Old Bike Repair. Where do you start?

[exbellicus]

Heres my scenario. I purchased a non-running 80 gs450l (yes, I bought and L) and am going to begin bringing it to life this weekend. I have never owned one before, and have a friend helping me. This bike hasn't been on the road since 93!

Here is what I have on my list to do, what should I add?

Oil & Filter Change
Carb Clean & Rebuild (I bought the 450 combo from cycleorings)
Spark Plug Replacement
Coolant & Brake Fluid Replacement

What other necessities am I missing?

Thanks
Brett

[doctorgonzo]

Won't be any coolant, air cooled.

Check Valve adjustment.

[Nessism]

One of my pet peeves...replace the brake lines and do a full system tear down instead of just trying to push the old fluid out. This is the only way to properly restore the braking system after long term storage.

Other items to to include cleaning/replacing the air filter, valve adjustment, carb boot O-ring replacment, check/replace chain as needed, check charging system and fix inadequate R/R grounding, and replace the battery.

Have fun.

[sschering]

Tires n tubes.. 15 year old tires are will be hard and if not cracked will be soon.

Inspect the chain and sprockets.. spin the wheel and see if the chain is trying to ride out of the sprocket teeth (good sign that the chain is stretched past specs)

[ShortyzKustomz]

Sounds like you in almost the same boat as me, Mine hasnt been on the road since 88. Another suggestion on top of the others in go ahead and go through the wiring... I had lots of fun on mine, pull the connections apart, clean them and put some dielectric grease on them. Also anything I've had apart I've put some oil on since everything on this bike has seemed to dry out. I even put some 2 stroke oil on the threads of my new plugs. Go ahead and clean the tank and petcock as well

[terrylee]

You might want to pull the old plugs and put in a few drops of oil in each cylinder and let set overnight. At least before you try to turn engine over. I too bought a 81 450T that I got for $80. and it's my winter project, and so far going well. terrylee

[Richharr]

did you get a manual for it yet? definitely a must.. I would do all that was suggested plus check all of the electrical for any craziness like a rats nest of wiring created by a PO doing shoddy repairs. What I have found from buying old bikes that don't run is they are usually the product of neglect.

-oil/filter (check for shavings, water, etc)
-air filter
-chain/lube (as mentioned)
-cables (at the very least lube and check for fraying)
-tires and tubes as stated (the newest they can be is 15)
-compression check
-valve adjustment after you get it running
-new plugs

this may seem like a lot but it should only take a couple of hours and will save you from those breakdowns

[spwalker09]

man, how is it that all these 450s are just now coming back on the road after 15-20 years??

in terms of tires, what would be the best route to go? My rims are tubeless-compatible (in fact, the tires on it right now are tubeless, I believe, they're old ContiBlitzes) but should I go tubed?

[exbellicus]

Well I bypassed the tank and carbs because I haven't had a chance to clean either yet, and sprayed some starter spray in and she fired right up! Definitely got me excited.

So far I need two new turn signal relays
A new air filter, the old one rotted and fell apart all in my airbox (which seems impossible to get out!)
And a front turn signal cover

So far worth the very small investment. Thank you craigslist!

[jakeolsen]

Please don't stop there just because starter fluid got her fired up. Soon you will more than likely be finding more things that need fixing than you ever thought when you picked up the bike.

[exbellicus]

Please don't stop there just because starter fluid got her fired up. Soon you will more than likely be finding more things that need fixing than you ever thought when you picked up the bike.

Oh yea, I already found several new things that need to be addressed. But, I wasn't sure the engine would fire up whatsoever.

[BassCliff]

The List

Hi,

From your "mega-welcome"....

***********Quoted from Mr. bwringer************
Every GS850 [and most other models] has (or had) a set of well-known issues that MUST be addressed before you have a solid baseline for further troubleshooting. It's a vintage bike, and it's quite common (as in, every single GS850 I have had contact with) that there are multiple problems that have crept up and slowly gotten worse over the years. It's not like a newer vehicle, where there's generally one problem at a time.

These common issues are:

1. Intake O-rings (install NEW OEM or Viton only - common nitrile O-rings will quickly deteriorate from heat)
2. Intake Boots (install NEW -- these cannot be repaired)
3. Valve clearances (more important than most people think)
4. Carb/airbox boots
5. Airbox sealing
6. Air filter sealing
7. Petcock (install a NEW one)
8. On '79 models, install new points or Dyna electronic ignition (or at least verify that the old points are working correctly)
9. On all models, it's fairly common to have problems with the spark plug caps. These are $3 or $4 each, and often worth replacing if you're keeping the stock coils/wires.
10. Stock exhaust with NO leaks or holes -- good seals at the head and at the junctions underneath.

What I have noticed at the rallies is that very, very few 850Gs are actually running right. Make VERY sure it's actually running the way it's supposed to before busting out the modifications.

Brian's E-Z and fun plan for GS850 happiness:

1) Seal the airbox and air filter with weatherstripping.

2) Ensure no intake leaks. Spraying WD-40 or water doesn't tell you much, since very small air leaks can cause problems even though they won't suck in enough WD-40 to make a difference. Replace your intake boot o-rings and boots if needed, and seriously consider spending the lousy $28 for new airbox/carb boots.

3) Ensure clean carbs with correct settings, new o-rings, and original OEM jets. No, not just squirted with something. I mean completely disassembled.

4) Check/adjust valve clearances (Manual calls for every 4,000 miles. This is not optional.)

5) Ensure healthy electrical system.

6) Seriously consider upgrading coils and plug wires.

7) Install new, stock NGK B8-ES plugs gapped to .031".

8 ) Fine-tune float height and idle mixture screw to ensure best off-idle transition.

9) Clean air filter and reinstall with only the lightest oil mist -- over-oiling and/or letting the filter get dirty is a common and critical mistake, and will make the bike run funny at low speeds and run rich. This may take a few tries.

10) Make sure the exhaust seals are sealing.

11) Ooh, much better now, huh? You're gonna need upgraded suspension - Progressive or better fork springs and shocks. Set suspension sag appropriately.

12) Upgrade brakes with new pads and stainless lines to deal with all that extra speed.

13) Install new petcock, since I'm going to head to the roof with a rifle if I have to read about yet another #2 plug fouling and failed hillbilly attempts to rebuild the petcock and/or deny there's a problem.

14) Oh yeah -- check compression somewhere in there to ensure the valves and rings are reasonably healthy.

15) You'll probably need new OEM clutch springs -- the clutches last forever, but the springs get tired after 20 years or so under pressure. E-Z and cheap.
****************End Quote***********


Most of this applies to your 450 also. Don't forget to check things like tires, chains, and sprockets too. Ten year old tires are no fun. Having a chain break is no fun either. Keep us informed.




Thank you for your indulgence,


BassCliff