What repair series would you like to see?

[Anonymous]

I'd like to see a series on a cylinder head rebuild. I would like to see how much of the cylinder head rebuild a "do-it yourselfer" at home can do. This winter I am going to go through the top end of my trusty GS1100GL.

[Giblet]

Shims

I need this done on my 82 GS1100GK. trying to decide if I want tackle it or just let the shop handle it. Time is precious for me as my job is very demanding and I have a freshman highschool student who is very involved in band and accelerated academics. The Suzuki shop tells me about $200 including the gasket. I just don't want to get into a mess and then have to get someone else to clean it up. I can't make heads or tails of some of the pics in the Clymer manual. :?

[bwringer]

OK, here's what I'm going to document this weekend starring my 1983 GS850G in the role of the cooperative patient.

- Rebuild cam chain tensioner (disassemble, new seals and spring)
- New seals on tach drive (plus replacing worn driven gear)
- New o-rings in intake boots (just because...)

I'll most likely also do the following, since I already will have much of the disassembly done:
- Shim valve adjustment
- Sync carbs with mercury stick gauges

Tools needed, part numbers, tips, tricks, links and gory details will abound. Once I get it all onto my web site (probably Sunday night), I'll post a link here and ask everyone who knows what they're talking about to critique the "beta". All pages will have print optimized versions, in case you'd rather not drag your computer into the garage.

I'll also need some guidance and clarifications from the peanut gallery as to which parts of the procedure shown apply to other models and which parts are different. Questions and clarifications from newbies will also be welcome. After all the arguing simmers down, I'll make any needed changes and we'll unleash it on the world. The GS world, anyway.

I will probably not document the simple beginning stages, like removing the tank and carbs, unless there is some great outcry for this knowledge. Let me know.

Once the first procedures are done, I can easily use them as a template for other procedures from other people. If you'd like to document something, please PM me or email gs@bwringer.com and I'll send you instructions for preparing your text and images and sending them to me.

PLEASE do not stick a bunch of images and text into a Word document or a PDF and PLEASE do not email me any attachments -- there are much more efficient ways of doing things.

Thanks!

[bwringer]

Giblet, they might be able to replace just the head gasket for the $200, but there's no way that includes all of the stuff you should do when you have the head off the bike. And if the head is warped or the sealing surface is uneven or pitted, the new gasket will leak even worse.

Here's a minimal list of what should be done and replaced whenever the head comes off. This doesn't even include replacing and lapping in the valves or replacing the cam chain:

Gaskets: breather cover, valve cover, exhaust gaskets, head gasket & o-rings, valve stem seals, cylinder base gasket & o-rings, cam tunnel o-ring

Remove and inspect all valve train components (camshafts, valves, retainers, etc.)

Measure cam chain for stretch.

Clean and lightly resurface sealing surfaces of head & block

Inspect and measure head for warping

Install new piston rings (sometimes you can get away without doing this...) and hone block (assuming block dimensions are acceptable and boring and oversize pistons are not needed)

Inspect intake tubes or manifolds, replace o-rings if required

Set timing and adjust valves during assembly

Sync carbs

[Giblet]

Shims

Oooops! :roll: Don't know where my "head" was. I need the shims adjusted, no problem on the heads. I just have some valve train noise that is irritating me. AFter I saw bw's reply I realized I left out a very important item. Very sorry. Eagerly awaiting enlightenment.

[bwringer]

Ooohhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! 8O 8O

NOW it makes sense!

Is $200 normally what a GS valve adjustment costs at a shop? I guess it makes some sense - 1.5 to 2 hours labor (that's about what it takes me including the carb sync, bathroom breaks, and retuning the radio) plus the valve cover gasket.

As they say, time is money!

BTW, I'm building the site now for the repair series -- parts of it should be ready for critiques later today.

[Giblet]

Really would like to take a look

Well, if its that simple I'll give it a shot. I spent the day putting brakes on my wife's 97 Stratus (piddled around a lot too) so I've probably earned some "play" time. I'd really like to see your web site and will look at the Clymer again to see what it takes. You can email me when you are ready to have someone take a look. I have a couple of questions in mind but want to see if the manual answers them first.

