550 head on 650 engine?

[WillieJ]

I am in the process of adjusting my valves on my 1982 650e and I am having trouble getting a cam cover gasket to fit. The gasket for a 650 won't fit, my cover has 17 holes which is the same as a 550m Katana engine of that year. Has anyone ever run into this? Could Suzuki have used other heads on 650 engines?
My engine does say gs650 on it. What gives? I guess I have to order the 550 gasket.

[Suzuki_Don]

I am in the process of adjusting my valves on my 1982 650e and I am having trouble getting a cam cover gasket to fit. The gasket for a 650 won't fit, my cover has 17 holes which is the same as a 550m Katana engine of that year. Has anyone ever run into this? Could Suzuki have used other heads on 650 engines?
My engine does say gs650 on it. What gives? I guess I have to order the 550 gasket.

There are two cam cover gaskets for the GS650. The earlier one has the same hole pattern as the 550 and the later one has an extra hole in it near the front cam chain tunnel. You need to order the right one. Check the differences on Alpha Sports Fiches for the '81, '82 & '83 models for the 650.

[Old Colt]

You would be able to tell if a 550 head was on it, the 650 has a very rectangular shape to the cooling fins whereas the 550 has rounded edges and is quite a bit smaller on the outside.

[Suzuki_Don]

I didn't realise you did not know which head was on the bike. Forget about round and square fins. Without two heads side by side this would be difficult to compare. The easiest way to know if it is a 550 or 650 head is that the 650 has 12mm spark plugs and the 550 has 14mm spark plugs. Also just outside No. 1 & No. 4 intake boots there is a 10mm hex headed bolt on the rear of the head which the 550 doesn't have.

[Suzuki_Don]

This is the later 650 cam cover with extra hole in the cover and head at the front and side of the cam chain tunnel. This cover has 17 X 6mm bolts holding it on and should be the one that you need seeing as you said yours has 17 holes in it. The earlier cover only has 16 bolt holes and that one is the same as the 550 head (2 valve of course) although some later 550 valve covers had the 17 bolt holes as well, only for '82 I think.

[WillieJ]

Thanks for the info. The motorcycle shop here only shows a 17 bolt cover on the 550m in his parts book so I may have to look elsewhere now that I know what is going on. Thanks again.

[Suzuki_Don]

Willie, look up this site to see the differences.

http://www.alpha-sports.com/suzuki_parts.htm?gclid=CM_FivP74owCFRuxgAoddH9X1A

Look at the earlier model 550 fiches as well to see the differences. Work out from them which valve cover gasket you need.

[WillieJ]

Great site, thanks Don.