Project: 1985 GS550ES

Pulling the starter...

Well, much like pulling the carbs, ya can't just pull the starter. You pretty much have to tear down the house so that you get to the door knob. ](*,)

Just getting access to the two bolts that mount the starter to the starter bay requires tools made of rubber and hands with reconfigurable fingers due the fact that the cam tensioner and ridgid oil lines are directly above the bolts and blocking space needed for tools.

Geesh. Do the engineers ever give consideration to maintenance access? Ever? At this point I'm feeling pretty lucky that the gas tank fill port is right on top of the tank and not located on the underside.

Once I finally removed the bolts securing the starter, it would have slid right out...except for, the cam tensioner and oil lines. Arrrrggggghhh!](*,) So...I had to remove the cam tensioner and loosen the oil lines, but not before I spent 30 minutes trying to "finagle" the starter out by simply willing space and time to distort to my whim. THEN the starter slid right out.

Here's a good look at what the bees home looked like with the starter out.

Got a bug in the system!

So after I finally managed to get the carbs out (Thanks to all for your insight, especially Nerobro!), I thought that I should take the opportunity to clean up those tough to reach spots while the carbs weren't in the way.

The worst looking thing on the bike is the starter cover, so I pulled it to give it a good cleaning. Boy did that open a can of worms (actually, spiders and bees!). Apparently, via the access channel for the starter wires, a spider(s) had set up shop and made babies. Hundreds of little dead bodies amidst their little house of web. In addition, it seems that some kind of larger insect that liked mud (I'm guessing mud wasps of some sort) had the same idea as the spiders. Only the wasps brought in a whole boat load of dirt and started building a mud town in the starter bay.

Well the only way to get in there and clean all that out was to remove the starter. Great...more time!

Time consuming my butt!! It's fast, and almost stupidly easy. :-) It just sounds complex. It's a fairly deep stack of parts you're going under. At least all the bolts are 10mm, which makes things fast.

I can have the carbs out of my bike in 3 minutes. It takes longer than that just to squeeze a carb past the boots on a bike where you can't get the airbox "out".

Pulling the carbs out of a 1980 GS550E takes 10-20 minutes. Depending on air temprature and how strong I feel that day. putting them back in takes at least as long. By the time the carbs were out of a 1980 GS550E you could have the carbs out, jets changed, and back into the 83 GS550E :-)

I gotta say, while it may be easy (as in not difficult), I found it far from fast. Next time I need to pull my carbs I'll offer $100 to the first one who can pull my carbs (without damaging anything) in 5 minutes or less. It took me 4 times that amount of time just to pull get the battery box out of the way. Now that I've been through the process I'd estimate that I could pull them in less than an hour, maybe 30 minutes if I'm a bit wreckless (for me) and going for speed. 3 minutes? That's a dream on this bike. Still, if you think you can take my money, it'd be worth every penny just to see such a miracle.

Carbs are out...Finally

It's simple when you know the trick. :-)
MelodicMetalGod: Yeah, I figured.

First, loosen all the bands holding on the carbs.
MelodicMetalGod: Check. Already done.

Then undo the two screws holding the throttle cable bracket on the carbs.
MelodicMetalGod: Um, I think that's the two lock nuts, right? Check. Already done.

Undo the choke cable nuts. Never use a wrench on those, they only need to be finger tight, and they're plastic. Using a wrench on those WILL strip them.
MelodicMetalGod: This was why I waiting on tools. Didn't have 12 mm tool to break these and they were way more than finger tight. Plastic! I had no idea, but thanks to your tip and that fact that I've been painstakingly careful with this project I managed to not damage them. Thanks! Check!

Take your battery out of the bike.
MelodicMetalGod: Darn. I was hoping to avoid this. Check.

Remove the ignitor from the side of the battery box.
MelodicMetalGod: Darn. I was hoping to avoid this too. Check.

Remove the fusebox from the other side.
MelodicMetalGod: Darn. I was hoping to avoid this too. Check.

Undo the two bolts that hold the battery box down. They are underneath it and bolt to the shock mount.
MelodicMetalGod: Darn. I was hoping to avoid this too. As it turns out, on my bike their actually on the sides of the box (actually the box has "tabs" that extend down onto the sides of the frame). Check (once I stopped looking for them UNDER the box/frame).

Remove the battery box.
MelodicMetalGod: Darn. I was hoping to avoid this too. Check.

You will now be able to move the airbox back 3" or more. Pleanty of room to remove those carbs.
MelodicMetalGod: Check!

