Depressing 550E

[oldpara]

Hi everyone!
I've only posted a couple of times but I read everything you guys post up hoping I'll become a little more fluent in GS.
I have a 80 550E, I bought it for $700 last season. It had an awful clunk in it when under power and just ran rough. I asked you guys about it and the concensus seemed to be big end bearings, carbs, etc. Long story short.. Had the shop go thru it, they thought it was the bearings also, they told me that all the bearings were within specs.
The problem was #3 cyl firing intermittantly and the other 3 cyl were making up for the lazy one. This is getting long, they tore the thing apart, did the carbs (dissasemble, clean, new "O" rings, boots), they said the valves were all over the place so they were done also. when I picked it up it was perfect. Now after 100 miles I,m going down the road about 55mph and all of a sudden it sounds like someone dumped some lug nuts in the crankcase. Bike seems to run, and idle OK but I'm afraid to ride it, don't want to screw it up. Does anyone have any idea what the heck the noise is ? I'm in Keene NH, I take the bikes to Eddies Vintage cycles, they have a good reputation, 40 years in the trade. Can't afford to sink much more green into this.
Any help you can offer I'd really apprieciate

[onchiman]

Is it noisy all the time including idle or does the noise only occur when moving? How about if you rev the engine? Can you tell where the noise is coming from (left, right, front, etc. of engine)? A good way to do this is to get a long screwdriver and touch it to different places on the engine while you have ear to the handle. You can usually get a good idea where the noise is located when you hear it loudest.

[oldpara]

Thanks for the reply,
The rattleing started all at once going down the highway, when I came to a red light it rattled a little on idle so I limped home at 40mph (about a mile) when I pulled into the driveway at idle it did't sound bad, no real rattle.
Later that evening I went out to the garage a started it up, let it warm and listened at idle an up to 4K, no real rattleing.
I'll try the screw driver thing tonite and see if I can hear anything.

Thanks

[headsbikesmopars]

Does the noise change when clutch is pulled in ? Or when clutch is released ? Might be an easy fix if inside clutch. Not a major rebuild there. You can do clutch service yourself. Broken plates can be noisy. Also a loose hub nut will makes noise. I would pull the clutch cover and take a look inside, might want to pull down the clutch just to make sure all is well with that. Does trans shift ok,..any changes on how shifter feels from before ? Is oil pressure still good ? Pull valve cover and check cam chain tension, bad tensioners can be noisy as well as loose cam chains. FYI.. I always use the manual tensioners just for that reason, cheap insurance, they don't back out on you. Good luck and let us know what you find..we are all still 'learning'.

Terry

[oldpara]

Thanks for the input Terry,
Now that you mention it, it did seem to shift down a little harder than normal.....
Had to really kind of step on it to shift down, did'nt really notice on the upshift though.
OK, more good input !! YES

[Nessism]

Paying a shop to work on your 30 year old motorcycle will very quickly cost you more money than the bike is worth. Many "mechanics" are hacks as well. It's best to learn to do your own work...or get a second job to pay for the shop work...or get a newer bike.

[oldpara]

Yes Nessism, you are so right.
That little 550 is already worth? $2200. with new tires and blah, blah, blah....
But I love the bike, it just goes where I'm thinking, so effortless.
And that's not the only expense, I've been playing revolving bikes getting the 550 out of the shop, putting the 1100 in, getting the 1100 out, putting the little Kawi 100cc in and on and on...

[Colorado85gs550]

oh.......where to start! pm me with some specifics you might be chasing. I have a couple of bikes sittting as parts bikes now, an 82 and an 86 "E" models.....

I have had my bike down to a bare frame 3 times in the past 2 months....I keep putting it back to gether to test a mod, then I take it apart again. Once I get it right, it will come apart this winter for cleaning/paint for the final time.

Paul

[Colorado85gs550]

check your starter as well......easy check!

[MrZig]

Does it only happen when you're moving, or it's under load?

My bike had a death tick around 4000 RPM under load, but nothing in neutral. And only when you gave it some throttle. 40 km later the rod bearing blew.

Hope its not that!

[slip]

My GS1000 started making a grinding/rattling sound what seemed like was comming from the crank. Then I was told that the cranks on these things uses roller bearings and are almost indestructable. After doing more reading I come to find out about a weak link on the GS's, and that is the starter clutch. This is nothing more than a mechanical mechanism that marries the starter to the crank to turn the motor over to start it. I took my magneto cover off, and sure enough, this part was really loose, so it needs replacing. Unfortuneatly, it cost me about $160, plus another $20 for the flywheel puller. Oh, and my starter decided to crap out as well, but this just seems to be brushes, which I have ordered. Anyhow, I feel you pain, my $1500 bike is now up to $2000, and that is with me doing all of the work. But I am hoping after I get these issues straightened out, I will be able to ride for the rest of the summer problem free. Well that's my plan, the GS might have other plans.