Getting a GS850 up to speed

[Mr. Brown]

Have a look

I'm pretty sure that gasket's not my problem.

I had oil on my right boot when I got home today. I noticed that the whole clutch cover had a nice coat of oil on it. So does the right side of the cylinder head. As the following pictures will show, the leak is coming from the gasket between the cylinder head and the block.








Wow... that's gonna look huge.

Anyways, the leak drapes around the right side of the engine, over the clutch cover, and drips off the right side and center stand.

Like this...



I obviously have to replace this gasket. So...
- Any advice on which gasket to get? Suzuki OEM ok, or is there a "Uber-Gasket"?

- Is this leaking because it has 65,000mi on it, and the PO was riding it super lean, or are there other things I need to look for while I'm replacing it?

- Someone installed an oil cooler. It looks like crap. Should I remove it in case it is causing a problem, or just leave it alone. Here's a pic:



Thanks everyone!

[Guest]

You need to clean all that oil off to see where it's coming from. Could be the oil cooler, cam chain tensioner, head gasket, tachometer seal or valve cover gasket. You won't be able to tell until you clean it up. Use baby powder on it after you clean it up to see the troubled area.

[Mr. Brown]

Paper backing on gaskets? Really? Sheesh...
I read a post today about how someone felt stupid for not having taken the paper backing off the valve cover gasket... There's a paper backing?

So, instead of pulling off the valve cover and fixing the gasket, I installed aluminum side panels... cool, huh?

[Mr. Brown]

An update

I haven't posted here in a while. I took my bike to a local guy who has worked for service centers in the past. He tuned my carbs for me, and was supposed to fix the charging system. He warned me that my temporary oil plug was leaking a little.

I rode it home, and upon making a U-Turn, I slid out on my own oil slick and crashed... right in front of a bike cop! He was good enough to help me pick it up before he started laughing. I tossed my now shattered windscreen on the sidewalk and limped it home. Besides a bent crash guard and busted gauge cluster, she seemed to be fine.

Fast forward 8 months to present.
Still not charging... but I have a Duneage Special R/R on the way to see if that will help. I picked up a cluster at a junkyard that seems to be from a newer Suzi. It fits, but of course the wiring colors are all different. I labeled them tonight, and will start soldering a harness together soon. I hope the power levels will be enough to light it up...

God, I just want this thing to run!
-=T=-

[WesV]

Before spending any more money on the charging system and on people who are not getting the bike fixed, check out the "Stator Papers"
These tell you how to diagnose your charging system to see if it is an R/R or a Stator

[BassCliff]

Hey Mr. Brown,

Wow, that some tough luck. Sorry to hear of your troubles. Like Mr. WesV said, go though the Stator Papers and get your charging system sorted out right the first time. It's not hard to do it yourself. I guess getting the oil leak fixed is pretty important too. Did you try an oversized, self-tapping drain plug? That didn't work? Maybe you should try a Time-Sert? Or perhaps pick up a good used oil pan in ebay? I hope you're back up an running in time for next season. Keep us informed.

EDIT: Oops, just noticed that you're in Florida. 'Tis the season all year long!

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[flyingace]

I saw you had a sidestand that has drifted south. I have the same problem - can't figure out how to reduce the overstretched angle. Maybe we can both get help here.

In the meantime, I drilled a hole in the 'foot' of the sidestand and bolted a 13/16 socket to the bottom and painted it black. It adds about 1 1/2 inches, and sets the bike at just about the right angle. Doesn't look too bad either. Another 'side' benefit is that the sidestand doesn't keep getting worse from all the extra weight.

[Mr. Brown]

I saw you had a sidestand that has drifted south. I have the same problem - can't figure out how to reduce the overstretched angle. Maybe we can both get help here.

My side stand pivot bolt is stripped. The nut is encased in a metal "box" and spins freely. Haven't gotten there yet, I just rely on the center stand. I'll probably have to grind that box open and replace the bolt.

[Mr. Brown]

Like Mr. WesV said, go though the Stator Papers and get your charging system sorted out right the first time. It's not hard to do it yourself.

I've tried a few times. 1) My multimeter is a piece of junk. The readings are really erratic. 2) I've tried with a friend's multimeter, and everything seemed to check out ok. So... I replaced everything. I got a Honda R/R (thanks, Duneage!) and swapped the stator with the one I had from a parts bike. The old stator turned out to be burned where the three wires meet. It works great!

My bike now runs, charges, and doesn't drip.

I guess getting the oil leak fixed is pretty important too. Did you try an oversized, self-tapping drain plug? That didn't work? Maybe you should try a Time-Sert? Or perhaps pick up a good used oil pan in ebay?

I bought a few self tapping bolts but can't install them without pulling the pan. If I have to pull the pan, I'll replace it with the one from the parts bike. Except... that pan's bolt is stuck in place. Hardcore. It may be Locktite-ed in place, meaning it might be stripped. We'll see.

In the meantime, I finished my MSF Basic course, got my endorsement this morning, and rode out to a show 45 minutes away this evening. I'd like to thank all of you who contributed your knowledge to make this possible.

Now. On to the:
- Steel braided brake lines
- Replace brake pads and front MC
- Recondition parts bike rims
- Swap front and rear tires with parts bike rims
- Replace speedo cable or sending unit (needle wobbles 20mph in both directions)
- replace corroded h-shaped muffler-thing
-....

-=T=-

[BassCliff]

Hey Mr. Brown,

Thanks for the update. You've had lots of good news to report. Congratulations on completing your MSF course and getting your motorcycle endorsement.

Now. On to the:
- Steel braided brake lines
- Replace brake pads and front MC
- Recondition parts bike rims
- Swap front and rear tires with parts bike rims
- Replace speedo cable or sending unit (needle wobbles 20mph in both directions)
- replace corroded h-shaped muffler-thing

-Plenty of posts related to braided stainless steel brake lines. Mr. bwringer has a "how to make your own" guide on his website.
-Brake pad replacements are pretty easy. Check my site if you want pictures. I have not rebuilt my m/c yet, sorry.
-Don't forget to replace the wheel bearings too.
-Are the other tires safe? How old are they?
-First, you might try removing your gauge cluster, turn it upside down, and put a few drops of your favorite lubricant in the cable inputs.
-I think that's called a "pre-muffler". I also think you can still get them OEM. Bikebandit has it listed for about $72.

Nice work. Keep us informed.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff