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JohnnyL's 1980 GS550L Cafe Build

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    that's really bad luck Keep going!
    1980 GS1000G - Sold
    1978 GS1000E - Finished!
    1980 GS550E - Fixed & given to a friend
    1983 GS750ES Special - Sold
    2009 KLR 650 - Sold - gone to TX!
    1982 GS1100G - Rebuilt and finished. - Sold
    2009 TE610 - Dual Sporting around dreaming of Dakar..... - FOR SALE!

    www.parasiticsanalytics.com

    TWINPOT BRAKE UPGRADE LINKY: http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...e-on-78-Skunk/

    Comment


      Ouchy.
      That's the kind of thing that niggles at me when I assemble something like that; the faint but disturbing notion I've overlooked something small but vital that will have a massive effect.
      No worries, the situation is retrievable.
      Imagine you'd done it to a really rare set of cases ... but you won't, because this time is the practice set.
      ---- Dave

      Only a dog knows why a motorcyclist sticks his head out of a car window

      Comment


        I think everyone who delves into serious mechanicking has had embarrassing re-work.

        I once had to re-open the cases on a GS500 franken-engine I was building three times to deal with things I forgot. Fortunately I didn't get to the point of installing or running the engine.

        And I'd hate to count the number of times I've installed a tire the wrong way around. I haven't done that in a while, but there's always that brief moment of "what-if" panic just after the second bead pops, even though I've triple, quadruple, and quintuple checked the arrows. Fortunately, the retro-look tires on John's bike aren't directional... but I still checked very carefully for arrows.

        We'll pull the rotor and see what's up this weekend.
        1983 GS850G, Cosmos Blue.
        2005 KLR685, Aztec Pink - Turd II.3, the ReReReTurdening
        2015 Yamaha FJ-09, Magma Red Power Corrupts...
        Eat more venison.

        Please provide details. The GSR Hive Mind is nearly omniscient, but not yet clairvoyant.

        Celeriter equita, converteque saepe.

        SUPPORT THIS SITE! DONATE TODAY!

        Co-host of "The Riding Obsession" sport-touring motorcycling podcast at tro.bike!

        Comment


          Yes, thats a drag. And we've all been there at some point.
          Embarrassment isn't necessary. Sh1t happens, we learn....

          I'm sure that there could be a long runing thread of mechanical screw ups that we could all contribute to if someone started one.
          sigpic
          When consulting the magic 8 ball for advice, one must first ask it "will your answers be accurate?"

          Glen
          -85 1150 es - Plus size supermodel.
          -Rusty old scooter.
          Other things I like to photograph.....instagram.com/gs_junkie
          https://www.instagram.com/glen_brenner/
          https://www.flickr.com/photos/152267...7713345317771/

          Comment


            UGHH... That SUCKS... Whataya gonna do? You'll get passed it. Don't give on her yet. This just adds to her story...
            '83 GS 1100T
            The Jet


            sigpic
            '95 GSXR 750w
            The Rocket

            I'm sick of all these Irish stereotypes! When I finish my beer, I'm punching someone in the face ! ! !

            Comment


              I appreciate the encouragement fellas. I’m pretty depressed about it but I’m moving on. Brian is coming over tomorrow to help me wire the bike up. Time permitting, we will be pulling the rotor and starter clutch to get better idea of what caused the crack.

              Once the wiring is done, I will be pulling the motor and rebuilding it. I ordered a decent looking set of cases off of eBay for $67 shipped to my door(the gasket set actually costs more than the cases at $98). They arrive tomorrow. I’ll get the cases cleaned up, painted and begin the rebuild hopefully sometime next week. It’s a bummer but I think I can rebuild the motor in a couple of hours. At least I don’t have to worry about damaging the cases when I go to split them apart. Hammer and chisel should do the trick nicely. Lol.

              There’s still hope to have the bike completely done before the tins are completed with new paint.
              Last edited by JohnnyL; 01-17-2020, 10:49 AM.
              1969 Honda CL350 Cafe
              1980 Suzuki GS550L cafe project Link
              2019 Yamaha MT-09
              2016 Honda CBR650F(wife’s bike)
              2001 Honda CBR600F4i(Son's bike)

              Comment


                The build is coming together nicely! I look forward to seeing it finished. You've definitely given me motivation to start my projects.

                As for the cracked case, I know how you feel, to be so close to starting the engine only to find something like this that requires a full tear-down. BUT, you caught it before it caused more damage to other components! So really all this will do is set you back a few bucks and a couple days or so. Really not that big of a deal. Once you accept this, you'll have it back together with good parts in no time!
                - 1983 GS850L ~ 30,000 miles and going up - Finally ready for a proper road trip!
                - 1977 GS750B - Sold but not forgotten

                Comment


                  Brian came over on Saturday and we got a good jump on the wiring. At the end of our session, we removed the rotor and starter clutch to find the extent of the damage. A picture is worth a thousand words. I am a dumbass. I am a dumbass. I am a dumbass.........................said over a thousand times in my head.

