'79 GS850 what did I get myself into?

[canuckxxx]

Maybe give them a call? Or use one of those services that ships for you from the border?

I find three company's who provide US shipping address and then ship to Canada; borderlinx, myus, and reship. Do any of you guys have experience with these?

[canuckxxx]

Not sure if you found this yet, this should work.

http://zeus.mtsac.edu/~cliff/storage/gs/GS850_Manual_HiRes.pdf

David

David, I just now opened that link. Was trying to open it with my iPad but wouldn't open so finally tried the PC. That is exactly what I need. Thanks you very much.

[canuckxxx]

As you Suzuki fans all know, the use a lot of those Philips head-looking screws. I think I have to invest in the correct screwdrivers and screwdriver bits for these screws. What do you use and where did you get them?

thanks in advance
Brian

[Burque73]

As you Suzuki fans all know, the use a lot of those Philips head-looking screws. I think I have to invest in the correct screwdrivers and screwdriver bits for these screws. What do you use and where did you get them?

thanks in advance
Brian

https://www.gofastinnovations.com/

I don't have any of these but I hear good things all the time about the JIS drivers.

https://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?251179-Gofast-Innovations-2nd-generation-JIS-screwdrivers

[Kiwi Canuck]

Or these, I bought the P2 150mm and the P3 150mm, which I use regularly, awesome tools.

https://www.vesseltools.com/handtools/screwdrivers/megadora/900jf-series-detail

I didn't buy the Impactor drivers as I have an older impact set but I've heard very positive things about them.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VESSEL-Megadora-impactor-driver-2-3-100mm-150mm-No-980-made-in-Japan/253445861151?hash=item3b028cef1f:m:m8dl6KG2RDlxjzrskJaRj3A:rk:11:pf:0

Search ebay if you buy from the USA as there are some good deals there, Amazon.ca has a limited offering.

David

PS Glad you were able to make use of the service manual I linked to.

[Burque73]

This impact was essential to have replacing the rubber carb boots, cam chain tensioner service and many other repairs on my bikes.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-Impact-Tool-Set/999957785

I'm not sure if it has a JIS bit but it does fit those large Phillips type head's nicely.

[Jrgunn5150]

I bought a set of JIS screwdrivers off Amazon, but they only worked on about 30% of my screws. Then I used an impact successfully on about 25% more. 45% got cut off, and 100% will be replaced with Allen heads.

[Grimly]

Some things I have discovered about my new-to-me GS850:

-The cylinder head is in very nice shape. All valve tappet shims are in the higher thicknesses 2.70 to 2.80 region. The valves seat have not been lapped too many times, if ever, because they are fairly narrow. The valve seals need to be replaced. Question: is there a special tool for pulling the old valve seal off?

There is a valve seal removal tool that I used, which made removal a breeze, compared to struggling with baked-on rock-hard lumps of carbon down a hole.
Last time I did this the seals were only a decade old and quite easy to get out using ordinary long-nosed pliers; not so, this time.
Identical to this tool, I got mine from a local supplier. They're quite common, as a whole raft of modern engines need them.

For those on the UK side of the pond, they cost a tenner.
I got mine from Maun Industries, and they turned out be Sykes-Pickavant branded iirc.

https://www.maunindustries.com/valve-stem-seal-removal-plier/

[canuckxxx]

Thanks for that Grimly. I already have the valve seals removed but would be worth having for future reference along with the JIS screwdrivers.

Those metal clad seals are a bear to get out I but managed it with a crude tool I made from a piece of tubing. Getting the new seals in is also awkward due to them being down in a hole. I ended up putting the valve in, put the seal on the end of the stem and then slide seal/ valve down onto the top of the guide.

i used seals for an '84 Honda Prelude which I have used successfully on my GL1100 and are much cheaper than OE.

[Grimly]

i used seals for an '84 Honda Prelude which I have used successfully on my GL1100 and are much cheaper than OE.

I noticed you mentioned that before, I didn't know they also fitted the GS engines. Handy to know, as I've got another couple of engines to do over the next couple of years.

[Mr.humbucker]

As you Suzuki fans all know, the use a lot of those Philips head-looking screws. I think I have to invest in the correct screwdrivers and screwdriver bits for these screws. What do you use and where did you get them?

thanks in advance
Brian

Here is a link to the JIS Screw Drivers I use and find to be excellent. https://www.gofastinnovations.com/store1/
And for us north of the 49th parallel they're by a guy out of Ontario😀🇨🇦

[850 Combat]

These pistons have about 30,000 miles on them.

.

So almost broken in then.

[canuckxxx]

Well I finally got my valve seals so was working on the head. Decided to test screw a spark plug into each combustion chamber. BAD NEWS!! there is one where the threads are messed up. Not stripped but the plug screws in at a bit of an angle and then gets bound up about half way in.

Any suggestions? Can a Helicoil be used for a sparkplug?

[Kiwi Canuck]

Yes you can use Helicoils or Timeserts on sparkplug threads but you can also get a thread restorer that you insert into the opening and then wind it back out.

Like this.

https://www.amazon.ca/Powerbuilt-640811-Back-Tap-Thread-Repair/dp/B0014FGVVW/ref=pd_sbs_263_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0014FGVVW&pd_rd_r=a61a7da2-f91a-11e8-8749-4d8bd90fabfa&pd_rd_w=V4vMh&pd_rd_wg=jX7j8&pf_rd_p=d4c8ffae-b082-4374-b96d-0608daba52bb&pf_rd_r=WYH9MV0NCDHK78AJ7C73&psc=1&refRID=WYH9MV0NCDHK78AJ7C73

Or like this, if the threads are not too badly deformed.

https://www.amazon.ca/Lisle-20020-Limited-Access-Spark/dp/B008MFR2IS/ref=asc_df_B008MFR2IS/?tag=googleshopc0c-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=292923754938&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7608807616330944544&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9001491&hvtargid=pla-561914302730&psc=1

Good luck

David.

[canuckxxx]

OK, maybe I over reacted a bit on the plug hole threads. I borrowed a 14mm tap from a friend and ran it through and now the plug screws in smoothly and can be tightened down enough. I think what had happened is that the plug go cross threaded which distorted the threads about half way down the hole. So that the plug got bound up at that point.

Thanks anyway for the help.
Brian