Stuck Valve Cover, GS450GA

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  • pmong
    • Jan 2026
    #1

    Stuck Valve Cover, GS450GA

    Hi,

    Preparing my 1983 to re-registered after taking it off registration for nearly a year. In the process of doing some maintenance (replacing rear brake shoes which got frozen on, cleaning the carbs, replacing R/R, checking wiring, replacing rubber parts, etc.), ran into a problem.

    Want to check the valve clearance since I now have over 6k miles. Unfortunate, the cover does not come off, even with some considerable force. (Yes, I removed all of the bolts according to service manual! I have done dozens of valve adjustments on cars before, and once or twice on a motorcycle decades ago.) I am not sure if the cover has ever been removed. I am the third owner.

    Has anyone encountered this problem? If so, what is the best way to get the cover off? Any help would be appreciated. I could force a screw driver in as a wedge, but that is not my first option.

    Also, can anyone confirm that the GS450GA uses the same gasket as the GS450L? I check some parts diagrams, which indicated this is the case. It appears that the GS450E uses a different gasket,

    Thanks.
    Tags: gasket, gs450ga, valve adjustment, valve cover
    • steve murdoch
      Forum Guru
      Past Site Supporter
      • May 2004
      • 8489
      • St. Catharines, On.
      #2
      A 2" metal putty knife will work.
      Chances for less damage.
      2@ \'78 GS1000

        Comment

        • tom203
          Forum Guru
          Past Site Supporter
          • Aug 2010
          • 8925
          • Norway,Maine
          #3
          According to parts fiche you want 11173-44110 which cross references with other 450's

          1980 SUZUKI GS450ET - CYLINDER HEAD COVER (E.NO.162953~)
          1980 SUZUKI GS450ST - CYLINDER HEAD COVER (E.NO.162953~)
          1981 SUZUKI GS450EX - CYLINDER HEAD COVER (E.NO.162953~)
          1981 SUZUKI GS450SX - CYLINDER HEAD COVER (E.NO.162953~)
          1981 SUZUKI GS450TX - CYLINDER HEAD COVER (E.NO.162953)
          1982 SUZUKI GS450EZ - CYLINDER HEAD COVER (E.NO.162953~)
          1982 SUZUKI GS450GAZ (Automatic) - CYLINDER HEAD COVER
          1982 SUZUKI GS450LZ - CYLINDER HEAD COVER (MODEL Z)
          1982 SUZUKI GS450TXZ - CYLINDER HEAD COVER (E.NO.162953)
          1982 SUZUKI GS450TZ - CYLINDER HEAD COVER (E.NO.162953)
          1983 SUZUKI GS450ED - CYLINDER HEAD COVER
          1983 SUZUKI GS450GAD (Automatic) - CYLINDER HEAD COVER
          1983 SUZUKI GS450TXD - CYLINDER HEAD COVER
          1981 gs650L

          "We are all born ignorant, but you have to work hard to stay stupid" Ben Franklin

            Comment

            • tkent02
              Forum LongTimer
              Past Site Supporter
              • Jan 2006
              • 35571
              • Near South Park
              #4
              Originally posted by chuck hahn
              Stick a hammer handle in the end so the handle is on top of the fins and pry up...
              In the end of what?
              http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...tatesMap-1.jpg

              Life is too short to ride an L.

                Comment

                • chuck hahn
                  Forum LongTimer
                  Past Site Supporter
                  • May 2009
                  • 25918
                  • Norman, Oklahoma
                  #5
                  My bad Tom..i was envisioning the cross over bridges like our 8 valves have. Didnt realise the GA doesnt have them..I have retracted my formerly uniformed ( assumed ) comment.
                  MY BIKES..1977 GS 750 B, 1978 GS 1000 C (X2)
                  1978 GS 1000 E, 1979 GS 1000 S, 1973 Yamaha TX 750, 1977 Kawasaki KZ 650B1, 1975 Honda GL1000 Goldwing, 1983 CB 650SC Nighthawk, 1972 Honda CB 350K4, 74 Honda CB550

                  NEVER SNEAK UP ON A SLEEPING DOG..NOT EVEN YOUR OWN.


                  I would rather trust my bike to a "QUACK" that KNOWS how to fix it rather than a book worm that THINKS HE KNOWS how to fix it.

                    Comment

                    • pmong
                      #6
                      Thanks everyone (Steve, Tom and Chuck),

                      Was a much harder job than expected. I had to dig out some of the gasket on one side, then slowly wedged four screw drivers in at the outside and inside corners on the left side. It finally popped. The gasket broke apart, some stuck on the value cover and some on the head. Really hard to scrap the parts off. Not sure why the gasket was so glued or baked on.

                      Found out that my feeler gauge does not have a 0.03 mm blade. In fact, smallest is 0.08 mm, which did not slide in.

                      I am also having a hard time locating a feeler gauge with very thin blades. Would like one down to 0.01 or 0.02. Any suggestions?

