GS1000. On my own this time

[tkent02]

Are the holes all the same depth to the surface where the gasket sits? Sometimes the gaskets are in there so long and so carboned up you can't see them anymore.

[RobertGS]

It's pretty clean in there and it's pretty clear there are no gaskets there. Also the depth seems pretty damn close to the depth of the exhaust insert.
I don't remember gaskets coming out of there and I had half assumed that I'd had the thing running for years without gaskets when it should have had them.

So I'm basically stumped. Put them back in as I was frustrated with not getting to the actual starting it up phase today.... If I wasn't in such a rush I'd have posted pictures for you.

And now other things calling me away. Mother's day tomorrow...

My dream of starting her up this weekend may be delayed. Unless I stay up till midnight tonight..which I very well may do (did that last night)

I'm not a big fan of exhaust systems right now.

[Big T]

How did you confirm that no gaskets are left in the head?

all I see is that you looked in there

[RobertGS]

I poked around in there with a screwdriver and looked them over pretty closely with a flashlight . I'll pull them off again. dig around take some pictures.

[chuck hahn]

Get just inside the rim and try to pry one out..wont hurt anything if it makes a mark and there isnt a gasket there. Least youll know definitively.

[RobertGS]

So here's what I found, a couple of pictures into exhaust port 1 and 4



Scratched around in there pretty good no gaskets that I can see.

The exhaust...stock yes?



The depth of all four ports is just about 21 mm which is about what the depth of the exhaust end is


I measure the gasket at 5mm thick so not seeing how it would fit.

Any thoughts appreciated. In the meantime I'll put some oil in her.
And finish a couple of other things.

[Nessism]

Yup, exhaust gaskets missing.

[Nessism]

To get the pipes seated in the head it's best to have the entire exhaust loose, particularly at the muffler mounting points. Tighten everything up after the pipes are seated.

[tkent02]

Put new gaskets in and it should be fine. You're using studs, not bolts, right?

[RobertGS]

If I install the 5mm thick gaskets in there, then there will be a 5mm gap when I try to bolt on the final connectors. I've tried it. Can't be right.

Gotta be something I"m missing.

The gaskets push the exhaust out 5mm and the final red pressure connectors sit out 5mm...

[steve murdoch]

Robert, what are the "final red pressure connectors"?

[chuck hahn]

It may be 21 MM like the end of the pipe is..but the end of the pipe isnt gonna set flush to the head when you stick it up there. It has to be back a ways so you can tighten the bolts and draw the ends in so they can squish into the gaskets. Out in the gaskets and mount up the flanges and be done with it.

And a wrap of Scotch tape around the half moon retainers for the two pipes works a charm to hold them till they are inserted into the head.

[Nessism]

I helped the guy that bought my first S install a NOS exhaust system he bought and we had a dickens of a time getting the head pipes all the way in. Best method we found was to first install the mufflers, then insert the outer two header pipes after the center two were tight. You need to keep the interconnection joints between the two sides loose. Slide the pipes too far together, or not far enough, and the header pipes won't fit into the engine. We really had to fuss around before the head pipes would fit down into the exhaust ports. After you get everything lined up and snugged down, install the outer down pipes. They are stamped R and L so make sure you have the sides properly oriented.

Good luck and hope this helps.

[RobertGS]

Thanks for being patient with me on this. Installed number 4, torqued it down as much as I dared (borrowed an inch pound wrench but it doesn't seem to work). Table says 6.5-10pounds for these and I think I got it in the ballpark.

Don't know if you can see but the pipe's still pretty far from flush with the head. When I took it out the gasket was squished to 4mm or so... do these get squished almost flat?



Other question is bolt length. I haven't switched to posts..(looking for threads on that now). I replaced the old bolts with the same length but now wonder if the old ones were right. They are M8x30 and the parts fische seems to say M8x35. With the 30's I worry I'm not getting enough thread to torque it down.

Seen enough posts here on stripped threads and broken bolts that I don't want to rush and do something I'll regret.

[RobertGS]

I just ordered studs and brass nuts, plus a new set of gaskets. The ones I have are athena..rather just get the susuki part.

Then I'll see how it goes. I'll feel a lot safer torquing them down then.

In the meantime I'll put in the new set of progressive springs for the front forks. Plus I have a broken bolt to extract in the grab handle for the seat.