SO SCARED GS1000G full engine gasket rebuild!

[Matt W]

I am about to embark on the most intensive bike project I have yet encountered. Lots of hours fixing "free" and cheap bikes that people have unloaded on me but this will be the daddy of them all.

1. Is this a "fools rush in" situation or is a complete gasket rebuild doable?

2. What is the best service manual to use for a rebuild?

3. What is a high and low range for the time this will take? (20-50 hrs???)

4. Next year will be the Bobber or Cafe rebuild... any thoughts?

5. I am taking off a Vetter Ferring and trying to find the original front headlight components. How hard is this to do?

Thanks guys for any advice you have,
Matt W.

[Frank Z.]

All logical questions, and welcome to the GSR. You'll receive your special Welcome from BassCliff, but in the meantime start some reading...

... HERE > http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/

[azr]

when you say 'full gasket rebuild' what exactly does that mean? top end only or bottom end as well? If it's just the head and base gasket with everything in between, it's not that hard. The best book to have is the proper shop manual but a Haynes or the like will get the job done as well. If every thing went well you could have the job done in a weekend but things never seem to work out that well. Finding the original light is easy, Ebay or easier yet on here. If you can follow the procedure in the manual with no troubles and take advice from here the job should go fairly easily. Have the cylinders honed, lap your valves and check all your clearances will you're in there.

[Dogma]

Top end can be done in a weekend if you've done that kind of thing before and you have all the parts on hand. If you haven't heard already, you'll be doing it twice if you don't use OEM gaskets.

[Homie]

Looks like you have some good help there to assist you with the job. With the proper motivation (i.e. cookies, brownies, ice cream etc) I think you and your two junior motorcycle mechanics could get the job done in less than 20 hours.

[feelergaugephil]

Matt, quit freaking out! its really easy...
The hardest part is probably scraping off the old gaskets!
TIP:- get a friend to help bring the cylinders down onto the pistons when installing and smear oil on the inside of the cylinders to help ease the piston/rings in......

Ive done dozens of GS engines, just remember to get the timing spot on, I think its 20 or 21 links from #2 to #1 (on inlet to exhaust cam) sounds like japanese but you will understand when your doing the timing....

Loads of help here on the forums if you need help, just ask.

Also, get the shim tool, it helps.

[Matt W]

thanks for that link! I had found a pdf version of the manual, but wasn't totally sure it was the right one because is mentioned other versions of the bike as well (gs1000s, gs1000gl...). I wasn't sure if somehow I found a shop manual that had every model from that year BUT mine:-)

[Matt W]

I guess this will be my first "rebuild", and so I pictured taking apart the entire engine, and swapping out all the gaskets that come in the "complete" OEM kit that I bought. What is the difference between a top end vs. a top and bottom?
Thanks guys,
Matt W

[hampshirehog]

Looks like you were just in time to stop that vicious looking girl gang from making off with your bike.....

If everything goes well you can do a top end rebuild in a day. But don't expect that (I'm not trying to put you off though).

Plan for some bolts that won't come undone. If anything is stuck ask for advice on here - there's various ways of overcoming even the most stubborn fasteners.

Plan for the old gaskets being really hard and stuck. Just be patient and take your time removing all the old stuff - be careful and don't rush it.

Follow the manual and ask away on here (the only stupid question is the one you don't ask) and you'll find it's nothing to worry about.

[BassCliff]

Greetings and Salutations!!

Hi Mr. Matt W,

I don't often visit this section, but I noticed there was a new member.

1. Is this a "fools rush in" situation or is a complete gasket rebuild doable?

Are you sure you need this? Have you done a compression check? These engines are practically indestructible unless they have been severely abused. A "top end" rebuild is from the base gasket up. This usually includes base gasket, head gasket, rings, valve seals, valve cover gasket, honing the cylinders, etc. A "bottom end" rebuild means also removing the crankshaft, replacing bearings, clutch and stator cover gaskets, internal seals, etc.