                        Comment

                        • tkent02
                          Forum LongTimer
                          Past Site Supporter
                          • Jan 2006
                          • 35571
                          • Near South Park
                          #7
                          Originally posted by pmong

                          Not sure why the gasket was so glued or baked on.
                          Probably thirty some years and a few thousand heat cycles had something to do with it.
                          http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...tatesMap-1.jpg

                          Life is too short to ride an L.

                            Comment

                            • pmong
                              #8
                              Yeah, that could do it. But, the bike had only 6k miles. Guess it is the years (or decades).

                                Comment

                                • Steve
                                  GS Whisperer
                                  • Jun 2005
                                  • 35924
                                  • southwest oHIo
                                  #9
                                  Originally posted by pmong
                                  Found out that my feeler gauge does not have a 0.03 mm blade. In fact, smallest is 0.08 mm, which did not slide in.

                                  I am also having a hard time locating a feeler gauge with very thin blades. Would like one down to 0.01 or 0.02. Any suggestions?
                                  I just go down the street to Auto Zone and get the feeler gauge set they have hanging on the rack. Yeah, it's made to INCH specs and has metric approximations printed on them, but it will tell you as much as a metric set would.

                                  The thinnest feelers in that set are 0.0015", 0.002", 0.0025", 0.003" and 0.004". Those are close to 0.038mm, 0.076mm, 0.066mm, 0.076mm and 1.102mm. Technically you only need the 0.0015" and 0.004" feelers to make sure you are in-range, but if you want to track things, you will use them all.

                                  Speaking of "tracking", you still have the copy of the spreadsheet that I sent you just over three years ago? I will send you the latest version anyway. It works the same, it's just a little easier to use.

                                  .
                                  sigpic
                                  mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
                                  hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
                                  #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
                                  #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
                                  Family Portrait
                                  Siblings and Spouses
                                  Mom's first ride
                                  Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
                                  (Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)

                                    Comment

                                    • pmong
                                      #10
                                      Thanks Steve. What a pleasant surprise when I went to my email and saw you message and spreadsheet.

                                      AutoZone! Great tip. My current feeler gauge is from the times I have worked on cars. Seems like the clearance for motorcycles are much tighter. Forgotten that because it has been decades since I worked on a motorcycle.

                                      I was going to check on the valves about three years ago, but did not do it because the seller informed me he had checked everything a couple of years earlier when he sold the bike. He was (and hope still is) a great guy, retired engineer in his late seventies or older still riding, with several bikes.

                                      I am a weekend novice mechanic, when I have the time. So, it will take me at least two weeks before I have a chance to get to the bike.

                                      Wish me luck.

                                        Comment

                                        • Steve
                                          GS Whisperer
                                          • Jun 2005
                                          • 35924
                                          • southwest oHIo
                                          #11
                                          Originally posted by pmong
                                          Seems like the clearance for motorcycles are much tighter. Forgotten that because it has been decades since I worked on a motorcycle.
                                          Only some motorcycles are 'tighter'.

                                          The GS bikes with shims use 0.03-0.08mm. I think the GSes with 4 valves per cylinder use 0.09-0.13mm or something like that.

                                          My Kawasaki used different clearances for intakes and exhausts, and that was long enough ago that I don't remember the numbers.

                                          A couple of things to keep in mind when you are checking your clearances:
                                          1. those feelers are VERY thin. The 0.08mm (0.0031") is only the thickenss of a piece of paper, so they wrinkle easily.
                                          2. when you select a feeler, make sure you can see the next one. For example, if you want the 0.002" feeler, make sure you can also see the 0.0025 feeler, otherwise it might be stuck to the back of the 0.002 and you will actually be trying to measure 0.0045" and not realize it.

                                          .
                                          sigpic
                                          mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
                                          hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
                                          #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
                                          #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
                                          Family Portrait
                                          Siblings and Spouses
                                          Mom's first ride
                                          Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
                                          (Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)

                                            Comment

                                            • 2BRacing
                                              Forum Mentor
                                              • Jan 2009
                                              • 796
                                              • Onrus, near Hermanus, South Africa
                                              #12
                                              Originally posted by Steve
                                              Only some motorcycles are 'tighter'.

                                              The GS bikes with shims use 0.03-0.08mm. I think the GSes with 4 valves per cylinder use 0.09-0.13mm or something like that.

                                              My Kawasaki used different clearances for intakes and exhausts, and that was long enough ago that I don't remember the numbers.

                                              A couple of things to keep in mind when you are checking your clearances:
                                              1. those feelers are VERY thin. The 0.08mm (0.0031") is only the thickenss of a piece of paper, so they wrinkle easily.
                                              2. when you select a feeler, make sure you can see the next one. For example, if you want the 0.002" feeler, make sure you can also see the 0.0025 feeler, otherwise it might be stuck to the back of the 0.002 and you will actually be trying to measure 0.0045" and not realize it.

                                              .
                                              Hi Steve

                                              Please PM me - need to communicate with you, as my e-mails do not seem to get to you.

                                              Thanks!
                                              1981 GS850G "Blue Magic" (Bike Of The Month April 2009)

                                              1981 GS1000G "Leo" (Bike Of The Month August 2023)

                                                Comment

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