81 GS550T Full Rebuild...In Ohio

[mike_of_bbg]

I've used this in the past, seemed to work well:

http://www.permatex.com/products/product-categories/lubricants/specialty-lubricants/permatex--ultra-slick--engine-assembly-lube-detail

[cowboyup3371]

Oops

I went back through my service manual tonight and discovered I failed to verify if the letter (T) is up or not on each piston ring when I installed them yesterday. Looks like I'll be backing up tomorrow and redoing them...

[cowboyup3371]

Whew, rings are fixed and I didn't break any. (These always make me nervous whether car or bike). Now on to finishing my valves.

[pete]

Excellent Scott, and yeah I hear ya'... I was a bit nervous putting mine in at that stage as well...

[cowboyup3371]

One Step Forward....Three Steps Back

Valves are finished and buckets installed. Fricking took me 2 1/2 hours to do with 2 of that being the stupid exhaust valves. Finally learned the trick though and my intake valves were done pretty quick. It's not really that hard if you can coordinate fingers and tools around moving parts (keepers).

Then tried to install the swingarm and busted one of the needle bearings as I tried to force the spacers in - something I didn't have issues when I dry-fit tested them two months ago. So, I removed both bearings and will have to re-order them, probably from G&S this time instead of the local bearing shop. Found out too the powdercoater fouled up one of the threads on my centerstand mounts so I'll have to pick up a tap tomorrow to clean it up.

I'm not as far along as I'd envisioned myself to be and tomorrow's the last day of my leave. But at least I'm going places now and should be okay by June to start riding.

[cowboyup3371]

Received a replacement speedometer bracket from Chef but discovered it wouldn't work for me. The speedometer and tachometer fit perfectly but the center console wouldn't fit (too small) and I never thought to check it before hand. So I trimmed my old one down where both clocks didn't fit and then started cleaning things up. I'll repaint the bracket tomorrow and some other small things until I can get the new swingarm bearings either Monday or Tuesday.

If anyone wants a bracket for a L model bike, please let me know. I'll let it go for the same total I paid for it.

[cowboyup3371]

Frame

The frame is finally closer to being in one piece tonight as I received my new swingarm bearings yesterday. Installing them tonight went fairly well and it didn't take long to put the swingarm back on the frame. We didn't install the engine tonight as I'd left the bolts at the house but that should be done tomorrow or Thursday night at the latest. Then once I receive the remaining o-rings I should be able to start putting the engine back together.

Painting frame brackets:



Swingarm, side stand, and center stand on:



Frame right side up - I'll remove the foam after I get the engine in place:



Clocks are repainted and put back together. I'll put them into the bracket after my friend talks to his sister about doing some vinyl work on the center console. What I don't have pictured right now is that we smoked the plastic covering where the lights are but it's not so dark I can't see the lights. I think it looks nice with my flashlight as a test light but won't know for sure until I get everything reconnected.



It's slowly coming together but I still have a long time before I'm riding again and am hoping I can by the 4th of July.

[cowboyup3371]

More Ups and Downs

I am just loving the way this project is going as I've had more ups and downs with it than a roller coaster ride at your favorite park .

First, I picked up my seat from the upholsterer this morning. Although this isn't a great picture right now (edited out a couple of things), the seat came out looking very nice and I'm looking forward to seeing it in place.



Then, I picked up new mounting bolts and my friend and I proceeded to put the engine in place so I could mount it. Unfortunately, the rear of the engine didn't seat properly into the mounting ears so we decided to use my rubber mallet to "coax" it down. It definitely started to move down until this happened:



My friend hit it in the right spot that the edge of the crankcase near the top rear sprocket cover bolt hole busted off. We started calling around to shops that TIG weld and he's going to stop into one of them on Monday morning. Hopefully they'll be able to fix it well enough that I won't have an issue. Otherwise, i'm not sure if I'll need to find a new engine or what.

Hindsight being what it is, we should have taken the dremel to the rear mounts as it looks like there's too much powdercoat on them to let the engine seat properly. Oh well, live and learn I guess.

[chuck hahn]

Its a really tight fit and what you need to do is REMOVE the paint on the faces of the frame where the mounts match up to it. otherwise its gonna be tight and a biitch to get into the cradle.

[cowboyup3371]

Well, fingers crossed that this will work out for me - my friend had it fixed for free today. A friend of his tig welded the piece back in place and he took his grinder to clean it up. We'll have to repaint it and I'll go and test the cover against it but I'm hopeful things will be okay.

[pete]

Bugger Scott! At least it's one spot that doesn't have to be oil tight and if all else fails you could actually leave it like that...

Smooth the welds off and a coat of paint and you'll never know though

[cowboyup3371]

Unfortunately, the weld broke once I installed and tightened the sprocket cover against it this afternoon. So, we put some JB Weld on it, installed the sprocket cover to hold in place, and we'll let it sit until my friend can get it back for another welding job. Hopefully that will work but if not I'll just live without that bolt in place.

Also received the orings I forgot to order the first time and the rare breed of left hand side covers that I found on EBay last weekend. $13 and free shipping gave me a replacement for the cracked one I put slurry on last year. It also replaces the chrome cover I lost on a ride last year.

[eil]

Bummer on the crankcase but hooray on the side covers! I'm seeing that that these rebuild projects always have both their ups and downs.

[cowboyup3371]

Today's Two Step

Although I repainted the engine Wednesday night, I hadn't had time to do any work for quite awhile lately. Fortunately today I had some time finally and met up with my friend early this morning. After cleaning up the two frame mounts in the bottom rear, we finally got the engine in place:



It took a little bit of doing but I slid all three engine mount bolts into place then realized the nuts I purchased were the wrong pitch. Ran back to Ace Hardware and they let me exchange them without charging me so at least they are set in place (not torqued). I also found the powder coater messed up on the holes on the right side mount so I'll have to pick up that tap and die set finally to fix it.

After spending some time at the house for other things, I went back to put the cylinders in place. I discovered the base gasket, a very flimsy gasket, needs to be in place before I put the orings down as it catches on them very easily. However, at least I got that on without much trouble.





I then started to ease the cylinders down onto two and three and fairly easily set them into place. However, as I would turn the engine to get one and four up, two and three fell out on me. After about four tries, a phone call, and my buddy coming back out to the garage, I realized I need to have the second and third pistons further up into the cylinders first before trying to slide one and four in. Just about the time I was finally ready to finish sliding the cylinders down into the crankcase I realized I forgot to put the cylinder orings on . Off came the cylinders to replace them. Of course, what's a day in the Baker garage without even more fun - the dang base gasket ripped on me right in the middle of the number three cylinder .

So, I'll order a new one on Friday from G&S as well as new acorn head nuts and a spacer I'll need.

[cowboyup3371]

Finally!!! I received a new base gasket on Monday and had some time to get to the garage tonight. We put it into place, coaxed the cylinders over the pistons, and VOILA, it's finally looking like an engine again. I didn't go much further than this though as it was pretty hot/humid but I'm a lot closer now finally

The cylinders are in place:



And a view from up top.



I was reminded I need to set 1 and 4 at TDC before I put the head on so hopefully I'll remember it when I finally get back out there again.

I know the oil pressure switch is off but I disturbed it the last time and bought a new oring. I just figured I'll have enough room to get it back in. I'll figure it out later though.