My first mistake

[onetime]

So , hello everyone. 3rd day on the forum, first problem, first post.

So, I was gifted a 1981 GS850 this last week. It was semi- dismantled by my incredibly intelligent brother in law who got bored and left it out in this Great Northwest weather for some time. Thank god for this forum and the wealth of knowledge I have received here and on Mr. BassCliffs site so far.

So, I'm taking the head and cylinder up to the machine shop tomorrow to have some work done. I figured I would take the piston heads along as well. Everything had been going very smooth until idiot me dropped a piston head retaining clip down inside the bottom half of the engine. Right into the oil I have not drained yet with the crankshaft. This was a part of the bike I really didn't want to get involved with right now. So my question is, assuming it's absolutely necessary to get the clip out, does anyone have an easier way to go about it then taking the whole lower half apart? :-?
and, while I'm at the post why not a second question? My bike has an exhaust with a pre-muffler. This component rusted and broke apart. I wanted to know if there was a way to circumvent this piece or do I need to pay the $60 for a new one? If leaving this part out makes the bike extremely loud or anything, I'd rather just fork over the cash.

So thanks to anybody that has some advice. I'll be reading the posts.

[Rat44]

I have a magnet on a telescoping handle that gets a lot of use.
Looks like a radio antennae with a small magnet at the end.
Good luck.

[Steve]

First of all,

Next, you apparently already have the exhaust pipes off, so go ahead and remove the oil pan. This can be done without moving the engine or disturbing anything else in the bottom end. Chances are that you will find a bit of sludge that should be cleaned out of there anyway.

Exhaust? The crossover is what makes Suzukis sound like Suzukis. They showed up in most of the 1980 models, but did not exist before then, so I don't think the function is that important. If you can find a way to weld the holes closed, go ahead and do it. If you want to retain that unique sound, go ahead and spring for the new pipe, if it's still available.

.

[tkent02]

The crossover is what makes Suzukis sound like Suzukis.

.

You saying my Suzukis don't sound like Suzukis?

[Nessism]

Those crossover chambers are often available on ebay. Worth a look.

And what the others have said about the clip: magnet and pull the sump cover. Shouldn't be too hard to find.

[hampshirehog]

Another way to get that clip out - and I say this with some jest but I remember using it on a PE 400 - turn the bike upside down and shake it :-).

Should come out easy with the sump off - if it doesn't appear at first try squirting some oil / derv mix in the sump under a bit of pressure (eg hand pump).

[doctorgonzo]

I'm about to have one of those crossovers from a 1000 available as 4 into 1 install is next week. Don't know if they interchange or not. Just FYI.

[BassCliff]

Hee Haw Howdy!

Hi Mr. onetime,

Here's your very own mega-welcome! (Note that there are a couple of new additions.)

Let it be known that on this day you are cordially and formally welcomed to the GSR Forum as a Junior Member in good standing with all the rights and privileges thereof. Further let it be known that your good standing can be improved with pictures (not you, your bike)!

Perhaps you've already seen these, but I like to remind all the new members. In addition to the carb rebuild series, I recommend visiting the In The Garage section via the GSR Homepage and check out the Stator Papers. There's also a lot of great information in the Old Q&A section. I have some documentation on my little BikeCliff website to help get you familiar with doing routine maintenance tasks (note that it is 850G-specific but many tasks are common to all GS bikes). Other "user contributed" informational sites include those of Mr. bwringer, Mr. tfb and Mr. robertbarr. And if your bike uses shims for valve adjustments, send an email to Mr. Steve requesting a copy of his Excel spreadsheet that helps you keep track of clearances, shim sizes and other service work.

These are some edited quotes from one of our dear beloved gurus, Mr. bwringer, with ideas on basic needs (depending on initial condition), parts, and accessories.
***********Quoted from Mr. bwringer************
Every GS850 (and most other models) has (or had) a set of well-known issues that MUST be addressed before you have a solid baseline for further troubleshooting. It's a vintage bike, and it's quite common (as in, every single GS850 I have had contact with) that there are multiple problems that have crept up and slowly gotten worse over the years. It's not like a newer vehicle, where there's generally one problem at a time.

These common issues are:

1. Intake O-rings (install NEW OEM or Viton only - common nitrile O-rings will quickly deteriorate from heat)
2. Intake Boots (install NEW -- these cannot be repaired)
3. Valve clearances (more important than most people think)
4. Carb/airbox boots
5. Airbox sealing
6. Air filter sealing
7. Petcock (install a NEW one)
8. On '79 models, install new points or Dyna electronic ignition (or at least verify that the old points are working correctly)
9. On all models, it's fairly common to have problems with the spark plug caps. These are $3 or $4 each, and often worth replacing if you're keeping the stock coils/wires.
10. Stock exhaust with NO leaks or holes -- good seals at the head and at the junctions underneath.
***********************************
Carburetor maintenance:

