1982 GS 550 M rolling resto/customization

[gabos666]

spark plug question

OK, after I removed the carbs, I checked out the spark plugs.

They where really interesting( and frustrating too).

Guys, please help me, I don't understand why my 1&2 plugs are very different then my 3&4.

Spark plug no.1


Spark plug no.2


Spark plug no.3


Spark plug no.4




More concern is the 3&4. Much much crud and oil.
1&2 is more better, but there are problems too.

Help me please. There is something wrong in the head in 3&4, and something wrong in the air system or in the carbs/ exhaust at 1&2???

I think I have to check the top end myself. I never ever bring my bike to a mechanic!!! If I have a garage.....

[spyug]

Ok 1 &2 are, as you say, not too bad. I wouldn't worry about them. 3 &4 are definitely running richer (carbs) and show signs of a little oil buildup (leaking valve stem bushing or seals). However, not yet bad enough to panic over.

From what I'm reading, I think you should proceed to getting the bike starting and running right before you tear it all apart. I would definitely clean and rebuild the carbs with fresh o-rings and also replace the fuse block and R/r (as you mention) and spend some time cleaning up your connectors in the wiring harness and to all the electrical components.

Once it is running and charging well again then you can dive into the engine. it doesn't look bad enough to go crazy over right now.

Good luck with it.

Spyug

[gabos666]

Payday...

Soon I will put my order at cycleorings.com for the o-rings. Finally I managed to separate my carbs, but it was a nightmare job!!! Somebody worked in here, but long-long ago. All screws were shot. My pilot screw caps were drilled out sometimes, and the screws were nearly fully out screwed. I need some new jets to solve this problem. I shot some picture, but my data cable is at my friend, so update will come tomorrow with pictures.

[Chuck78]

It's great to see/hear your enthusiasm! Reminds me a lot of how enthusiastic I get about our bikes and other hobby projects of mine!

I'd been wanting a motorcycle for 11 or 12 years now, since two close friends of mine and I walked past a really awesome looking mid 1970's Honda CB750 with a sign "For Sale $1200." We all dreamed about it but never followed through until many years later! Same thing happened 7 years ago with a $1000 early 70's Royal Enfield 750cc Interceptor... Finally after meeting my future wife with a basket case 77 GS550B 3 years ago, I have recently acquired a 1977 GS750B project! I can relate to your enthusiasm, as I always get the same level of excitement and inspiration about hobby projects!

I've been begging Reda to let me pull the bike up our front stairs and park it on the enclosed front porch/mud room over the winter so I can work on it here! The answer is always "get the d#@$ house remodel done first, one thing at a time!"

Anyways, I wanted to congratulate you on your purchase, wish you the best of luck, and give you a little advice!
I wanted to suggest keeping the exhaust you have and just adapting some universal mufflers onto it. On Reda's GS550, I chopped off the original rusted up mufflers and welded on a stub of maybe 1-3/4" exhaust pipe to the Y-collectors on each side in order to clamp on an EMGO Dunstall style muffler to each one. I had to chop the mounting brackets and weld them back together in an "L" shape, and then mock up the mufflers with the stubs clamped in to get the proper installed angle to weld the stub onto the factory Y-pipes, but it was well worth if for a little over $100 US plus my time and welding.

The chrome is not the strongest and the metal is not the thickest (I figure regular chrome polish will keep them looking great for some time), but wow, those mufflers sound AWESOME! you can custom tune the softness or aggressiveness of the sound because you can remove the baffle and add or remove the fiberglass packing. They are fairly loud but sound AWESOME. Especially with the gnarly camshaft grind on the GS550's. you can add 'glass lining and even create an internal baffle like I did on my homemade glasspack to force more gasses into the outer muffler chamber and back through before being dampened by the fiberglass or steel wool.

EMGO makes many mufflers, and I hear the Dunstall style reverse cone mufflers are quieter, but no removeable baffles or cores like the others.

There are also many other companies where you could just order universal mufflers from. Good to know a friend with a MIG welder to help with brackets and mounts.

Best of luck, and don't forget to really really inspect your intake boots for cracks, and order the intake boot O-rings from Bike Bandit or somewhere , they do not come in the carb o-ring kit. and go up at least one or two sizes in main jets if you add a free flowing muffler and K&N intake filter or other more free flowing filter! you will run lean at higher rpm's if not, and you will seriously boost your engine's power if you do upsize these at least two sizes.

The GS550 honestly I believe is the best vintage japaneseengine in the 550cc range. Reda's is VERY FAST after we upgraded the ignition and coils to Dyna-S, put on K&N pod filters (harder to tune than K&N airbox type filter), and put on those EMGO Dunstall glasspacks... And it sounds REALLY AWESOME, I wish my 750 had the aggressive tone of hers! the 750 produces a deeper tone, but maybe my 4-into-1 mellows out the sound a bit.

