80 gs550e project

[roeme]

Well I did tell ya not to rush things...now you know why Take care.

[Rob S.]

...I've heard K&N or nothing even APE( though some people swear by APE)./

Of course every bike is different, but mine worked out to equal performance and equal looks for half the price.

[Track06]

Alright so, cold #4... Checked the plug, clean and dry, so no combustion for sure. Checked Bowl of carb 4 it has gas, so I pulled the carbs, pulled the exhaust to check the valves and to feel for suction and pulse... Remember I noticed when shimming the valves that #4 was sticking on ex. and in. side... Valve looks to be moving alright but I don't have much suction or pulse. I did not do the rings when I was in the motor just the top half of the engine was rebuilt. The PO said he thought it had good compression. The PO btw has been helping me sort everything out, he is definitely one of the good guys so I don't think he is trying to pull anything on me. He rebuilds bikes and does them very well so I trust what he says. Do you think I could have bent the valves? Also should I just go ahead and put new rings in? Man I wish I did that in the first place...
Still on the fence with the Ape pods or K&N... Well guess I'll clean the shop and start over. :/

[cowboyup3371]

One of the things many people have learned the hard way around here is the PO (Previous Owner) always lies. You are only wasting your time if you just take their word and don't confirm everything is correct for yourself. If you are getting fuel into that bowl but not seeing any kind of wetness then you have something wrong on that carb. How many turns out is the mixture screw set for on that carb? Do you know for a fact that mixture screw didn't break off in the carb because you already pulled it out and ensured it had a good point on the end? Are you 100% certain beyond a shadow of a doubt that the pilot jet is clean (ran a wire through each hole) and all of those passages inside that you cannot see are clear? Were all four carbs bench-synced as a set before putting back on the bike so they will pull the same vacuum?


When you did the valve adjustment, what was the old shim size and what is the new one? What kind of clearance do you now have on that cylinder?

Please just look at it for yourself

[Track06]

One of the things many people have learned the hard way around here is the PO (Previous Owner) always lies. You are only wasting your time if you just take their word and don't confirm everything is correct for yourself. If you are getting fuel into that bowl but not seeing any kind of wetness then you have something wrong on that carb. How many turns out is the mixture screw set for on that carb? Do you know for a fact that mixture screw didn't break off in the carb because you already pulled it out and ensured it had a good point on the end? Are you 100% certain beyond a shadow of a doubt that the pilot jet is clean (ran a wire through each hole) and all of those passages inside that you cannot see are clear? Were all four carbs bench-synced as a set before putting back on the bike so they will pull the same vacuum?




When you did the valve adjustment, what was the old shim size and what is the new one? What kind of clearance do you now have on that cylinder?

Please just look at it for yourself

Well i don't think he was intentionally lying when he told me he didn't think the motor needed new rings, I've actually read all his old posts about the bike and i read people saying not to worry about the rings with that low of mileage they should be fine... as for the carb. no i have not checked with my own eyes, he did do a bench sync as a set and pulled vacuum.

The shims, when stuck, stick open at around .20mm ( i can recheck that tonight or tomorrow) but when they pop into place (they pop into place if the shim tool slips off the side of the tappet.) they are Ex. .051 2.85mm, and In. .051 2.75mm.

[Scott S]

One of the things many people have learned the hard way around here is the PO (Previous Owner) always lies. You are only wasting your time if you just take their word and don't confirm everything is correct for yourself.

I am the P.O. and I can tell you with 100% certainty that I'm not lying about anything.
I think Track6 will tell you that I've been extremely straightforward with him; from the first email, to the day in my garage, and with every email or text.

The carbs were 100%, absolutely, positively done correctly to stock specs, with new diaphragms, and bench synced.
Since then, a Dyna stage3 kit has been installed, which means needles have been changed, clip position has been changed, jets have been changed, orifices have been drilled, etc.

I asked about rings for this engine and the collective wisdom here at GSResources told me not to bother, that these engines are good for 100k miles. I relayed that to Track6.

I turned the engine over by hand, both in gear with the rear wheel and with the nut on the engine. I felt compression and that's what I relayed to Track6.

