1982 GS850G with a muffler issue...

[rustybronco]

Regarding those holes, you might want to consider having a small patch welded on to get you down the road for a while longer - don't forget to add a hole to allow water to drain out. You can always watch ebay for replacment pipes but ride in the mean time.

I was wondering when someone would suggest to have it welded.

Just ride/take it down to a muffler shop, have them look and see what they think can be done with it.

[legaleli]

Dude I am in LOVE with your 1982 GS850G

PLEASE use a small 1/4" drive socket wrench on the header bolts and DO NOT force them to turn or you will break them off in the head. As the others have stated, hit them with PB Blaster or real petetrant oil (not WD-40) and let them sit a few days. When you go to try to remove them, again, don't force them. If they are feeling stuck get a propane torch and heat the bolt as hot as possible - red hot if you can, and then let them cool. You need to break up the chemical bond of the corrosion or the bolt won't come out.

Regarding those holes, you might want to consider having a small patch welded on to get you down the road for a while longer - don't forget to add a hole to allow water to drain out. You can always watch ebay for replacment pipes but ride in the mean time.

Thanks again for the suggestions... perfect. I am going to have to learn how to get the tank off the bike... seems easy enough but I FIRST have to figure out what position is OFF for the petcock! After that it looks like two wires and two bolts and a fuel line. I'm not going to use propane around a gas tank.

When I took off the coil all I had to do was MOVE the tank (two bolts and no wires or fuel lines.

[DanTheMan]

Thanks again for the suggestions... perfect. I am going to have to learn how to get the tank off the bike... seems easy enough but I FIRST have to figure out what position is OFF for the petcock! After that it looks like two wires and two bolts and a fuel line. I'm not going to use propane around a gas tank.

When I took off the coil all I had to do was MOVE the tank (two bolts and no wires or fuel lines.

If you have the original petcock it'll have run and prime, or (I forgot what year yours is) or run, prime and reserve. You should have two hoses, one for vacuum, one for suction and two wires for the gas gauge. If the petcock is operating properly, with it in the run or reserve position no fuel will come out when you remove it. (Notice all the "ifs"? I see your legaleli, I take no responsebility for my the "ifs").

[legaleli]

GS Resources or "GSU" as I see it...

If you have the original petcock it'll have run and prime, or (I forgot what year yours is) or run, prime and reserve. You should have two hoses, one for vacuum, one for suction and two wires for the gas gauge. If the petcock is operating properly, with it in the run or reserve position no fuel will come out when you remove it. (Notice all the "ifs"? I see your legaleli, I take no responsebility for my the "ifs").

I was wondering about that... I'm off to get some PB Blaster and maybe a fire extinguisher!

Thanks for the tips everyone! I think i am prepared to start the process of removing the pipes now.

Step one - spray the bolts with PB Blaster for 3 or 4 or 5 days...

[legaleli]

Wow! PB Blaster really... ahhh ...blasts...

If you have the original petcock it'll have run and prime, or (I forgot what year yours is) or run, prime and reserve. You should have two hoses, one for vacuum, one for suction and two wires for the gas gauge. If the petcock is operating properly, with it in the run or reserve position no fuel will come out when you remove it. (Notice all the "ifs"? I see your legaleli, I take no responsebility for my the "ifs").

I turned the bolts that held my headers onto the cylinder... they turned with absolutely NO problem - like they were just put in. The rest of the exhaust should be a snap.

DESPITE THAT I may have another issue. There was gasoline all over my garage floor (wiped it up with some damp sawdust) this morning. It appeared to be coming from my air intake box. I think that the petcock was on PRIME, and I believe that may be enough to bleed gas through the carbs into the air intake - am I correct here, or might I have a new issue that did not exist before?

[Steve]

Yes, having the petcock on PRIME for more than a minute or so can definitely lead to gas all over the floor.

You should always leave the petcock in the ON or RES position, as they are the positions that are turned on by engine vacuum.

