Cylinder head removal advice

[G13]

Hi all,

I recently bought an '82 GS850G. (my first bike) Much to my chagrin, #3 spark plug popped out on the way home couple of days ago. It now slides into the hole very nicely. I imgaine there wasn't much in the way of threads holding it in there since I have only ridden the bike a half dozen times.

So I now need to get the hole rethreaded. After looking into doing it myself (heli-coil) and deciding that the cost of the tap and install tool is too much for what will hopefully be a onetime job, I have found a machine shop that will put in a heli-coil for a very reasonable price...if I bring in the cylinder head. I have never attempted this sort of work before (on any vehicle), but I have the original service manual and am very interested in learning how to do it. The more I know the better I can ride/maintain this fine machine.

My question is, what gaskets will I need to replace and what other things (o-rings, etc?) should I be aware of?

Your opinions are very much welcome!

[redliner1973]

Buy the tool and coils. If you remove the head, you will need a head gasket, V/C gasket, you may possibly disturb the cyl base gaskets and have to replace those as well.

[SqDancerLynn1]

The G motors use a 14mm spark plug I am going to rethread my #2 cyl next time I replace the plugs I bought a spark plug hole rethreading kit
$11.99 & $2.99 for extra inserts from JCW Whitney www.jcw.com item # wd144235b so for less than $20 you can fix it yourself

[Guy]

It's possible to rethread it without disturbing the head at all. Using plenty of thread cutting compound, turn the tap a quarter turn in at a time and remove it completely, clean away the swarf. Keep doing this until the whole thread is cut, then screw in your insert. If one or two small bits of aluminium swarf end up in the cylinder they'll get blasted out the exhaust port. Take your time and you'll be ok.

[Anonymous]

I support all the suggestions you have recieved. Upon the purchase of a GS1100GK 2 summers ago, I decided to put new plugs in it. As luck would have it I stripped out the #3 plug.

I went to a mcycle shop and they gave me horror stories of what I had done and would do if I didn't pay them lots of money to fix it. I went to another shop and they told me my bike wasn't worth fixing. I stopped at the parts store with a plug. For 16.00 And a blister pack of white grease (.59) I used the same tap kit you would in a car (the white grease was very good at keeping the aluminum out of the engine).

It has worked like a charm and taught me the importance of finding my own solutions on the bike. (it was before I found GS resoureces. now I have you to bore with all my problems.)

robin

[Mr. Jiggles]

If you re-thread and don't pull the head, how do you know that you haven't dropped shavings into the cylinder?

[Guy]

Read the posts again.

[Anonymous]

I am not a fan of rethreading plug holes while the head is on the bike but you can use a vacuum to clean out the cylinder. You tape a piece of fish bubbler hose to the end of a shopvac to reach into the cylinder. When I was told this trick (a fleck of stone fell into my #4 cylinder) there was debate about the vacuum getting filled with gasoline. Having a borescope handy would be nice but they cost more than a rebuild.

Steve