Replace the intake boot o-rings, and possibly the intake boots. Here's the procedure:

http://bwringer.com/gs/intakeorings.html

Here's an overview of what happens with this particular problem:

http://cycleorings.com/intake.html

You'll also want to examine the boots between the carbs and the airbox. There's a good chance these are OK, but check them over.
And finally, if things still aren't exactly right, you'll want to order a set of o-rings for BS carbs from the GS owner's best friend, Robert Barr:
http://cycleorings.com
Once you receive these rare rings of delight, then you'll want to thoroughly clean and rebuild your carburetors. Here are step-by-step instructions that make this simple:

http://thegsresources.com/gs_carbrebuild.htm

***************************************
OEM Parts/Online Fiches:

I would definitely double and triple the recommendations to use Cycle Recycle II and Z1 Enterprises as much as possible. These guys are priceless resources. Z1 tends to have slightly better prices, CRC2 has a wider range of goodies available. If you're near Indy and can bring in an old part to match, CRC2 has a vast inventory of used parts.
http://denniskirk.com - Put in your bike model and see what they have.
http://oldbikebarn.com - seems to be slowly regaining a decent reputation, but it's still caveat emptor. They don't have anything you can't get elsewhere at a better price anyway.
http://www.babbittsonline.com/ - Decent parts prices. Spendy shipping. Don't give you part numbers at all. Useful cross-reference if you obtain a part number elsewhere. Efficient service.
http://bikebandit.com - Fastest. Middlin' prices. Uses their own parts numbering system to obfuscate price comparisons -- can be very confusing for large orders. Cheapest shipping, so total cost usually isn't too bad.
http://flatoutmotorcycles.com - Slow. Cheapest parts prices, crazy shipping costs. Don't expect progress updates or much communication. Real Suzuki part numbers.
http://alpha-sports.com - Exorbitant parts prices. Different type of fiche interface that's quite useful at times, especially with superceded part numbers. Real parts numbers. Shipping cost and speed unknown due to insane, unholy pricing.

Stainless Bolts, Viton o-rings, metric taps, dies, assorted hard-to-find supplies and materials, etc:

http://mcmaster.com - Fast, cheap shipping, good prices. No order minimum, but many items like bolts come in packs of 25 or 50. Excellent resource.
http://motorcycleseatcovers.com - Great quality, perfect fit (on original seat foam), and available for pretty much every bike ever made. Avoid the textured vinyl -- it's perforated.
http://newenough.com - You DO have riding gear, don't you? Great clearances, always outstanding prices and impeccable service.
***************End Quote**********************
Additional parts/info links:

GSR Forum member Mr. duaneage has great used upgraded Honda regulator/rectifiers for our bikes. Send him a PM.
New electrical parts:
http://stores.ebay.com/RMSTATOR or http://www.rmstator.com/

http://www.ricksmotorsportelectrics.com/index.php

http://www.electrosport.com/

For valve cover and breather cover gaskets, I recommend Real Gaskets (reusable silicon):

http://www.realgaskets.com

Carolina Cycle

http://www.carolinacycle.com

Ron Ayers Motorsports

http://www.ronayers.com

MR Cycles

http://www.mrcycles.com

Moto Grid

http://www.motogrid.com

Salvage/Used

http://www.ricepaddymotorcycles.com

http://www.ozpowersports.com/

If all else fails, try this:

http://www.used-motorcycle-parts.org/

Used bike buying checklists:

http://www.amadirectlink.com/roadride/Riderresc/checklist.asp

http://www.clarity.net/~adam/buying-bike.html

Lots of good info/pictures here:

http://www.suzukicycles.org

http://www.cyclechaos.com/wiki/Motorcycle_Wiki

http://www.bikepics.com
Basic motorcycle maintenance/repair:
http://www.dansmc.com/mc_repaircourse.htm
Online Clymer manuals:
http://search.ebscohost.com/ Click on "Small Engine Repair" then "Motorcycles". User=library, password=library. Note: This link may not work if you are on a school campus.

Thanks for joining us. Keep us informed of your progress. There's lots of good folk with good experience here.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
(The unofficial GSR greeter)

[chef1366]

If you dropped the clip into the cam chain tunnel you won't get it out through the sump. It is not a passage. If you dropped it through a piston part of the crankcase it will be in the sump or stuck on the crank. Try the magnet first.

[Nava]

While checking valve clearances I dropped a slippery shim into the cam chain slot. Where does that lead, and how do I get it out? Aaarrrrgh!

[chef1366]

While checking valve clearances I dropped a slippery shim into the cam chain slot. Where does that lead, and how do I get it out? Aaarrrrgh!

They make magnets that reach into hard to reach areas. Go to your automotive parts shack.

[Nava]

Bought a grabber tool and a telescoping magnet. Slid the magnet arm through the frame and wiring straight down into the cam chain tunnel and was delighted to hear a satisfying "click!" as the shim attached itself to it first try!

[posplayr]

stuff rags down the cam tunnel anytime you are doing work with the valve cover off.