1980/81 GS1000G US Spec UK import

[eddypeck]

I managed a couple of hours in the garage yesterday and the head is built back up with all the valves now in, fitted with new oil seals in the right location. The head is back on and all torqued down, got the exhaust cam in situ, hopefully I'll get a bit more time this week.

Another hour or so should see the engine back together, I want to do a bit of a clean and tidy as I bolt the rest of the stuff back on though. Stuff like the underside of the exhausts that rarely see a cleaning cloth.


I'll need to set the timing and balance the carbs etc once it's back together so I'm a little bit concerned about getting is all set up right. But it was running all right before so if I get it right should be fine once again.


Then just a general service, clean up and good check over. I'm aiming to pay for my road tax it from 1st April and then start using it as much as possible.

[eddypeck]

Cams back in, paying careful attention to the timing marks, tensioner fitted with new gasket and hopefully I'd set it right I found the instructions in the Clymer manual a bit vague. On the whole I'm finding the Clymer very well written and a lot easier to follow that the Haynes Manuals that are the UK equivalent I'm used to although I do need to convert your inches and lbs per foot etc. into "English"

Now working my way though the valve clearances. I've got 3 in tolerance the rest need adjusting. I think I should be able to swap 3 of the shims around meaning I just need to purchase two news ones once I'd calculated the correct size - it was late last night by the time I'd finished and couldn't quite get my head around it.

One thing I noticed, For the shims where the size was still legible I compared with my own measurements and they seemed a little bit out, is it possible they'd wear and reduce in thickness or should I be questioning the accuracy of my micrometer? I'm not sure if I should calculate replacements based on my readings or the spec. We're only talking 0.1 of a mm, but just want to be sure.

[GSXR7ED]

Wow! What a story! A sad one about the previous owner but you are correcting the problem.

Thanks for the update.


Ed

[eddypeck]

On another note, happy to confirm at least one of the previous owners did something right.

I'd picked up on comments that electronic ignition was a very worthwhile upgrade, and had been pricing up kits and watching a few on eBay. However I'm happy to say it looks like this has already been dealt with for me

[Charlie G]

I've read here on GSR that it is a good idea to check shims thickness with a micrometer as sometimes they are marked improperly. The inconsistency you're encountering maybe mislabeling.

[eddypeck]

thanks, I'll go based on my own measurement then.

[alke46]

On another note, happy to confirm at least one of the previous owners did something right.

I'd picked up on comments that electronic ignition was a very worthwhile upgrade, and had been pricing up kits and watching a few on eBay. However I'm happy to say it looks like this has already been dealt with for me

Don't be too fast to give a PO any credit (we all know they deserve none), but if I am not mistaken here, I believe the models after 1979 were equipped with electronic ignition from the factory.

Interesting documentation you are doing here as I am going through the exact same process with my 1000E model.

[eddypeck]

Bit more of an update following the weekend.

Finally got my head round the valve clearances and shim sizes. I started with only 3 within spec. but after a lot of shuffling around, double checking my measurements, I even made an excel spreadsheet... and finished with only two outside of spec so I’ve just ordered what I need. They should come in this week so I'll feel like I'm on the closing stages.

In preparation, and because I'm limited to what I can do right now I started generally cleaning stuff up ready for it all going back together. When I took it apart I basically took everything off and put it to one side without much thought. So when I decided to clean up and polish the exhausts I was gutted to discover a hole in the underside:



Now I bought a mig welder about 2 years ago and am yet to have used it and I did night school to 'learn' classic car body restoration which included about 5 hours of welding. So I decided what I'd give it my best shot.

Cleaned up:


Plate cut:


Cleaned up some more, at this point I should have noted the area was actually bigger than I first thought and I should have cut a bigger plate.


But I didn't, which meant when I got to one side of the plate I kept blowing holes so had to do an extra little patch


Not the best weld in the world, but not the worse and considering it was my first time and on very thin rotted metal I have to say I'm rather pleased with myself.
Obviously I had to grind it down a bit:


And then faced with the issue that orginally it was chromed ... I just had to paint over the now bare metal:


Thankfully it's on the inside edge and underside so shouldn't be visible when fitted back to the bike and will buy me some time till I work out a replacement and save up.

I'm actually not that fussed about a 4 into 1 system, but unless I can find a good used original set up at a reasonable price I'm thinking a new replacement might have to be sought and all it seems is on offer are 4 into 1 systems.

I'd also need confirmation if the exhaust is the same on all GS1000's or do I need one specific to shaft drive?





I also started looking at the wiring :



as I've got a replacement left hand switchgear from a more modern bike (I believe it was off a Yamaha but not sure which) anyway, my idea is to fit this as it will have the push to cancel indicators that I'm used to since the self cancelling ones don't work and it's a real pain trying to get the indicator back into the center spot without going too far. I'll also benefit from a high beam flash button which my original doesn't have.

More on that later.....

