GS 850 problem need engine year cant find valve gasket

[Anonymous]

Ive got a Gs 850 1979 and Ive removed head to do valves but cant find the right gasket. I fear the head could be a later year or even off a 750 or 1000. Is this possible? Are they interchangeable? I dont want to order another gasket until I know what bike im buying for. Engine number is 165000 . frame is a 79. Any tips on gasket making so I can at least drive her to the shop for a much needed valve job? Any help would be swell. TIA Jake :?

[focus frenzy]

next to the engine oil filler cap there is a serial number it should have gs850 stamped in it followed by the serial number, the gs1000 will have gs100g stamped in it, or gs750 for the 750.

you say you had the head off, did it have a idler gear that was bolted with four bolts on top of the timing chain between the cam shafts?
if it did it is a 850 head.
the 1000 does not use this idler gear.
a trick I learned is when you cank get a gasket you can use permitex gray silicone (or yamaha "yamabond", same thing) and carefully trim the nozzle to lay a 1/16 inch thick by 3/16 inch bead of silicone around the cover, alow it to cure for about 1 to 2 hours then assemble.

I used this method on the clutch cover of my yamaha 350 about three years ago, because it was going to take two weeks to get a new gasket in and I was going riding the next day.
It still has the home made silicone gasket on it and it still three years later doesnt leak.

[Anonymous]

The 750 also has an Idler. my head gasket also looks a little different, everything lines up except it has an extra jut out with an extra hole through it... no idea why, but I'm gonna try it anyways

[earlfor]

Very interesting....my 79 750 does not have an overhead idler (or any other kind) between the cam sprockets, and my book does not show an idler for the TSCC 750 models either. so...?????

Earl

The 750 also has an Idler. my head gasket also looks a little different, everything lines up except it has an extra jut out with an extra hole through it... no idea why, but I'm gonna try it anyways

[Anonymous]

TSCC models might not, but according to my manual, all over 750s from 77-79 are the same and have the idler... I know my 78 750 does.

[Anonymous]

I pretty sure you couldn't fit a 1000 head to a 850 without major modes. The 750 head is probably a direct bolt on. It would have to be bored out to make it run with 850 pistons. Most 850 and 750 stuff is exactly the same. The only exception to this is the cylinder bore and piston size. I often buy gaskets and stuff that is marked for 750cc size. Now.............Don't be trying to interchange gaskets with the 1982 GS850 (or later). I have found the hard way :? that there were many mods done to the engine to make it tighter. The %^&^%$ bolts holes just don't line up. Probably not all of the gaskets are such a pain, but I'll run far and fast before accepting a engine gasket for my 1980 that has a sticker on it that reads 1982 to "whatever" suzuki 850.

[Anonymous]

850 gasket and engine i.d

My 850 does have the idler gear. I think we Can safely say its an 850 . Now I just have to identify the model year of the engine #165000. Thanks for the input Jake