                  1969 Honda CL350 Cafe
                  1980 Suzuki GS550L cafe project Link
                  2019 Yamaha MT-09
                  2016 Honda CBR650F(wife’s bike)
                  2001 Honda CBR600F4i(Son's bike)

                  Comment


                    Wow. I was going to ask a question a few posts back but didn't. Now I will. I was curious about your decision to paint inside the stator/starter clutch housing. I don't think I'd ever seen that done before. I was thinking I wouldn't want paint in any cavity w/ moving parts/oil, etc. where the paint could possibly come loose and gum up some orifice. But, If you hadn't painted it, do you believe that you would have noticed the cracking?

                    Really enjoying the build, sorry for the setback. Keep at it. Will love to see it run.
                    Rich
                    1982 GS 750TZ
                    2015 Triumph Tiger 1200

                    BikeCliff's / Charging System Sorted / Posting Pics
                    Destroy-Rebuild 750T/ Destroy-Rebuild part deux

                    Comment


                      Originally posted by Rich82GS750TZ View Post
                      Wow. I was going to ask a question a few posts back but didn't. Now I will. I was curious about your decision to paint inside the stator/starter clutch housing. I don't think I'd ever seen that done before. I was thinking I wouldn't want paint in any cavity w/ moving parts/oil, etc. where the paint could possibly come loose and gum up some orifice. But, If you hadn't painted it, do you believe that you would have noticed the cracking?

                      Really enjoying the build, sorry for the setback. Keep at it. Will love to see it run.
                      I actually painted it on accident. I won't be painting the new cases that way. I probably wouldn't have noticed it if it wasn't painted though.
                      1969 Honda CL350 Cafe
                      1980 Suzuki GS550L cafe project Link
                      2019 Yamaha MT-09
                      2016 Honda CBR650F(wife’s bike)
                      2001 Honda CBR600F4i(Son's bike)

                      Comment


                        My engine is painted inside from factory. I imagine they do it to save time as the likely do the machining afterwards. So death by locator pin sad sad sad.

                        On the bright side you painting skills will go up a notch and assembly a whole lot more.
                        1983 GS 550 LD
                        2009 BMW K1300s

                        Comment


                          This was truly heartbreaking to see in person. On the plus side, he'll be able to build a GS engine with one hand blindfolded when this is all said and done.

                          The M-Unit is mind-blowing. It just feels so wrong to not have a fuse box, signal relays, etc., but somehow the little magic elves in the M-Unit replace most of the other widgets needed on a bike. And the Acewell speedo builds in a zillion other functions.

                          We did spend a fair bit of time experimenting with a pile of open barrel crimpers and dies to find the ones that worked the best for the connector kit John has. Which didn't come with any instructions at all, so that was a journey of discovery until we finally started to grok how all the wee bits and gubbins snap together.

                          Plenty of winter left, I guess...
                          1983 GS850G, Cosmos Blue.
                          2005 KLR685, Aztec Pink - Turd II.3, the ReReReTurdening
                          2015 Yamaha FJ-09, Magma Red Power Corrupts...
                          Eat more venison.

                          Please provide details. The GSR Hive Mind is nearly omniscient, but not yet clairvoyant.

                          Celeriter equita, converteque saepe.

                          SUPPORT THIS SITE! DONATE TODAY!

                          Co-host of "The Riding Obsession" sport-touring motorcycling podcast at tro.bike!

                          Comment


                            Originally posted by JohnnyL View Post
                            .....
                            . . . . ........ A picture is worth a thousand words. . . . ..
                            And, what is it we are seeing there?
                            In a few words...??
                            ? A locating pin out of place ? ?
                            http://webpages.charter.net/ddvrnr/GS850_1100_Emblems.jpg
                            Had 850G for 14 years. Now have GK since 2005.
                            GK at IndyMotoGP Suzuki Display... ... GK on GSResources Page ... ... Euro Trash Ego Machine .. ..3 mo'cykls.... update 2 mocykl


                            https://imgur.com/YTMtgq4

                            Comment


                              looks like bearing not seated and pin in case.
                              would safer method not be locater pin in bearing?
                              1983 GS 550 LD
                              2009 BMW K1300s

                              Comment


                                Yep, the bearing shell has a locator pin to ensure the bearing is properly located in the upper crankcase.

                                You assemble the crankcase halves upside-down, so the pin is supposed to be seated in the hole in the upper crankcase, then you place the lower crankcase. Somehow the crank jumped up a bit and the bearing moved outward during the process. There can be a lot of finagling needed to get the shift forks in the right place when installing the lower crankcase onto the upper half.

                                Anyway, since the rotor was on the crank and everything was upside-down, it was hard for John to see there was a problem before tightening the bolts.
                                1983 GS850G, Cosmos Blue.
                                2005 KLR685, Aztec Pink - Turd II.3, the ReReReTurdening
                                2015 Yamaha FJ-09, Magma Red Power Corrupts...
                                Eat more venison.

                                Please provide details. The GSR Hive Mind is nearly omniscient, but not yet clairvoyant.

                                Celeriter equita, converteque saepe.

                                SUPPORT THIS SITE! DONATE TODAY!

                                Co-host of "The Riding Obsession" sport-touring motorcycling podcast at tro.bike!

                                Comment

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