Exhaust, Alphabet 4 into 1 on Ebay

[tateG]

So I bought a system off ebay, an old ALphabet 4 into 1. Similar listing here http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NOS-M...14689711QQrdZ1

I believe the seller must have bought out an old motorcycle warehouse or something, because I bought this system and I know at least one was sold before I got mine and now they have listed another. I am surprised no one else here has bought one of these, or if they have I haven't seen a post about it. I figured I would give it a try for $125 plus shipping, way cheaper than a new Mac, and it is black which is what I wanted anyway. So I got the package today, and to my surprise it is still in the original box



It was also packaged with newspapers from 1980! I gave the items a brief inspection and everything is as new. It also came with the original instructions, warranty card, and a nice spark plug chart sticker from Champion :-D I like old Alphabet accessories, I have some 4-4 Aplhabet Drags on my CB750 chopper I got a while back and liked the quality and that they were not slash cut like Mac drags.

Hopefully I will be able to install this header system in the next couple of days and will follow up on the fit and post a pic of the system on the bike. The muffler has a mount that should bolt to the stock location too. I need to get some new gaskets, hopefully the local Suzuki shop has them in stock, still waiting for my throttle cables to come in, mine broke on the highway :shock: That was a fun ride home wrapping the end of the cable around my finger and pulling.

Anyway, has anyone else here tried a set of these headers?

[t3rmin]

Pics of the pipes please! ;-)

[t3rmin]

The 16v motor exhaust port spacing is different, right? Did they make these for the 750/1100? I'd like to find a cheap 4-1...

[tateG]

The pics in the Ebay auction are the same as what I would show, though the paint on mine looks nicer, I guess since they were never out of the box. I do plan on taking more pics when I do the install though. I need to keep in boxed up right now, the little lady doesn't really like vehicle parts all over the apartment 8-[ The old Schwinn Manta Ray apart in the dining area is bad enough.

[salty_monk]

1977-78... not sure if it will fit my 80 G then.

Do you think you'll have to rejet with this one?

He also has some GS1000 Case guards with highway pegs for 10 bucks...

Dan

[tateG]

My instructions say 1978-79, I don't know why it wouldn't fit an 80. Heck, the system was packed in its box since Feb 1980, maybe they never tried to fit it on a 1980 bike.

I scanned part of the instructions, hopefully it is big enough to read. The first scan is of their air cleaners, I wish I had some. I have seen them before on a CB750 chop and it looked bitchin'







Interesting what they say about the bluing of pipes.

[Suzukfan78]

I bought one too...

I bought one of those pipes of ebay also. I am still waiting to put it on. It looks like decent quality. I am replacing my old dented (bottomed out on) 4-1 kerker. Couple things I notice between the two 4-1 systems I have now is that the collector on the kerker empties into a 2 1/2" main tube and the new alphabet system empties into a 2" main tube. However the muffler exit holes are approx. the same. Also the kerker collector sits farther back an inch or two on the pipe. Curious if maybye the kerker is designed more for high rpm H.P. and the alphabet more for Low/middle Torque. Anyone here know the science of exhaust systems? Would a smaller pipe at the collector mean higher velocities = more torque? And a larger pipe = more high volume flow=more high rpm H.P.?

[paco13]

I bought one as well off ebay, Haven't recieved it yet though.
Glad to hear some good reports, wasn't sure, but like you said for the price I couldn't beat it. I had just purchased a GS1000 that needs an exhaust the day I found these on ebay. Sweet!

[tateG]

Not sure why the paint only bubbled up and came off in this one spot





Not the best pic of the bike, but I was at work.

The exhaust went on fairly easy until I had to get the last pipe seated into the head(the one that the paint came off). It was just a bit off. I had to shove it in with one hand and my knee and try to start the exhaust bolts with the other hand, not easy in the small space. It would sit in the head, just not all the way in, maybe an 1/8 inch from seating fully on the crush gasket. I understand now why most systems are manufactured as one big header/collector and then a bolt on muffler, much easier to install usually. I got everything done with about 20 minutes to spare, or should I say 20 min to wash up, change clothes and go to work. Unfortunately I do not have a shop space anymore so this was done in the parking lot of my apt. I wanted to clean up the exhaust collars, but no time or tools. My bike takes a beating being outside 24/7, but I gotta hand it to this old Suzuki and its toughness.

I spent 4-5 hours in the sun yesterday doing this work: exhaust, new bars and throttle cables, with the exhaust taking up much of that, especially that last pipe. Now I have a lovely farmer's burn on my neck, arms, and forehead .

Anyway, the exhaust is pretty quiet, more so than my factory duals with holes in the mufflers. It has a nice tone when you get in the throttle, not real deep but not tinny either. I haven't been able to really romp on it since my clutch was slipping a bit, must have messed that up when changing the bars. All in all I would say the exhaust was a good deal for the price, now I just need to repaint the blistered section before it rains again.

My next project is the seat, I hate that big ugly L-model seat.

[t3rmin]

Looks real nice. Fits the character of the bike.

[tateG]

Thanks.

I was going to take pics during the install, but time was more important than documentation.

Today's projects: adjust the clutch and ride the snot out of it :-D

[tateG]

OK, rode it for quite a while and it definitely changed the tune. Up to half throttle it runs about normal, but after that it is flat,over 1/2 throttle or so gives very little acceleration. I haven't pulled the plugs yet and probably won't get to do too much to the bike because of the long holiday weeked. My carbs were running darn near perfect before, do I need to rejet or will adjusting the needles help? I did a lot of searching this morning on the site, but it is hard to weed through all the different posts to get the answers one needs. The bike starts up and idles great and rolls on smooth with part accelleration, but crack open the throttle and there is a slight hesitation, very slight, and then it takes off. I am still running the stock airbox too. So if the general consensus is that I need to rejet I will go ahead and get some K&N pods and and a Dynojet kit(which together will cost more than I paid for this bike 8-[ ). I left the bike alone for a long time because it ran so nice, but the holes in the exhaust kept getting bigger and louder so it was time to do something.

I got some BBQ paint and touched up the one exhaust pipe, doesn't match exactly but seems to be holding up. I think I might have still had some PB Blaster on my hands when I was trying to shove this problem pipe in the head, so the peeling paint may be a result of this, not sure. I also got some black brush on Rustoleum and touched up the rusty bolts and such. It helped make it a nicer 5 footer and since the bike is out in the weather all the time it was just going to get worse. Did I mention I live a stone's throw from Puget Sound, salt air does wonders :? I'll take a better pic after this weekend at some scenic spot around here. Looks leaner with the 4 into 1 and the superbike bars. Too bad I see mostly my shoulders out of my mirrors now, bar ends maybe?