GS1150 ES Makeover Project

[wymple]

Wouldn't it be maybe less expensive and less trouble to just source another engine?

[londonboards]

wymple - it looks that way. But I am quite enjoying the tear down and if I can salvage it I will. These motors are pretty rare around here. Mostly all have been used for drag racing and are completely stuffed.

Greetings

[londonboards]

Damaged Engine Components

When you have this much metal spinning around inside the motor there is bound to be some damage.



Here is some of it.

Overheated con rods with shot small ends:



Scored piston pins:



And signs of damage to the inside of the cases where the clutch exploded:



Even taking a lump out of it:



Not completely irretrievable. Perhaps.

[chef1366]

This motor is junk!
Get another one or get your money back.

[londonboards]

Trashed Engine

Having stripped the motor down completely, I was able to see that the metal thrashing around in the bottom of this engine, had inflicted damage on the main bearings and one of them was shot:

There is no obvious way to fix this so I have to put this engine aside and look at my options.

[londonboards]

Let's Find Another Motor

So the engine that came with the bike was completely shot. The head and cams were done in, at some stage the clutch had exploded and the debris left behind had trashed one of the main bearings on the crankshaft. So I figured that the engine that came with the bike needed some serious surgery. In fact it was a write off. A project for another day.

The difficult thing to do at this juncture in a project like this, is to make the decision as to what to do next. Trash the whole bike? Sell on what serviceable parts there are left or look for a way to keep going?

Guess which option I took? So I started looking for parts to replace those that were trashed or a whole new engine. So you get to the point where you think; is it really worth putting any more cash into this bike. Well you all know the answer to that one. If you are a marine, it's impossible to leave a man behind. In the same way, it's virtually impossible for me to abandon a bike. So I started looking for another engine. These motors are pretty hard to come by as they have been used for drag racing for so long, they have all been snapped up. However, I found a guy in Holland who was a drag racer and had moved on to Hyabusa engines for his drag racing and just happened to have a TSCC engine for sale. It was a quinky dinky that my son was going to University in Holland so I was on my way. And this is what I picked up. A complete engine and a spare set of barrels and pistons and another head.

[dorkburger]

I love your persistence. Good luck with the new mill.

[ShadowFocus603]

Rock on Richard! Let's have another first run video with the new mill sooner rather than later. Good to see you are pushing on. Love it.

[Rob S.]

Hope you didn't pay too much for the moccasins - their bearings are shot and there's very little tread left.

Good luck, and keep those pics coming. I'll definitely be following your progress.

[londonboards]

I've got the motor in. It won't be long!

Greetings

[londonboards]

Yes they got a little crushed. Bit like my spirits when I saw the inside of that old motor!

Greetings

[GSX1000E]

I've got the motor in. It won't be long!

Greetings

More power to you! Best wishes for a happy ending coming soon...

[londonboards]

Look Over New Engine

So lets take a look and see what we have with this new engine. It's always going to be a gamble buying a 32 year old motor with no history and just a hand shake.

So here we go. First off, no starter. Secondly, crap clutch:



Some one had done the old "too long bolt trick" too:



And the inner hub steel insert was rattling around real good:



Look at the gap here:



The oil pump drive gear roller bearing was trying to go sideways:



So we drop the sump and see what's in there:



Actually looks pretty clean. I can't find any iron filings or bits of clutch this time:



Perhaps we are making progress.

[tatu]

With those marks round the clutch basket and the state of the needle rollers, I would think it's safe to assume tricky van der dicky who flogged you motor was cunning enough to drop the sump and wipe it all out, for sure debris was there. Can you not box it all back up and send it back with a stinging letter of complaint?

[londonboards]

tatu - the way I see it right now is that I got this motor, another head and cams and another set of barrels and pistons and an oil cooler and I reckon I am still in with a chance. These motors and the parts from them a way scarcer than GS1000 and GS1100 stuff (I saw a good GS750 crank for sale for £29 recently) and I could probably still get out alive if I had to.

I'm putting this motor into the frame this weekend and I'll see how she runs. I didn't want to have 2 GS1150/GSX1100 engines in parts all over the place at one time. The garage looks like an engine workshop and not a bike garage right now. I should end up with one good motor and a load of so so spares that may be refurb and sell on.

Greetings

P.S. See the Kent sign is up again. Pop in next time you are over.