Before you run your engine, please check the oil for gas. If there was enough gas to flood the carbs into the airbox, it might have gone the other way through the carbs and dripped into the engine.

Overall, there will be three hoses and two wires attached to the gas tank. There are two hoses on the petcock: the larger one is FUEL, it goes to the T in the middle of the carbs, the smaller one is VACUUM, it goes to a port on the output of carb #3. The third hose is a "safety" hose that connects to the guard that is over the fuel sending unit. It is meant to carry any gas away from the top of the engine, so it gets routed over the engine, then down toward the ground, usually around the swingarm pivot.

The two wires are for the gas gauge, they will have connections at the back of the tank, right near the battery.

.

[legaleli]

"Prime" advice

Yes, having the petcock on PRIME for more than a minute or so can definitely lead to gas all over the floor.

You should always leave the petcock in the ON or RES position, as they are the positions that are turned on by engine vacuum.

Before you run your engine, please check the oil for gas. If there was enough gas to flood the carbs into the airbox, it might have gone the other way through the carbs and dripped into the engine.

Overall, there will be three hoses and two wires attached to the gas tank. There are two hoses on the petcock: the larger one is FUEL, it goes to the T in the middle of the carbs, the smaller one is VACUUM, it goes to a port on the output of carb #3. The third hose is a "safety" hose that connects to the guard that is over the fuel sending unit. It is meant to carry any gas away from the top of the engine, so it gets routed over the engine, then down toward the ground, usually around the swingarm pivot.

The two wires are for the gas gauge, they will have connections at the back of the tank, right near the battery.

.

Excellent advice again - thanks Steve. You may have just saved my engine (this is probably the 3rd or 4th time that has happened to me since I joined this site - thank God it's here.)

NOW I will have to go about learning how to change the oil now as well. I'm sure there's a link somewhere on this site!

[legaleli]

Worse than expected...

Well... the holes in my mufflers can be repaired BUT my premuffler is toast - not going to be fixed - it's rust. So a "fix" of my current muffler system will be at least 150.00 in NOS parts. At the end of that I will have a rusty muffler that will last about a year before the holes push out again I think (based on the rust in the muffler.

I figure if I'm going to spend 150+ and try to rebuild an old system - why not start off new?

I need a reliable (well priced) internet option here for my 1982 Suzuki GS850G. I will deal with the jetting issue and the intake issue as it comes up.

I've looked for a used premuffler - they don't exist.

Help!

I'm running into this a bit:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Suzuki-GS750-GS850-Chrome-4-1-MAC-Exhaust-System-GS-750_W0QQitemZ150421555122QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotorcycles_Parts_Accessories?hash=item2305d2c7b2#ht_1591wt_939

It says that the exhaust is good for "Suzuki GS750 and GS850 up to and including 1980" but MINE is an 1982... I don't know if there was a substantial change in the headers between 1980 and 1982...

I'm also running into this a bit

http://www.bikebandit.com/1982-suzuki-full-systems/cm/a644017

Note that there is a complete exhaust system for a GS 750 but not a GS 850. I'm thinking that the 750 will fit the headers because the 750 and 850 were the same engine (just bored out), but the 750 won't fit the 850 at the frame because the frame on an 850 is an 1100 frame (I'm to understand)... this is getting confusing.

[rustybronco]

I've looked for a used premuffler - they don't exist.

Said who?

[Nessism]

Don't forget to post in the Parts Wanted forum. Parts like pre-mufflers get chucked regularly so it shouldn't be that hard to find one.

[legaleli]

Yet more advice from the top!

Don't forget to post in the Parts Wanted forum. Parts like pre-mufflers get chucked regularly so it shouldn't be that hard to find one.

Off I go to the parts wanted section! Ebay was my test bed for that assertion - and I made a "ass"ertion of myself.

[rustybronco]

Hold off for a bit. I should know later this evening if I have a spare one.

[legaleli]

You got it!

Hold off for a bit. I should know later this evening if I have a spare one.

Awesome, I really appreciate it.