GS550 Gasket Set

[bill_face]

Hello all,

I have a '79 GS550. I have revived it from a non-running state to an almost running state.

I don't really know much about engines or have much experience as a mechanic, but after the timing chain skipped I had had to go into the engine and on the advice of a local mechanic got the cylinders rebored and fitted new pistons.

Since putting it back together ( myself) it has been hard to start, has low compression and is leaking oil from the head gasket.

I was presuming this is because I mucked it up somehow, and was searching around here for more info before attempting to do it again with a fresh gasket.

However I came across talk of only using Suzuki Gaskets. I have used Athena ones, and have another set ready to try again.

Where do you get Suzuki ones from? In my experience the main dealer doesn't have parts left for this bike

[Rijko]

I prefer OEM.
But have had success with Athena, no issues.
Would be nice if a cause were found before trying again.

How did this start, after the rebuild ?
I take it the oil leak was not immediate.
Was it hard to start or did it run well at first ?

Where is the oil leak, maybe there's a clue there.
Valve lash set, valves lapped ?
Did you gap the rings ?

If you have low compression on all 4 .... probably something else is wrong.

Buddy of mine had a GS1000 bored, new pistons and rings etc, but that bike was low on compression, too.
And smoked more than it's owner.

Turned out they bored the cylinders a fraction too big ....

Maybe a good idea to have the cylinders measured before reassembly ... or at least measure ring gap.

[bill_face]

The oil leak is pretty much all round the headgasket. It sort of bubbles out all over.. Here's a video:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/7j2ppHR5q4TY4PKZ9

I think it been getting progressively worse since rebuild. It was hard to start initially but is now nearly impossible.

Compression 1: 105, 2: 105, 3:110, 4:110

I seem to remember when I rebuild it that I had to open the cylinders again after torquing down head gasket for some reason. Don't suppose that helped

I'll see what I can measure when I'm in there.

[Nessism]

This is an Athena base gasket after 100 miles. I checked the tightness of the head nuts after the first few heat cycles and torqued them since they were loose. On the third time finding the nuts loose, I noticed the base gasket extruding out of place.

IMG_1930 by nessism, on Flickr

[bill_face]

That doesn't look good. What is the alternative?

[unfocused]

That doesn't look good. What is the alternative?

Copper coat or gasgacinch is an option. I use copper coat on the after-market head gaskets because I don't want to do it again... and again.

What I see in Nessism's pic, it looks like the gasket shifted during assembly. I used the same brand on my 750 rebuild and didn't have any issues with the gaskets. However, I had other issues LOL

[bill_face]

Copper coat or gasgacinch is an option. I use copper coat on the after-market head gaskets because I don't want to do it again... and again.

What I see in Nessism's pic, it looks like the gasket shifted during assembly. I used the same brand on my 750 rebuild and didn't have any issues with the gaskets. However, I had other issues LOL

I missed this response. do you smear those things on top of the paper gaskets?