I never went in the engine myself. I planned to replace gaskets from the head up, lap the valves and install new valve stem seals and do an inspection while I was in there. I relayed all of this to Track6.

I had the project set up to run the stock intake plenum, stock carbs, stock engine, stock exhaust and stock wiring harness. All of those things were changed after it left my posession.

Normally, I'm with you on the "never trust a P.O." but, in this instance, I can assure you that it was honestly represented. I think.... I hope.... that Track6 will agree.
I've been in contact with him since the day of sale and offered help any way I can.

[Scott S]

I've also told him to concentrate on cylinder #4. The valves aren't supposed to stick like that.

I suppose it's possible that there's a carb issue since changes have been made to them, but I'd be concentrating on why the valves don't operate properly.
When I lap valves, I test for leakdown by filling the combustion chamber and letting them sit overnight.

[cowboyup3371]

I understand Scott and thank you. However, I was also trying to get him to verify himself directly to help rule some of that out. As you know, too many times people come on here and tell us "it can't be that because so and so said it" but then come back to say, well, you all were right it was that. Although others here are smarter than I am on the engine side, I was leaning more to the carbs because he said he had such an issue.

Is there anyway to easily get it back to stock (airbox, jets, etc) and see if the problems still exist?

[Track06]

Is there anyway to easily get it back to stock (airbox, jets, etc) and see if the problems still exist?

i do have the stock airbox, and jets, but the needles have already been changed and the the slide needle hole has been bored out....also the exhaust has been cut and shorties have been welded on, so no not really. :/

[Track06]

I have however ordered APE pods, and 2 new ex. and in. valves and seals have been ordered... i think i may have bent them. After i lapped the valves and was building the bike back up while i was doing the timing i hadn't noticed but the chain slipped after i originally setting it. (didnt have the chain tensioner on and tried to adjust the valves (idiot mistake). While turning the motor over it was difficult at first then it became stuck... this is my first build mind you so at first i just thought it might be the normal amount of strength needed to turn the motor over but once it was stuck i knew something must have been wrong. After a bit of persuasion i got it to turn, and it seemed to turn fine so i continued on to the adjustments, then it got stuck again... thats when i the chain had slipped, and was slipping the timing was now WAY off. so i went back and fixed it, and thought everything would be ok..I didn't think of this till now, and mentioned it to Scott (PO) asking if he thought i might have bent the valves, which would make sense why the tappets/valves/ are getting stuck... Dont you just love throwing money away?!?! again no more late night tired drunk'n wrenching for me!

[Track06]

Update! So since my last post I've pulled the motor back out, replaced the valves on 4, they no longer stick!!! Shims are in spec, motor is back in the frame as of this morning, and i just have some rewiring to see if she will fire tonight! My APE pods came in, and i was miraculously able to sell the old K&Ns that I had grinded down on ebay yesterday! Now i have to figure out why the bike shuts off when i turn on my headlight! i dont think it did that before i unhooked the bar switches from the reg/rec/ stator/ switches loop.... either way im getting excited about getting out of work to get home and wrench on this girl!!!!

[Track06]

Everything is back together, she started right up, all 4 cylinders!!! Now on to the electrical, she shuts off when i turn on the headlight...like a kill switch. Also noticed the Speedometer isn't working but the odometer is...??? Also evidently ordered the wrong APE pods... Ugh. So I just went ahead and got the k&n rc0884 set, They will be here on the 30th. Till then I'll going to sort out all the bugs within the wiring.

[roeme]

Speedometers can be cheaply had off ebay. Shutting off when turning on the headlights: not enough electrical power, possibly weak stator or outright short-circuit on headlight (though this would normally blow a fuse). Do the electrical check as recommended by this very forum (in countless signatures).

[Track06]

So, the headlight was a cheap eBay find, opened it up to find loose frayed wires, speedo is from dime city cycles.

[Track06]

Rc 0884 set came in and guess what, it didn't fit the carbs! Order them not thinking the carbs from the 550 and the 550e were different sizes... Idiot move there! Anyway send as the uni pods are my only option, so they have been ordered. Also ordered a better headlight.