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Its a sad day for my GS250

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    Its a sad day for my GS250

    Hey everyone,
    I just had a very depressing breakdown about 15 minutes from home on my way to school. The bike first felt like it was going up hill, even though i was on level ground, and then completely shut off. (On the highway mind you). I pulled off to the side and noticed a very small oil spot on the right side of where the cylinder head meets the rest of the motor/trans. I tried starting again, and she did but was very weak, like running on 1 cylinder instead of 2 but it sounded full bodied, like 2 cylinders. I got off the highway and tried making it home on back roads but after a mile or two she died completely (probably gas related, because i got her running again a little while later on reserve). She's making a tapping sound from the right side though it is very weak, won't make it up hills. Compression seems the same because i felt the exhaust and both sides feel even. I think i snapped some valves. What do you all think? Unfortunately I had to leave her on the side of the road until I can get some help tonight to load her in the back of my pickup. Thanks for any advice. I am sad

    Here's a picture of the cylinder gasket leak. its hard to see and it was very small, just extended part of the length of the fin.

    Last edited by Guest; 04-15-2010, 01:16 PM. Reason: Add picture

    #2
    Sorry to hear...

    can only offer optimism that perhaps its not a catastrophe. I too have a leaking gasket yet to be repaired in the head. Been waiting for the temps in the garage to be reasonable for taking her apart (and found a new local GSR member who offered to help.). If someone is near you, might be able to take her apart in an afternoon and diagnose what the problem is....

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      #3
      If you had broken a valve? The motor would have locked up I would suspect a plugged carb maybe just a blown head gasket. I would start with a compression test

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        #4
        Hm. I suspected a valve because of the tapping sound coming from that cylinder. Maybe it is something much simpler, but I won't find out till I get the bike home later tonight.

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          #5
          Dunno on the twins, but on my GS550 the oil passages are totally separate from, away from, and not ringed like the cylinder seals. My gasket weeps a little oil just like that without compression problems. I'm with SqDancerLynn1: don't panic until you get into it.

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            #6
            The bike is in my garage again. I was able to ride her home after replacing spark plug in the bad cylinder, heres a pic:



            So both cylinders are fine, I made it home with the normal amount of power so that tells me compression is ok BUT that tapping sound remains, and it wasn't there before this whole thing. When I get a chance I am going to remove the head and see if I can find out what's causing it. Plus, theres obviously a piece of metal lodged between the electrodes on that spark plug..where did that come from? My tachometer just started acting up, could the gear for that be busted up and have made it to the cylinder?

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              #7
              Looks like a chunk of metal has broken loose from...somewhere, and stuck in the plug shorting it out. I'd say it's time to pull the head and have a look inside. Good fun.
              Ed

              To measure is to know.

              Mikuni O-ring Kits For Sale...https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...ts#post1703182

              Top Newbie Mistakes thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=171846

              Carb rebuild tutorial...https://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac...d_Tutorial.pdf

              KZ750E Rebuild Thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...0-Resurrection

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                #8
                That's head gasket. The tapping noise is compression escaping. Change the head gasket and ride.
                Don't ride it like that because the heat in that area will warp and pit the head.
                1983 GS 1100E w/ 1230 kit, .340 lift Web Cams, Ape heavy duty valve springs, 83 1100 head with 1.5mm oversized SS intake valves, 1150 crank, Vance and Hines 1150 SuperHub, Star Racing high volume oil pump gears, 36mm carebs Dynojet stage 3 jet kit, Posplayr's SSPB, Progressive rear shocks and fork springs, Dyna 2000, Dynatek green coils and Vance & Hines 4-1 exhaust.
                1985 GS1150ES stock with 85 Red E bodywork.

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                  #9
                  Originally posted by chef1366 View Post
                  That's head gasket. The tapping noise is compression escaping. Change the head gasket and ride.
                  Don't ride it like that because the heat in that area will warp and pit the head.
                  Thanks Chef. That makes me feel a little better now. Still doesn't explain where the foreign piece of metal came from, but I suppose I may find more clues once i remove the head. Theres no oil in this part of the motor, right? Or do I have to drain the oil to remove the head? it would be a shame as I just gave it an oil change.

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                    #10
                    Originally posted by a747freak View Post
                    Thanks Chef. That makes me feel a little better now. Still doesn't explain where the foreign piece of metal came from, but I suppose I may find more clues once i remove the head. Theres no oil in this part of the motor, right? Or do I have to drain the oil to remove the head? it would be a shame as I just gave it an oil change.
                    Head gaskets have metal in them
                    1983 GS 1100E w/ 1230 kit, .340 lift Web Cams, Ape heavy duty valve springs, 83 1100 head with 1.5mm oversized SS intake valves, 1150 crank, Vance and Hines 1150 SuperHub, Star Racing high volume oil pump gears, 36mm carebs Dynojet stage 3 jet kit, Posplayr's SSPB, Progressive rear shocks and fork springs, Dyna 2000, Dynatek green coils and Vance & Hines 4-1 exhaust.
                    1985 GS1150ES stock with 85 Red E bodywork.

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                      #11
                      Originally posted by chef1366 View Post
                      Head gaskets have metal in them
                      Good to know. I plan on tearing into it as soon as I get home from work. Thanks for your help.

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                        #12
                        Here is what the head gasket looked like once removed:







                        The only difference is that there was more of a pile of dirt on it when it was still on the cylinder. i think the metal fragment that got stuck in my spark plug came from one of the holes for the bolts perhaps? Not sure, the piston looked fine, the only thing I noticed is the cylinder walls on the left cylinder (my "good" cylinder) were blackened instead of shiney. could this be a ring issue? Thanks.

                        Steve

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