Is changing base gasket hard?

[gubzsuzuki]

What brand of gaskets are the best to use? I am not trying to get this done over a weekend but I would like to ride by sometime in May.

[gubzsuzuki]

To the "more than it's worth" point, it's just a personal choice we make. I could not BEGIN to sell the biker for what I have in it, and I could have probably bought some very nice bikes for that price too, but they wouldn't be THIS bike, that I know every centimeter of.

I totally agree, I have a lot more in it already than its worth but I wanted one of these bikes since I was 14 and when I bought one I told myself that I would never sell it. I love this bike and have now owned it for almost 10 years.

[jadesystem]

I believe this project depends on how motivated you are. If it is a passion to do your own work and repairs - with pride of ownership and attention to details - than time and passion are no objects. But if you have either to work with, then either shelve the idea or take it to someone who can
do it. Forget the Suzuki service dealer as they have newer bikes to tend to.

But the whole idea of this site is to perform most or all of the maintenance at-hand to make our bikes more enjoyable with intrinsic value by devoting your time and passion into it. It is more valuable to you when you have spent time and effort doing it yourself....and knowing from the inside how
your own bike reacts and performs.

This site is a plethora of information for and from very technical people who are also owners of these classic machines. If it is not discussed, the problem does not exist. These machines take patience to work on, and as old as they are, requires constant maintenance with good technical skills to keep them up and running. These bikes do last a lifetime !!

[Road_Clam]

I am an expert at base gasket changing. I've done mine not once but TWICE. The first time I blew the base gasket 100 miles after a full bike restoration.

#2 was just this past week as I have been plagued with an ongoing oil burning issue, which in hindsight was worn out top piston ring(s).

The job over all is dependant on your specific level of skill and comfort. It's a big job that can be a PIA especially when it comes time to re-fit the cyl down over the pistons. This takes a steady hand and an EXTRA pair of hands to easily do. Suzuki recommends using 2 pairs of piston ring compression tools, which would be ideal, but who the hell is going to buy 1 let alone two pairs of expensive tools for a one time only job. Me and my 14 year old son snaked the rings up into the bores together and it wasn't too bad. After that it's pretty straight foreward. Patients is the key, and having the OEM Suzuki manuall as a bible helps tremendeously as well!

[uudfourty]

Use OEM gaskets.

[bwringer]

Use OEM gaskets.

Yes. Suzuki gaskets only, please.

All the rest are crap. CRAP, I tell you! CRAP!!!!

[atchbo]

And totally dry? Or puked on with Suzuki Bond?

[reddirtrider]

And totally dry? Or puked on with Suzuki Bond?

If you're talking about base gaskets, I put a thin film of oil on both sides - not the head gaskets, install them dry.

[Road_Clam]

Yes. Suzuki gaskets only, please.

All the rest are crap. CRAP, I tell you! CRAP!!!!

except for the OEM valve cover gasket. I replaced mine twice with OEM, it leaked twice.

Now I use Cometic valve cover gaskets, they offer more surface area to seal than the odball OEM one. No leaks. Cheaper too.

[gubzsuzuki]

What is the best manual to get and where to get it from?

[Redman]

Gubz

Best would be a Suzuki factory manual (but referes to Suzuki factory tools and suplies). Can find one on ebay from time to time, is best if is the year or after the year of your bike so it has the supplements for the years following the original manaul.
And in your case, for the 1100G, make sure it is the manaul for the 1100G (and GL and GK) and not the manual for the 1100E.

Cheapest would be finding a manaul that you can download, try BassCliff collection of manauls on his web site (BikeCliff). Although printing it out so can use in garage may or may not be a problem for you.

Cheasist and best would be factory manual that you can download.

Next best is a Clymers (in my opinion) manual. Can be found on ebay about any time or from most any online books stores or some online autoparts stores. Last choice (in my opinion) is a Haynes manual.

I have both the factory and the Clymers, and I like to refere to both when getting into something I am not familar with.

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About if changing the base gasket is easy:
Have you had the expereince of
- taking off the carbs?
- removing the exhaust?
- taking off the heads?
- and reassembling the above, and reseting the cam timing?
To get at base gasket; have to remove the exhaust and the heads, before can take off the cyclinders to get at the base gasket.

.

Where in general are you located?

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[doctorgonzo]

Best would be a Suzuki factory manual (but referes to Suzuki factory tools and suplies). Can find on on ebay from time to time, is best if is the year or after the year of your bike.

Cheapest would be finding a manaul that you can download, try BassCliff collection of manauls on his web site (BikeCliff). Although printing it out so can use in garage may or may not be a problem for you.

Cheasist and best would be factory manaul that you can download.

Next best is a Clymers (in my opinion) manual. Can be found on ebay about any time or from most any online books stores or some online autoparts stores. Last choice (in my opinion) is a Haynes manual.

.

I'd agree with most of that. I think I paid 60 bucks for my OEM manual (by the time I paid shipping). Somebody had printed it out, gotten it bound and put plastic cover on it. Pricey, but it's the one to have. I also have the Haynes, love to get a Climers at some point.

[uudfourty]

Yeah, the Haynes came with mine and I wound up getting a Clymer.

[Redman]

Hey, Lookie what I found, just what we were talking about.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Suzuk...1%7C240%3A1318
Buy-it-now price is $24 plus $5 s/h.



The ones from the online bookstore will probably be 29-30 bucks plus shipping.
Note how it covers 79 thru 84, so it will be one of the newer editions.
The older ones that only cover up thru like 82 (I think) have color schematics, can easly tell those by the big oval emblem on upper right corner that says "color schematics", but dont see those too often.
Also note how it covers 850 & 1100, and covers 79-84. Not much difference between 850 & 1100, but are some difference between 79-80 and 81-84.

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[Mr. Brown]

Well its leaking enough that I didn't ride it last year because it comes off the fins and gets on your legs after about a 1/2 hour of riding and I had to do a lot of home repairs that took all the money. So now I am wanting to get it rideable again. You all have good advice, it runs great still but I guess that doesn't mean it won't need more than I think to fix it. I just didn't want to bring it to a shop if not needed. I hate paying someone to do something that I can learn to do myself.

I was convinced that I needed to get in and replace that gasket for the same reason... oil coming from what seemed to be the gasket seam, wrapping around the fins, and staining my jeans and airbox cover. After I cleaned everything off, and really focused on finding the exact leak, it turned out to be my chain tensioner leaking oil to the front of the engine, that then wrapped all the way around. Pesky oil...

I've got $20 worth of parts on the way to fix that sucker. WAAAAY easier and less expensive than the base gasket chore I was about to endure.

If you aren't positive about the source of your leak, make sure it isn't something easy first.