbers and O rings,replace fuel tap filters and lines
still nothing
When the bike revs up to around 7000 to 8000 revs (and starts popping and farting) there is black smoke coming from the exhausts like the electrics have cut out thus producing the black smoke from unburnt gas?
as the revs drop the smoke dissapears and the bike runs great,the only time i got it to run right was when the bike had the massive 142.5 jets in
then it would rev like a race bike on the center stand but with such a rich jet running the bike on the road it would soot up the plugs and get slower and slower as the plugs coked up
I THINK Ive been going round in circles with the problem and ime missing something very simple? thats normaly how these things finish up missing
the most simple and obvious fault
cheers Roy
GS 550E 1979 RUNNING CV CARBS POINTS AND CONDENSORS