[ddaniels]

Excellent work so far. If your weld job is not visible when back on the bike, I would not worry about it at all. It's a good looking exhaust otherwise. I hope you remembered to put the locator dowels back in when reassembling the lower end. As me how I know about this??? If I were you, I would replace those electrical connectors with spade connectors. Thanks for the nice write-up.

[Steve]

Finally got my head round the valve clearances and shim sizes. I started with only 3 within spec. but after a lot of shuffling around, double checking my measurements, I even made an excel spreadsheet... and finished with only two outside of spec so I’ve just ordered what I need. They should come in this week so I'll feel like I'm on the closing stages. ...

No idea what your Excel skills are, but I would like to invite you to take advantage of the offer in my signature.

I am no 'master' with Excel, but my version has been sent out to 1087 users so far.

.

[sam000lee]

I'm happy to see your exhaust patch - I think it looks pretty good! I have a few holes in the exhaust for my GS750 that I have been wanting to address in a similar manner.

[eddypeck]

I got the top end all back together now, valve clearances all in spec eventually. Cam cover torqued, carbs and air box mounted. I’ve ordered so new stainless steel screws for the cam cover end caps. They were looking rough and one was odd which annoys me. Fitted them back for now but I’ll change the screws when they come.

Just before fitting the exhausts I decided I’d come this far I may as well go abit further so removed the sump. No real horrors but a fair amount of grime and the gasket was fairly well stuck so unlike the top end that’s been apart recently I suspect this has never been off. And a few bits of rubbish on the oil pic up strainer, so all cleaned up and leaving to drop dry overnight.

Whilst at it I also checked primary and secondary drive units and oil levels are good and what’s there looks fairly new.
So I’ll leave changing that oil for now.

I also ordered a new genuine Suzuki left hand handle grip, I got some aftermarket grips but the original throttle off fits into a grove on the throttle slide so we’ll I was worried the the non-gen one wouldn’t fit so well so decided I won’t use those, instead I’ll match the Lh side to the throttle.

so I can fit the lower wider bars I bought soon too. And to go with that I had an idea, and it’s discussed in another thread to ‘lowe’ the clocks. So I’ve just removed the clocks and refitted them under the mounting bracket instead of on top. It’s lowered the clocks more than I expected. The headlight is still in the same place so the gap is close, but still fits.

A further step might be to flip over the headlight brackets as I think that would push the headlight down a bit as well but didn’t go that far. All subtle changes that will make the bike how I want it, but nothing that isn’t easily reversed to keep the bike original.

I took a few pics, I’ll upload them later.

[eddypeck]

Oil pick up:


Sludge!


Almost done:


I did get all of the old gasket off after this and flushed out the rest of the grime. Most of the gasket was on the sump, but some bits were on the underside of the motor, so in a kind of bizarre Yoga move I managed to get myself upside down to razor blade all of that clean too.

[eddypeck]

I gather in the US you don't have Easter like we do in the UK - that's OK, we don't get Thanksgiving... Anyway, The Friday before Easter Sunday and the Monday after are public holidays which means for me 4 days off work. I also had a couple of days left out of my annual allowance that needed to be taken before April, so I tagged on last Wednesday and Thursday so I'm just back at work now after 6 days off.

So day one of my holiday I got up as usual, walked the dogs and by 9:00 am instead of being at work I went into the garage, I ignored the kids all day and apart from taking a pee I didn't go back it the house till 3:00 pm.

The end result, the bike is back together and running, all things checked and ready to roll.



New lower, wider handle bars fitted along with a new genuine Suzuki left hand grip to match the throttle side - you may notice in my other pics the odd grips.



On Thursday I took the kids out.... to the largest motorcycle showroom in town, and treated myself to a new crash helmet. An AGV K5-S in Guy Martin colours, you might not know who he is, but worth looking up on YouTube if you're not sure.

Friday and Saturday were family days and waiting, as Sunday was 1st of the month so I was able to pay my road tax and ride legally on the street.

So I went out for a test ride, only half hour but it was great after having the bike off road all winter.







And today, even though the weather is forecast to rain, extreme weather warnings in some parts. It was dry when I got up so I've ridden it the 30 miles to work. I'll worry about the journey home later - I'm not afraid of the rain, I just don't want to spoil all that shiny chrome!

Got a bit of vibration from the bars, they're ally not steel, but that could mean the carbs need to be set up better. Also exhaust is blowing as I had to leave out one of the header bolts as the thread was stripped. Wish I'd noticed while it was off, anyway helicoil kit on order.

But no oil leak from head or base gaskets. And nothing from the sump or oil filter too since having both of those off. So all in all successful I'd say. The starter has a bit of a clunk, I'm wondering if I've set the cam chain tensioner right? so not finished yet, but classic projects never are are they?

[GSXR7ED]

I really love the look of your bike Eddy!

She looks so beef'd up and Vintage! Thanks for the background pics too! I love the English countryside!


Ed