Thanks

[bwringer]

It's still in the very early stages construction, but feel free to take a look:

http://bwringer.com/gs/

There are no pictures yet (we're taking pics tomorrow) and the only write-up I've completed is the intake o-rings article. But you can get an idea of how things will work.

I still need to experiment a bit with a "printable" style sheet and a few other technical odds and ends, but most of it should be complete tomorrow evening.

[Giblet]

Wrong chapter

Brian, I took a look. I like the format. I was looking in the wrong place in my manual. Finally realized it is in Ch 3 (Maintainance). I replaced the gaskets less than 6 months ago so hopefully I can reuse them. I have a spare cam cover gasket so I'm covered there. I like color photos because I can distinguish the parts better. Probably do mine next weekend.

[Jethro]

Nice. I'll be on your website a lot!

[gremlin]

we need to set up a beginners trouble shooting guide. how not to get into a mess trouble shooting.

start with simple stuff like a 4ft cheater bar should not be used to tighten oil filter bolts. now how do you remove that broken stud.

how to repair the bike wireing the right way first time.

[biker66]

Question 1:
99% of what you want to see is already covered in manuals; Suzuki original, Haynes, Clymer etc.
Why invent the wheel again ?? Wouldn't it be of more value to concentrate on fixes not found elsewhere ??

Question 2:
There are lots of sites covering most conceivable mods, why not collect links to those sites?
This would save everyone a lot of time searching the net for info.

[lhanscom]

I'll try to take pictures, and notes on my winter projects this year. Including

Starter Clutch repair
Valve Seal Replacement
Degreeing Cams
Timing
Head Gasket replacement (oring block)

I think that's it, at least for now.

[Hoomgar]

It's still in the very early stages construction, but feel free to take a look:

http://bwringer.com/gs/

There are no pictures yet (we're taking pics tomorrow) and the only write-up I've completed is the intake o-rings article. But you can get an idea of how things will work.

I still need to experiment a bit with a "printable" style sheet and a few other technical odds and ends, but most of it should be complete tomorrow evening.

Granda! This looks sweet! I can't contribute but it looks like I sure will benefit. This idea could save many of us hours hours of searching and reading "if all the needed info" can be found in one place. Very good idea.

[bwringer]

Question 1:
99% of what you want to see is already covered in manuals; Suzuki original, Haynes, Clymer etc.
Why invent the wheel again ?? Wouldn't it be of more value to concentrate on fixes not found elsewhere ??

Question 2:
There are lots of sites covering most conceivable mods, why not collect links to those sites?
This would save everyone a lot of time searching the net for info.

Excellent points!

#1: My thinking is to cover the tips and tricks for completing common tasks -- all the stuff you need to know that is not included or isn't as clear as it should be in the manuals.

For example, I'll include a lot of stuff I've learned about selecting and finding the correct valve shims in the valve adjust section, but I won't spend a lot of space rehashing the basic info found in the shop manuals.

I also want to make things much clearer for GS owners who may not be experienced mechanics, or who may lack the confidence to tackle a valve adjust or clutch change on their own. If they have a better idea of what they can expect, coming from a fellow GS owner, then I'm hoping they'll keep their bikes alive longer.

#2 Great idea!
There is an excellent links section here on thegsresources.com , and I'm sure more can be added. I'll also be happy to add as many links as we can find to the pages I'm building. Send in your links!



I also want to make the point that the pages I'm building are not meant to take away or compete at all with the information found on this site. They're simply meant as an added source of information and another way for us to share much-needed information. I'll happily host them as long as needed (I'll have the domain bwringer.com for many, many years to come), but I'd be honored if they became a canonical part of this site, like the Stator Papers or the Carb Rebuild Series.

I wanted to offer to build and host the pages so that it's easy for anyone to contribute text and images. You don't have to know how to build web pages in order to contribute valuable info -- just contact me for instructions ( gs@bwringer.com ).

And what the heck -- this gives me and all the other northern hemisphere GS riders something productive to do during the long, cold, dark winter to come.