1980 GS450 - First Vehicle Restoration Ever!

[JRHemmen]

Got the carb parts in, still no luck. The fuel tee was a little too short but it looks like it's still going to work. The carbs are still pooling gas underneath, and I think it's because I can tighten the bowls down all the way. Two of the screws on one bowl are able to keep spinning and not get real tight, I guess they're stripped. Also, oil poured out of the filter cover, and one of those nuts feels stripped too. Any advice on how to proceed? I also realized my friend poured an entire gallon of oil in, so I drained it and put in the proper 2.75qt. It sounds like it's trying to catch, but it's not there yet.

*Edit* What are the chances that its as simple as a kinked oil filter O ring? Also, I read on here that a bad petcock could cause issues with the carbs. It seems plausible, as the spark plugs sure seemed dry to me. Can I leave the vacuum line hooked to the carbs and place the fuel line in a bucket to test the petcock's diaphragm?

[JRHemmen]

I drilled and tapped bigger holes in the carbs for the bowl screws, and now the leak is solved. Unfortunately, it still won't start.



I readjusted the gasket on the filter housing, but the studs are definitely stripped. This is after ~2 minutes of cranking.

[JRHemmen]

It runs!

I had to take the entire top end apart again, but it runs!

[steve murdoch]

Congrats on the startup.
What did you discover ?

[JRHemmen]

I have a real long thread under the 2 cylinder engine subforum, but basically my valves desperately needed lapped, and my fuel hose was too long. I lapped the valves, ordered new piston rings (mine were out of spec by .1mm, looks like the engine is coming apart a third time), and verified the timing. After holding the gas tank in the air it started right up! I believe its backfiring through the carbs, so I'll have to check timing and the chain tensioner when I get it back together again with the new rings.

[JRHemmen]

I've been real busy recently, but I think its time for an update. I've gotten almost everything painted and have started reassembling the bike. I'll enclose a few pictures below.

I had a crack on the frame welded, and did some body filling where I did all my detabbing. I didn't realize how subpar my sanding was on the bondo until I had primed the frame. Oh well.





Quite the rig I slung together to hang the bike.





Some more weird paint reactions.












Starting to look like a bike again.

[Grimly]

Hmm... it's as if a PO had sprayed the entire bike with silicones in an attempt to keep corrosion at bay - either that, or he'd parked it next a wall that was being waterproofed.
Who knows the mysterious thought processes of POs? Anything can, and everything has, happened.

[jeffgs]

I am back on, I want to see how this one goes. Nice bike brother. Went through the same deal. I rode mine all summer then tore it right back apart! LOL never ends

[JRHemmen]

Made a tray to hold my electronics. They won't be hidden under a cowl, but because of that I don't need to have a giant cowl jutting out of the back of the bike. Also sat the engine in tonight and will go out and get new bolts for the engine mounts tomorrow morning.



Stripped my tank, mostly.

[JRHemmen]

Untitled by Bobertbarker, on Flickr

Untitled by Bobertbarker, on Flickr

[JRHemmen]

Took the bike on a two mile loop today, I'm extremely pleased. To be honest, I wasn't sure I'd make it this far. Especially not in the time it took. Now all that's left is wrapping my seat, some minor clutch/carb adjustments, and welding a new shock stud on.

[sam000lee]

Can I ask what jets you're running?
I have two `shorty' mufflers and UNI filters and just started it up with a `new' engine today and am trying to dial everything in in. I have 130 mains, stock pilots (I upped them one size but it seemed a little rich) and raised the needle 1 or 2 mm but still have a pretty bad hanging idle I want to sort out.

[JRHemmen]

Can I ask what jets you're running?
I have two `shorty' mufflers and UNI filters and just started it up with a `new' engine today and am trying to dial everything in in. I have 130 mains, stock pilots (I upped them one size but it seemed a little rich) and raised the needle 1 or 2 mm but still have a pretty bad hanging idle I want to sort out.

137.5 main, 40 needle. I read in two different places what people said they used for jets on a 450 with K&N filters and a Mac exhaust, and they were totally different. One set was backfiring nonstop, the other is what I'm using now. It's not perfect, it hangs a little bit but it's almost there. I haven't shimmed the needles yet.

[JRHemmen]

First update on this thread in awhile, my timing chain skipped and bent the exhaust valves, twice. My third set will be here tomorrow. After disassembling the tensioner I'm hoping it won't happen again.

[JRHemmen]

All finished.

Untitled by Bobertbarker, on Flickr

Untitled by Bobertbarker, on Flickr