Normally, all you have to do to get these bikes safe and reliable is to follow the maintenance lists in your "mega-welcome".

2. What is the best service manual to use for a rebuild?

The Suzuki factory manual is best, but all have their good points and weaknesses.

3. What is a high and low range for the time this will take? (20-50 hrs???)

That depends on what you do. "Top end" could be 20-40 hours. "Top and bottom end" could be 40-80 hours. A "complete frame up" restoration could take weeks.

4. Next year will be the Bobber or Cafe rebuild... any thoughts?

No.

5. I am taking off a Vetter Ferring and trying to find the original front headlight components. How hard is this to do?

In the forum are Parts Wanted and Parts for Sale sections. The eBay is a good source of parts if you know exactly what you're looking for. (Note: Sometimes the seller doesn't know what he's selling). You can still get a lot of OEM parts, but not all, from many online vendors. See the vendor list in your "mega-welcome". You can also get aftermarket parts for mounting headlights.

Your "mega-welcome" is contained in the links below. It's the S.W.A.G. You'll find many years of research and documentation contained in the links below. Use it wisely.

If you are here you probably have a 30 year old motorcycle that needs about 20 years worth of maintenance. You'll find all kinds of helpful tips, procedures, manuals, diagrams, "how to" guides, etc, in the links below. Let's get started.

Let me dump a TON of information on you and share some GS lovin'.

I just stopped by to welcome you to the forum in my own, special way.

If there's anything you'd like to know about the Suzuki GS model bikes, and most others actually, you've come to the right place. There's a lot of knowledge and experience here in the community. Come on in and let me say "HOoooowwwDY!"....

Here is your very own magical, mystical, mythical, mind-expanding "mega-welcome". Please take notice of the "Top 10 Common Issues", "Top 15 Tips For GS Happiness", the Carb Cleanup Series, and the Stator Papers. All of these tasks must be addressed in order to have a safe, reliable machine. This is what NOT to do: Top 10 Newbie Mistakes. Now let me roll out the welcome mat for you...



Please Click Here For Your Mega-Welcome, chock full of tips, suggestions, links to vendors, and other information. Then feel free to visit my little BikeCliff website where I've been collecting the wisdom of this generous community. Don't forget, we like pictures! Not you, your bike!

Thanks for joining us. Keep us informed.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[Seana23]

Hi babes. Dont worry, it took me 8years to build my bike from scratch so a.month.or so would be good in my books...
Lots ov help here though...
Ask and ye shall be enlightened.
Xxx
Ps... Don't mention bobbers on here or you'll get the GS police on ya ass! (ive got a rat bike so I'll still talk to ya though)
Xxx

[GSXR7ED]

Hi babes. Dont worry, it took me 8years to build my bike from scratch so a.month.or so would be good in my books...
Lots ov help here though...
Ask and ye shall be enlightened.
Xxx
Ps... Don't mention bobbers on here or you'll get the GS police on ya ass! (ive got a rat bike so I'll still talk to ya though)
Xxx

This is all good info. I like the "Term of Endearment" too.

This is the second forum (I've only used 2) where the consensus is strong with a certain theme. (Which is the good info to know so thanks Seana23!)

I want to eventually get a second bike (either a 92 or Y2K Gixxer) and then totally disassemble my "T". My goal is a rebuilt engine of course, and thorough cleaning, sanding, painting, and all the other adjectives involved with making my bike look pristine!

So, never fear OP. You got a world of knowledge in here, a camera, and a computer to keep us updated.





Ed

[Matt W]

Thanks for the great info! I am going to check the compression out and try to narrow down where the oil leak is coming from, but I think the top and bottom rebuild will have to wait for next winter (once I finish Architecture grad school:-).
For now I got rid of the fairing, and hunted down a headlight that works and brackets that are off a gs 850.
Thanks again for your advice you've prabaly saved me lots of pain, and kept me from breaking/"fixing" a working bike.

Matt W.