1979 GS550L Let the Education begin

[Skateguy50]

My question is this right now. I am currently cleaning one set of carbs and will be getting the carb kit from Z1. Once I have rebuilt the carbs. I need to do the valve adjustment. Should I be looking at anyting else that needs fixing prior to hopefully getting this bike on the road? Aside from new tires. Oh and let me say I have become a fan of the blast booth at work.

Have you been here all this time and not heard about cyleorings.com? get new orings and you should be good to go... unless he doesnt stock your bike, havent checked but that would be the first place to look.

So it sounds like you are using the project bike to get the parts bike on the road? whatever gets your riding first I say go for it. Also get something on the road and book a kitchen pass for the moosehead weekend.

[Redneck]

Dooh

I am actually going to order the carb rebuild kit for the other set off carbs off the old bike. I had them acid dipped now just need to get the rebuild kit and put them back together. What other O-rings are you talking bout? Was just trying to see if the bike would start as is. Problem I have now is the wife called me away from working on it the other day. I went to look at it last night and realized I had left the key on when she called me away. Brand new battery now it is dead. Good thing I have a Kick start...lol. And yes the original bike has become the parts bike and the new bike the project bike..lol. You will understand when I get pics posted tomorrow.

Would love for you to stop by Doug just give a holler I should be home all day Saturday. I have a date with a praticularly cute young lady to go ride our bicycles to the park in the morning but should be home on Saturday afternoon. Hope to see ya.

Paul

[Skateguy50]

I will be passing by your way in a few weeks so might have to schedule stopping in for a look myself.

Their is a guy on the forums here that sells kits with all the orings (forgot his username but he runs www.cycleorings.com ) you need to put a the carbs back together. I dont know if he has a kit for the 550 but it worked great for my 650. Its like $14 for that vs paying much more for a rebuild kit. Unless you need to replace actual parts inside the carbs its best to clean and reuse all the original parts and then replace all the orings. Also the kits often dont include enough orings to replace the ones between them.

Others can probably describe it better... but its really the way to go. Also replacing the oring where the boot attaches to the head of the engine is important, he sells them too. Believe me... I cleaned my carbs like 4 times before I finally did it right and dipped them and got the oring kit. Also had issues till I replaced the orings on the boots. Its like $20 total for all that and he buys the right type of material in the right size in bulk to keep it reasonable. I think everyone on the forums here using him as the source for rebuilding carbs.

[Redneck]

Sweet Man

Cool thanks for the info. Was dreading that cost. my parts all look good just need some TLC from a brass wire brush and some carb cleaner and they should be good to go. Did acid soak. Just need to spray down the carb bodies to clean off the residue. Was about to put in an order for the Kits glad I was lazy/forgetful and did not already blow the money.

Paul

[Redneck]

Woot I got it running

I got the bike running today. I am so psyched. Now I have to just weed out the problems that keep me from riding it safely. First thing I noticed today is that the Throttle cable coming off the twist grip has a broken bracket.

And the Headlight and taillights are not working. The blinkers come on but don't blink.

But she runs...woot. I have sandblasted and painted my starter cover, airbox cover, the rear fender, and the light bracket. The project continues.

Paul

[Redneck]

The new bike

The new bike.

There are more pictures in my album if you want to see more. I also have pics of the first the painted pieces with their first couple of coats of rattle can paint.

[Skateguy50]

New oem cables are not that bad a price so stick to them for replacements.

Doing any more wrenching days this summer? I am on the look out for a garage to replace my head and base gasket... again. I am now a member of the buy OEM club. Well, not sure pulling the head off after a 150 mile ride is the best plan, nor is the 150 mile ride home on the highway to break in the new gasket. I'll find somewhere local to tear into it and not have dust and leaves blowing all around me.

[Redneck]

Not planning any right now. Have to wait and see what my schedule looks like after our vacation during the second half of July. I have some electrical issues to work through on the bike and a couple broken connections like the throttle cable. Might be looking at one during September. Maybe someone can give us the do-s and don't-s of storing a bike for winter properly..lol. Going to take off the front fender tomorrow and get it sandblasted and maybe powdercoated in the next couple of days. Going to give the other gas tank the old vinegar prep treatment and see how that does for removing rust. If i can get it real clean I am going to put it up for sale.

[Redneck]

Its smoking....but why

Okay so I have been cranking the bike each day for about 4 days now. I have been letting it run for about 10-15 minutes. Well at least the last three days I have. The first couple of days i got it running I had to coax it to keep it running by using the choke to keep it running. Yesterday, I could turn the choke off and it would idle well until i took the jumper cables off. I know my battery is not a 100% so I know that is the problem. Today I started it up and let it run for about a 30 seconds with the choke on before the RPMs started shooting up. Took the choke off and she idled ever so sweetly. I then took the Jumper cables off and she stayed running. I don't have a battery charger or a multimeter but I think she is slowly charging up.

The issue I have now is I have smoke coming from everywhere on the engine. Not from one spot but form the intake and exhaust sides of the engine. Is this normal with bikes that have been sitting a while. Is it just burning off the oxidization and other cummulated crap.

On a side note I plan on sandblasting the front fender and back fender tonight and having them both powder coated black. I am going with a gloss black look and minimizing the chrome. I will post pics when I get them all done. The swing arm from the parts bike was powder coated last week and it looks awesome. Pictures to follow at a later time.

[Redneck]

Vinegar for the win....

Wow...I mean Wow...I used Vinegar on the old tank the one in the album that looks like a rusty old bucket. Now you could never tell there was that kind of rust other than the pitting. I need to get a good sealer in there and bam I am good to go. Wow that was so awesome. less than a week and it took out all the rust. I am impressed. Need to get a vat set up and soak all my rusty parts in in it. Pictures soon to follow for comparison.

[Redneck]

Made some purchases.

Well went out and got some Equipment today. Bought a HJC CS-R1 Solid, Helmet:

The Joe Rocket Recon jacket designed to meet OPNAV instructions for riding on Navy bases:


The reflective material rolls up in the back.

and it has the same on the front that rolls up in the sides.




Picked up this glove in all black also a Joe Rocket Velocity glove it was the most inexpensive but if felt good on my hand it has the gel pad on the palm everthing is double stiched.

These are the signal lights i got to replace the stock ones, to get a tighter looking feel on the back of the bike:

Also got new throttle cables, turn signals and a new tire. All of which are suppose to be in within 3-5 business days. Tomorrow I go down to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles get the Title processed and the bike registered.

Hope to be riding around the neighborhood by the end of next week and taking the BRC on base in August. I is excited

[Redneck]

Pictures of the things I have been doing

First is the heads after soda media blasting:
Before:

[Redneck]

And the after results

Okay this is not the after for the previous pic but it is a different shot of the after.
THink I need a photobucket account this is ridiculous.

[Redneck]

And I clicked the wrong pic for the after results

this is the after to go with the before

[Redneck]

Here is the Back fender after paint

Here is the Rear Fender and light bracket after Paint



Replacing those wings soon with shorties that also have black vice chrome arms. Also thinking of reblasting the fender and bracket and powder coating instead of rattle can. Any Opinions?