1981 GS550 TX, second gear slips...

[Anonymous]

I've got a donor gearset which looks like it's in pretty good shape. (see pics)

second gear engagment

sample gear dog for second gear


Compression is OK ... towards the low end of acceptable... not great

BUT .. since this is a GS550, and replacement pistons are rare...
should I opt for "slap in new transmission and ride it" or
"spend some real money on a full rebuild"

I'm looking for opinions here. I can just split the cases without removing the pistons or bores and replace the gearset. Alternatively, I can pull the bores and pistons and measure all those tolerances. In the second case, which parts are re-usable? Are the rings re-usable?

If things are out of tolerance, what are the odds of finding 4 oversize pistons and rings for a GS550? Would it cost more than an entire running donor engine?

--Mitch

[SqDancerLynn1]

If it runs good? Just do the trans repair, Or maybe find
a good used engine

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2454072097&category=35595+

[Anonymous]

Just replacint the transmission gearset is the direction I've been leaning, but wanted to find out if there were opinions that were very contrary...

Maybe I'll bust it apart this weekend. Anyone interested in me taking / posting some pictures of the innards?

--Mitch

[Anonymous]

I would like to see a few. Just of the engine upside down with the bottom off would be nice. A picture of everything that's needed to be removed and another of what is needed to replace a skipping second gear would be cool too. I'm trying to figure out the scope of this project...I may go ahead and do it at some time.

I can think of the following needing repalcement off the top of my head, both side gaskets, pan gasket, centre case gasket, 2 pieces of the transmission. Forks? I dunno, never done it before.

Cheers, Steve