Overheating GS850g

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  • gwatson27
    Forum Newbie
    • May 2025
    • 3
    • Bath UK

    #1

    Overheating GS850g

    I'm well and truely stuck. My 1981 gs850g seems to run at a temperature >154C in 9C ambient weather - There are no air leaks - it runs on Shell E5 - the spark gaps and timing is spot on - I've tried uping the main jet size in the carbs from 115 (stock) to 130 which made the throttle lag but had no meaninful effect on temperature - the carbs are balanced it idles spot on 1000rpm and with the stock jets it rides perfectly ........ but the engine is so hot the paint (rated to 288C) is discolouring and it turns the oil chocolate brown in 50 miles - I am I'm totally out of ideas.

    I've measured the temperature with little temperature stickers which I place on top of the top cooling fin either side of the cylinder head exhaust side - idling from cold the engine will crack 110C on the LHS and 100C on the RHS - In less that 2 miles in a 60mph limit going up and down the gears it hit 154C - the exhaust pipes have turned yellowy blue.

    The engine was rebuilt by an engine shop with fresh piston rings, re-honed cylinders, reset valve tension and shims and all the internal components checked for wear as per the workshop manual. - This was the 2nd rebuild as I'd previously rebuilt it myself and discovered 100 miles in that some grit had made it into an oil channel while I was blasting the casing, So I gave it to a proffessional to strip, clean and inspect. It was running hot after the first rebuild too as the paint and exhaust discoloration started then.

    Has anyone experienced this before? I'm down to suspecting the paint is too thick and creating a thermal barrier between the engine and the air which seems daft frankly

    Does anyone know how externally hot these air cooled engines are supposed to get? I'd have though 120C would be the absolute max
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  • Wingsconsin
    Forum Sage
    Past Site Supporter
    • Jan 2013
    • 1725
    • Sussex Wisconsin

    #2
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeCLRoioe8g

    This might help some ??

    Comment

    • Nessism
      Forum LongTimer
      GSResource Superstar
      Past Site Supporter
      Super Site Supporter
      • Mar 2006
      • 35790
      • Torrance, CA

      #3
      Originally posted by gwatson27
      I'm well and truely stuck. My 1981 gs850g seems to run at a temperature >154C in 9C ambient weather - There are no air leaks - it runs on Shell E5 - the spark gaps and timing is spot on - I've tried uping the main jet size in the carbs from 115 (stock) to 130 which made the throttle lag but had no meaninful effect on temperature - the carbs are balanced it idles spot on 1000rpm and with the stock jets it rides perfectly ........ but the engine is so hot the paint (rated to 288C) is discolouring and it turns the oil chocolate brown in 50 miles - I am I'm totally out of ideas.

      I've measured the temperature with little temperature stickers which I place on top of the top cooling fin either side of the cylinder head exhaust side - idling from cold the engine will crack 110C on the LHS and 100C on the RHS - In less that 2 miles in a 60mph limit going up and down the gears it hit 154C - the exhaust pipes have turned yellowy blue.

      The engine was rebuilt by an engine shop with fresh piston rings, re-honed cylinders, reset valve tension and shims and all the internal components checked for wear as per the workshop manual. - This was the 2nd rebuild as I'd previously rebuilt it myself and discovered 100 miles in that some grit had made it into an oil channel while I was blasting the casing, So I gave it to a proffessional to strip, clean and inspect. It was running hot after the first rebuild too as the paint and exhaust discoloration started then.

      Has anyone experienced this before? I'm down to suspecting the paint is too thick and creating a thermal barrier between the engine and the air which seems daft frankly

      Does anyone know how externally hot these air cooled engines are supposed to get? I'd have though 120C would be the absolute max

      Measure oil temperature after a ride. Never let your bike sit and idle for more than a few minutes, since there is no air flowing over the engine.

