Potential Group Purchase - Wiseco GS650 741cc pistons

[frankenwabbit]

Overbore 65mm. I will keep them available to you guys. I scooped just so they wouldn't disappear. I'm still on the fence. I tend to not know what the heck I want depending on the day of the week.

I'd be interested in one of the gaskets!

[Old Colt]

Mike I sent you a PM on the 27th requesting a head gasket as well.

[Chuck78]

How are everyone's finances looking for getting this going soon? If under $100/piston, I could be in for after this Friday's paycheck possibly, or the next paycheck 2 Fridays after worst case if I burn a lot of gasoline riding through Daniel Boone National Forest Kentucky and Tennessee to Asheville/Maggie Valley, NC on vacation

[Chuck78]

I have an original Wiseco 65mm bore gasket, but I still want to get in in a new Cometic group purchase since this is something that I'll need to have a spare of.

They can make us some composite gaskets. If we want a multilayer steel gs650 65mm bore head gasket, gasketstogo.com in Thailand has made me some really nice custom VW 1.6L solid lifter turbodiesel MLS head gaskets, but the cost will be more.

[tkent02]

I'm ready when you're ready.

[Chuck78]

So if Mike has 3-4 head gaskets, and we have 8-9 buyers for 1 set each, how many additional head gaskets are we looking to order? I have one buy would like a spare. So let's say 9 people minus Mike's 3, that means 6+ gaskets to order. Who else wants spares? I think we can get a better price in bulk obviously. I can contact the MLS place in Thailand and see about a price. The larger one-off VW head gaskets were $120 for me, 1 gasket batch. A batch of 6 or 7 likely would be much cheaper each. The Cometic would be quicker for sure though.

[tkent02]

If they are cheaper than $100 or so I'd take several, just because if I ever needed one it may be impossible to find.

Were the ones from Thailand of decent quality?

[Rob.M]

If I get on board for a set of pistons and gasket what will that drop the price to?

[Old Colt]

I took a look at the gasket site, looks like they do a nice job at a fair price. Good to know that un-obtainiam gaskets can be made. I also like the fact they do custom rubber extrusions as well, that I have a need for too.

For our needs an MLS gasket with a print seal around the chain case and possibly stay with O-rings for the oil passages would make a nice durable product.

[Chuck78]

http://www.gasketstogo.com are very highly regarded in the VW Rabbit "Caddy" pickup truck community (and all other old VW diesel 1.5L & 1.6L mechanical lifter engines from the late 70's to the mid 80's. MLS gaskets are only widely available for newer VW engines but can be easily fitted back to the 85 or 86 when they first started using hydraulic lifter heads.

Yes, I was quite pleased with the quality of both orders I placed.

I don't know about the specifics of the gs650 MLS order however. We still would be best sending him an oem gasket to copy.

Are the OEM an MLS design? Or composite?

GS850 & 1000 composite head gaskets with cam chain tunnel rectangular o rings and oil passage stud viton seals got superceded by the GS1100G head gasket which is MLS, does not use cam chain tunnel o-ring or oil pressure stud seals, all just MLS. I can't recall if the MLS material covered the o-ring groove completely, or if it was the same outline in that area as the original gs850/1000 gaskets that used the o-ring around the rectangular tunnel groove.

The MLS are the best/strongest design, but are more sensitive to surface irregularities and warpage. Basically it will be best to have the head and block resurfaced at the machine shop if there is any doubt of defects or trueness. A machinists' straightedge and .001-.002" feeler gauges should be used to verify deck trueness, or refer to the spec in the GS1100G 1983 factory service manual on bass cliff's website. I say 83 1100G because that model used an MLS gasket and was similar but the big big brother of the 550/650 etc 8v family. Not sure if Suzuki was spec'ING different tolerances in trueness yet for the MLS but I'd compare 650 and 1100G manual specs on allowable warpage.

I used the 1100G MLS gasket no orings or oil seals on my 920cc GS750/850 72mm piston build. Zero problems. I had the head and block resurfaced and used light fogged tack coats of Copper Coat head gasket sealer on all 4 surfaces per directions, masking off the bores and combustion chambers and then the outside cooling fin external surfaces, just like a paint job. then you must install the head shortly thereafter.

Make sure to do the cylinder install ( base gasket /o-rings and cylinder-piston+rings) install before spraying the copper coat spray. Bulletproof combination, resurfaced, MLS + copper coat spray (permatex). Rapid Ray highly recommend some similar blue Hylomar product as well.

Honestly though a fresh pristine resurfaced head and block with a new MLS gasket installed dry (no copper coat / hylomar) should be 100% great. Any question of how clean you got the deck surfaces and I'd either resurface them or use copper coat spray of its not much of an issue you are trying to seal up. The warpage check is the critical part though. Must check this out ESPECIALLY with an MLS gasket. A composite gasket may be able to handle an extra .001"-.002" or so of warpage than an MLS, but still not ideal.

[frankenwabbit]

I'm ready for a set of pistons and headgasket.


I was just looking at gasketstogo.com's site. I'm doublestacking mls headgaskets on my '78 2L 16v turbo rabbit, but have been thinkin of going with a more robust gasket setup. so far it is working so i'm more or less leaving it alone.

[charnotx]

is the piston set and gasket purchase still on the table? I'd be interested in joining in for a 1980 gs550e I'm rebuilding..

[Chuck78]

Yes it is. Gasket details need worked out still but piston purchase is only awaiting confirmation from at least 7 members being ready to purchase 1 set each.

[tkent02]

Should we wait longer to get more buyers or is someone in a hurry?

[Chuck78]

At this point, soon would be good, IT'S RIDING SEASON!!!

However I'm afraid that having not everyone speaking up here may be a sign that not all of us have the $400 to spare immediately, I can relate to a tight budget....

My wife aka "hot rod" is going to be ecstatically thrilled once she feels the performance of this thing over a pods&pipe 77 gs550. I'm pretty excited, & also very eager to equip a gs650 head with kz1000 vm28's racked on a GS550 rack and GS750 o-6 needle jets & maybe needles swapped in