It runs!

[spawningvat]

As of 8:32pm, the 550 spun to life!

If the bike's problem was a news headline it would read like this:
Cam chain jumps; throws off the space-timing continuum. Valve and piston still unable to occupy same space.

Thanks to everyone who responded in these threads:

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=116114

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=116130

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=120344

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=120362

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=121949

Thanks to everyone who didn't respond to these threads, but did view them and had good ideas. You shouldn't hesitate to reply later on.

Here's a quick rundown:
I was messing with the cam chain tensioner. I rotated the engine without it in place, and the cam chain jumped. I believe the piston smacked the #2 exhaust valve. The exhaust came off with only one broken bolt. Carbs came off. Valve cover off. Cams out. Cam chain tied up. Head off. Valve out using a Sears valve compresser and a pvc T. New valve ordered via ebay and installed. New complete top end gasket set ordered via partsnmore and installed. Head bolts with anti-seize torqued down. Exhaust back on with 10.9 hardness metric bolts and loads of anti-seize. Ended this evening by airing up the tires and taking it for a quick jaunt.

Some pictures from the extravaganza can be viewed here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/spawningvat/SuzukiValveReplacement

Finally, its back on the road. Thank you to everyone who read the threads. You allowed me to get this bike back on the road. Hopefully, I can help you in the future.


/s/ Sean

[BassCliff]

Hey howdy hey!

Hi Mr. spawningvat,

Even though I had absolutely nothing to do with it, I wanted to congratulate you on getting your bike back on the road. What a big job! Now you'll enjoy a motorcycle that gets many, many smiles per gallon. :-D


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[gustovh]

I'm jelous.
v

[TheCafeKid]

As of 8:32pm, the 550 spun to life!

If the bike's problem was a news headline it would read like this:
Cam chain jumps; throws off the space-timing continuum. Valve and piston still unable to occupy same space.

Thanks to everyone who responded in these threads:

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=116114

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=116130

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=120344

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=120362

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=121949

Thanks to everyone who didn't respond to these threads, but did view them and had good ideas. You shouldn't hesitate to reply later on.

Here's a quick rundown:
I was messing with the cam chain tensioner. I rotated the engine without it in place, and the cam chain jumped. I believe the piston smacked the #2 exhaust valve. The exhaust came off with only one broken bolt. Carbs came off. Valve cover off. Cams out. Cam chain tied up. Head off. Valve out using a Sears valve compresser and a pvc T. New valve ordered via ebay and installed. New complete top end gasket set ordered via partsnmore and installed. Head bolts with anti-seize torqued down. Exhaust back on with 10.9 hardness metric bolts and loads of anti-seize. Ended this evening by airing up the tires and taking it for a quick jaunt.

Some pictures from the extravaganza can be viewed here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/spawningvat/SuzukiValveReplacement

Finally, its back on the road. Thank you to everyone who read the threads. You allowed me to get this bike back on the road. Hopefully, I can help you in the future.


/s/ Sean

Having just helped pull and pulled apart unfortunately TWO GS top ends in as many weeks, and having put ONE back together, for the first time, they are suprisingly easy arent they? Had to mess with the cam timing a couple times before we got it set right (without the motor running ppls ) but once we got that figured out, i think i could do it in my sleep. 5 Hours is my current record. I wanna nail it down to two...hahha! Lets hope i dont have to...K? LOL Congrats on getting her goin!!!! \\/

[tfb]

Having just helped pull and pulled apart unfortunately TWO GS top ends in as many weeks, and having put ONE back together, for the first time, they are suprisingly easy arent they?

The GS engines are one great bit of engineering and design -- my all-time favourite.

[spawningvat]

CafeKid: You definitely have me beat on the timeframe. My whole fiasco started in October. It took until last night to have everything taken apart, new parts ordered, parts installed, and then everything reassembled. Its tough to hurry when all the work is dependent on the weather. But you're right that its not something i'd like to do again.

Basscliff: I read over all of your greeter posts with the links to suppliers, and other sources for info.

This was a picture from our trip to Ontario. Its much easier to do that again with a running bike:

To a good upcoming season...

/s/ Sean

[seuadr]

fantastic! nice picture, too, except that dead body in the backround..

[spawningvat]

seuadr: Thats the little lady. She just wasn't used to miles, and at the end, she needed to lay down.