Potential Group Purchase - Wiseco GS650 741cc pistons

[Old Colt]

I just got a note from John the test gasket from my CAD drawing will be on it's way to me.
More once it arrives.

[frankenwabbit]

thanks for the update!

[Old Colt]

The test gasket arrived, it is almost right. For some reason nether John at Gaskets to Go nor I understand one of the end dowel holes was stamped with an 8mm hole rather than the 10mm it should be. He is checking into how or why this happened. More later.
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[Ace07]

Thanks for the update.

[Old Colt]

Maybe, just maybe we have a good gasket coming our way.
The previous test gasket I got was 366.5mm between the outer dowel pin holes. The cylinder blocks I measured and drew up were 368mm. I would jump to conclusion, but with only one good leg I can not jump, I expect the gaskets Chuck got may have been the same 366ish dimension.
I asked John today when I got the tracking number to confirm the dimension which he did.
So we might just have the tooling to make usable gaskets, 10 or so days we should know.

[Chuck78]

GREAT NEWS!
Yes, the original order had the left to right bore spacing and alignment dowell spacing distorted a bit, but the other big concern that I had was uniformity throughout all the layers at the cylinder bore edges. If the thinner outer layers are not stacked evenly, I was afraid of these thin, overhanging, uncompressed portions of the gasket potentially causing hot spots which wpuld risk preignition detonation.
With the Cometic CFM-20 composite gaskets, they have a roll formed compression ring that would be design be immune to this layered phenomenon.

A properly/uniformly stacked Embossed MLS gasket would be the better choice IF we can get that out of the 3rd (4th?) attempt.

My apologies for the time frame once again. I have not asked for a refund yet until we get this new gasket from John to Charlie, and I talk to Charlie about his observations and opinions after he receives the gasket made from his CAD drawings.

Worst case is a week out at the time of refusal/approval if we decline on the MLS batch re-make.

Thanks Charlie & everyone

[Old Colt]

The first test gasket had good alignment for each layer. The big issue was the wrong width between dowel holes which if one end was fitted it shifter all the bore holes over enough to be a problem. This was masked to me at first since for some reason one dowel hole was punched the proper 11mm while the other was 8mm. This hid the true problem of the C-C spacing being wrong. I am glad I chased down that measurement, I am weak on digitally measuring over 300mm so I had to spend some time to both confirm my drawing and that the tooling was made wrong.
A secondary issue was the head stud holes were a bit small, 7.8mm. This would not be an operational issue but would require care installing and removing the gasket down over the threads of the studs. Someone in a rush could bungle something up. The stud holes in the head are 8.25ish so I requested these holes to be punched a bit larger.

[Old Colt]

Newest gasket has arrived and is good to use.
It has one minor issue in that somehow the end dowel holes were stamped a bit small so they are tighter than they should be. That issue was relayed back to John to be corrected.
But I would say these are now a usable gasket.
Fresh in it's package
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I forgot I can only post one picture at a time, why this is I have no clue.

[Old Colt]

IMG_6039.jpg
And now it seems I can not post a simple picture on it's own

[frankenwabbit]

as sheriff roscoe p coltrane once said....good news good news!

[Chuck78]

So all of the layers are evenly stacked in the cylinder bores this time??? And the bores line up with even spacing?

If so, I'm ready to have John re-make the original batch again if this quality can be replicated again, but with the dowell alignment holes enlarged to proper size...


It's about time...!!! One less thing to be stressed out over...

Only problem remaining is that the two members outside of the USA have never gotten back to me about returning their original mis-fitting MLS gaskets... since those were shipped direct.

Charlie, I will try to have John refund you the price of your original gasket, since it was one of the 10 which I returned and was awaiting either a refund or a re-make of.

Emailing John back here next...

[Old Colt]

The gasket I have here is 3 layers and they line up fine. Is this gasket what I would call "Perfect" no, but it is a good serviceable gasket.
The gasket is a few thou off here and there. Is this my drawing or the way their die was setup?, I do not know.
The gasket however is fully functional and now is made to my CAD drawings I provided.

The first gasket I received the distance between to end dowel holes was 366.5mm where our cylinder blocks are 368mm. This was clearly marked in the CAD drawing I provided and if they scanned my drawing or run it directly off the print that error would not have been there.
I also do not understand ow the hole sizes were off for the studs and dowels, they were clearly stated as well. John has this all addressed on his end now.

Chuck, I am curious if the gaskets you received were stamped to 366mm as well. That looked to be the major error and somehow was in their setup all along.

So if nothing gets changed on the manufacturing end we should all receive usable gaskets and we can move forward with what should be a great project.

[gilldog]

Good news these are getting sorted, pm me your address please and I’ll get the gasket shipped back over to you
thanks
chris

So all of the layers are evenly stacked in the cylinder bores this time??? And the bores line up with even spacing?

If so, I'm ready to have John re-make the original batch again if this quality can be replicated again, but with the dowell alignment holes enlarged to proper size...


It's about time...!!! One less thing to be stressed out over...

Only problem remaining is that the two members outside of the USA have never gotten back to me about returning their original mis-fitting MLS gaskets... since those were shipped direct.

Charlie, I will try to have John refund you the price of your original gasket, since it was one of the 10 which I returned and was awaiting either a refund or a re-make of.

Emailing John back here next...

[tadakan]

Let me know if I should start my own thread, I'm trying to keep this relevant to the group buys you all have already done.

I'm just getting my 1980 gs550 up and running, so of course it's time to start thinking about modifying it!

It looks like the wiseco piston buy is long since finished and I'd be looking at another 12 piece minimum for a buy. Any chance of getting in on the head gaskets still? I'm assuming there's a minimum on that also, although I haven't read through the hundreds of posts yet...

If anyone has a great deal on a good candidate 650 top end I'd be interested in that also.

Anyone in Washington state doing this project that will be willing to let me see/hear it when you're done?

Thanks,
Tom

[Old Colt]

The gasket buy is ongoing, there should be no problem getting one. Chuck 78 is handling that. Even after this buy is completed the company we are working with now has the proper tooling and can make individual gaskets in the future so ordering directly will be available.

As for the pistons there has definitely been continued interest for more of them. 3 sets should not be hard to sell, I am not in the position to host a buy but I expect if someone did a call out enough buyers would come onboard to get another batch made especially since we now have a viable supply of head gaskets. It would not surprise me if another order of pistons might be quite successful especially one a few of the first batch may soon be up and running.

I am starting to think if sleeves for the exhaust ports might be of interest since the 550 Ex pipes are smaller on the OD than what the 650 head was designed for.
What are peoples thought on this?