      Oil temps up into the mid to high 200F range are normal for GS bikes, and there are rarely problems caused by it.
      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

      Comment

      • oldGSfan
        Forum Sage
        Past Site Supporter
        • Jul 2018
        • 1325
        • Southern California

        #4
        How many miles since the rebuild? It'll run hotter until it breaks in. I was getting 325?F (162 C) at the cast iron cylinder after a rebuild on my Norton, and it dropped to around 275?F (135 C) after 1K miles, measured right after a good long ride. That's with painted barrel. I asked about it on a forum and the consensus was "it's fine." The oil in the tank is a bit over half the temperature of the engine. I don't think your temps are a worry for the robust Suzuki but it's good to question and find out what's right.
        Last edited by oldGSfan; 05-08-2025, 10:31 PM.
        Tom

        '82 GS1100E Mr. Turbo
        '79 GS100E
        Other non Suzuki bikes

        Comment

        • Rob S.
          Forum Guru
          Past Site Supporter
          • Dec 2013
          • 9393
          • New York City

          #5
          Do you have an external oil cooler on it? My '82 11E ran very hot in the summer until I installed a Suzuki cooler from an 1150. The amount of temperature difference was amazing.
          1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

          2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

          Comment

          • gwatson27
            Forum Newbie
            • May 2025
            • 3
            • Bath UK

            #6
            Thanks for the helpful responses chaps! I've bought myself an infrared thermometer and a thermostat to thread in at the oil plug by the clutch cover! I will see what temperature the exhausts, head and oil are getting up to exactly!
            I reckon if the oil is < 150C I'll just ride it and monitor the situation as it all beds in a bit more.

            Comment

            • rphillips
              Forum Guru
              Past Site Supporter
              Super Site Supporter
              • Jun 2005
              • 7617
              • Norene TN

              #7
              Very interesting subject... as overheating of an air cooled Suzuki, Honda, Kawasaki, or Yamaha is almost never mentioned anywhere as it so rarely happens. Only bike I ever had overheat was my "81" Kawasaki KZ1300 water cooled. Kawa used a fan switch that let the bike get into the red mark before the fan kicked on, they changed the switch for "82" and I bought one for my "81" but never installed it. If anybody needs one let me know. Just thinking if that bike had have been air cooled, it couldn't have had a fan switch nor fan problem.
              1983 GS1100E, 1983 CB1100F, 1991 GSX1100G, 1996 Kaw. ZL600 Eliminator, 1999 Bandit 1200S, 2005 Bandit 1200S, 2000 Kaw. ZRX 1100

              Comment

              • Cipher
                Forum Sage
                • Mar 2016
                • 3129
                • Toronto Ontario

                #8
                Originally posted by gwatson27
                Thanks for the helpful responses chaps! I've bought myself an infrared thermometer and a thermostat to thread in at the oil plug by the clutch cover! I will see what temperature the exhausts, head and oil are getting up to exactly!
                I reckon if the oil is < 150C I'll just ride it and monitor the situation as it all beds in a bit more.
                Your choke is sticking on.........
                1983 GS 550 LD
                2009 BMW K1300s

                Comment

                • Redman
                  Forum LongTimer
                  Past Site Supporter
                  • Mar 2004
                  • 13723
                  • Michigan, west Michigan

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Nessism
                  .....
                  ....
                  ....
                  Oil temps up into the mid to high 200F range are normal for GS bikes, and there are rarely problems caused by it.
                  For my understanding, by "mid to high 200F range",
                  do you mean a range of

                  200 - 210 mid being 205
                  or
                  200 - 300 mid being 250


                  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

                  • oldGSfan
                    Forum Sage
                    Past Site Supporter
                    • Jul 2018
                    • 1325
                    • Southern California

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Redman

                    For my understanding, by "mid to high 200F range",
                    do you mean a range of

                    200 - 210 mid being 205
                    or
                    200 - 300 mid being 250

                    Tom

                    '82 GS1100E Mr. Turbo
                    '79 GS100E
                    Other non Suzuki bikes

                    Comment

                    • Nessism
                      Forum LongTimer
                      GSResource Superstar
                      Past Site Supporter
                      Super Site Supporter
                      • Mar 2006
                      • 35790
                      • Torrance, CA

                      #11
                      Originally posted by Redman

                      For my understanding, by "mid to high 200F range",
                      do you mean a range of

                      200 - 210 mid being 205
                      or
                      200 - 300 mid being 250

                      Sorry, my comment is not very specific. What I meant was something like 230 to 280 F range
                      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

                      Comment

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