Also, getting a buffing wheel attached to a hand held electric grinder and some good aluminum polish like Mothers will take you about 1-3 hours to put a mirror like polish on the shiny parts of the engine - clutch cover (w/oil filler cap), ignition cover, cam end covers, stator cover, and chain/clutch linkage cover... Makes them look REALLY SHARP! I think there is a factory clearcoat that you may find yourself buffing off, which I used fine steel wool or really fine sandpaper (more for scratches and severe oxidation) to help remove before polishing. The rest of the engine I believe was painted silver (or black) at the factory.

Good luck with everything, wishing you the best!

[gabos666]

Chuck!

Tanks you for these very kind words, and inspiration! I am in a very frustrating situation, because I have the will to work in my 550, but I have no garage, nor tools to do proper job. My primary goal is to find a place, where I can tear it apart, than I have to buy some tool to work with. Until than I began to renew my carbs. I will order the intake boot O rings, and all the necessary things to make them new again. Muffler question have to wait until the carbs done, I will use bigger jets to compensate the big opened mufflers. Factory airbox will stay. I have to find the cause of overheating. If a rejet solve the problem, than I can think of some mufflers. I am very much like the 4 to 2 system, so I will stay with it.

There is many possibilities in my mind about the little katana. I like to work on it. If I can find a garage, than this topic will blow out sky high

[detorn]

nothing to offer aside from saying I am pulling for you. I love the M and I am happy to see another one come back to life...

the one I let go...

[gabos666]

Hi all!

Sorry for the late update, I had no time to frehs up this topic.

So...carb disassembly:






I found that the plastic caps are badly damaged, gaskets too. Somebody hacked with the jets, i found some signs of wrong screwdriver.
I didn't found more troublesome parts. These jets are Ok, or I should change them? I found these on ebay for 74 dollars plus shipping.


AND for the end I spare the BIG GOOD NEWS!!!

Sorry for the crap image!

SITO 1270 exact copy of the OEM exhaust pipes(not silencers, doh.. I write silencers first, tanks BigD )! Brand new for relatively cheap!!

Oh, and o-rings also on their way from cycleorings

I am really a happy man right now. Those silencers were my top on my wanted list! With those I can rebuild the OEM system, and I can use OEM spec with jets an so on. I'm really like the OEM exhaust system's looking. I can't wait to see those on my bike. I will have to sort out the footrest and exhaust mount. I am looking for some picture with the OEM settings.

I saw some days ago a little honda, and I was impressed with it's paint job. I want to copy it, I think it suits better the little katana than the flat balck:



Minus the frame, on mine I want it black, and also black will be the exhaust system.

[BigD_83]

A little reminiscent of the red/white 700e. I could see that working well with the Kat side panels.

I couldn't open your ImageShack photo, but what are those pipes? They look (and I think the Italian said) like black chrome. Nice!

[gabos666]

Yeah.. not silencers, they are pipes wrong word, sorry. I think this colors give the little cat a more fresh look. With those new pipes and nice colored rims, with twin pot upgrade with some beautiful brake disc it will rock! Seat will be renewd with OEM colors. I hope this will put it not so far away from oem, I dont want to look like a circus, but it will be a real head turner I hope next week I can rent a garage, I found a little nice place with good price. The owner is at vacant right now, so all I have to do is wait and hope...

[gabos666]

Tear down!!

Hi all!

Sorry, this post was a bit dead, but the project got a rocket launch now!
A dont had time to write it down, but i am in the middle of the tear down process!

A left the storyline about the garage renting. So the long waited moment has come, because my little kat has a roof over his head! Small, but very quiet and safe place to work. It is a bit pricy, but I can't find cheaper in the near distance.

[gabos666]

Settle in

Let's get started!

This bike is very straight forward to work on. I have just very basic tools, but I can manage everything now! One or two really stuck screw, but nothing serious for now...

So I tore down everything, except the engine, and the suspension. I made lot of pictures, and try to tear down as big parts, as possible, putting back all the screws and fasteners where they belong, for example I got out the airbox with all the electricity, and so on. This way I hope I cant get over my head.

So, just some interesting moment, my realy not horizontal licence plate holder, with my fancy HONDA brake light, with two scooter blinker...yamm


And a closer one from the light assemblys indside:

[gabos666]

The seat base is really nasty, and the PO broke the plastic fender


Careless PO's killing me...

[gabos666]

Some electricity.... I think I have to rewire it from scratch:

[gabos666]

Rust is not a big issue, I hope I don't find anything really bad in the future. The frame is in preatty good nick, just loosing the paint, but no bad corrosion. One of the worst are the footrests:



My biggest concern was the exhaust. The PO made this!! It was leaky because the zero gaskets, loose fasteners, and it was welded together with the downpipes:

[gabos666]

Because I managed to buy 2 new SITO silencers, I have to cut down the monsters from the pipes:

Finally I can forget them




What a difference, right? Pretty much OEM silencers, but I dont know how to mount them back, I think I need some bracket, and needed to rethink the back footrest