Take care not to lose the blocking rubber bits that fit in the front of the carbs. They tend to fall out easily.
MelodicMetalGod: Check. However, I saw no sign of anything rubber that could fall out of the carbs. Just in case I missed them falling I looked all over the place for something and found nothing. Either they vanished into thin air, the PO lost them already or this bike doesn't come with those bits.

Tip the carbs toward you to remove them from the carb boots. Then you can rotate the pully to remove the throttle cable. This manuver is where you'll usually lose those little rubber blocks.
MelodicMetalGod: Darn. I was hoping to avoid this too. Check!

That's it.

Thanks for the info. Very helpful!

GORGEOUS BIKE!!!

Thanks. Hoping to get it even more "gorgeous-er"! :-D

[Nerobro]

run stock spec plugs.

I wanna hear about progress onthe bike :-)

[ron bayless]

Last summer, 2006, my uncle decided to trim down his stable a bit and, coincidentally, I was looking for an inexpensive way to re-enter the world of motorcycling after a hiatus of over 12 years.

The most interesting and well-kept bike that he had to offer (his classic BMW was not on the block) was a 1985 Suzuki GS550ES. It was kept in a detached garage, under tarps and was properly prepped for storage two years earlier.

May 21, 2006
First look. My uncle had the bike properly stored for two years. A tad dusty and a bit of rust, but basically in OK shape. :-D We agreed to get together over the coming weeks and get the bike running. If it ran and showed not major issues [-o<, I'd take the bike off his hands.

GORGEOUS BIKE!!!

What Plugs Are You Running? I Am Using A Hotter Plug, But Think I May Go Back To Orig Spec Since Everything Is Cleaned And Buttoned Up.

[Nerobro]

I think mine are around 3 turns out. 3.25 maybe.

So, today I went to adjust my valves. Turns out that the valve adjuster for one ofthe valves wasn't just loose, it was GONE. So.. that 122mph number... was on 15 valves.

Ok Nero, here we go...I re dipped my carbs in brand new carb cleaner. Replaced all the jets, set the float heights, changed the o-rings on the manifolds (what a pain finding them)....The carbs are now silver (not painted black) and very clean. Stock pipes, stock air filter, stock everything. All hoses connected. Air screws were 3 turns out. The bike would start but idle very erratic or not at all. Once she got above 2-2500, she ran awesome. Pulled the plugs and noticed they were damp and white. HMMMMMM? I turned the air screw out 1 more full turn and it idles very nicely now. Was running low on gas so I couldn't road test it. Will do that after it stops raining here in the north east. Is there any other info you need or anything I am missing? I am determined to restore this thing (I am second owner and only has 15,000mi). My next step is to find new plastics for it. I love that full fairing and want to say thanks for the info about the letter designation 550EF. Oh, and it is easy to get the carbs off after you follow those directions about the battery box etc..... and get a haynes manual , much better than clymer.

[Nerobro]

Time consuming my butt!! It's fast, and almost stupidly easy. :-) It just sounds complex. It's a fairly deep stack of parts you're going under. At least all the bolts are 10mm, which makes things fast.

I can have the carbs out of my bike in 3 minutes. It takes longer than that just to squeeze a carb past the boots on a bike where you can't get the airbox "out".

Pulling the carbs out of a 1980 GS550E takes 10-20 minutes. Depending on air temprature and how strong I feel that day. putting them back in takes at least as long. By the time the carbs were out of a 1980 GS550E you could have the carbs out, jets changed, and back into the 83 GS550E :-)

It's simple when you know the trick. :-)

First, loosen all the bands holding on the carbs.

Then undo the two screws holding the throttle cable bracket on the carbs.

Undo the choke cable nuts. Never use a wrench on those, they only need to be finger tight, and they're plastic. Using a wrench on those WILL strip them.

Take your battery out of the bike.

Remove the ignitor from the side of the battery box.

Remove the fusebox from the other side.

Undo the two bolts that hold the battery box down. They are underneath it and bolt to the shock mount.

Remove the battery box.

You will now be able to move the airbox back 3" or more. Pleanty of room to remove those carbs.

Take care not to lose the blocking rubber bits that fit in the front of the carbs. They tend to fall out easily.

Tip the carbs toward you to remove them from the carb boots. Then you can rotate the pully to remove the throttle cable. This manuver is where you'll usually lose those little rubber blocks.

That's it.

Nerobro, I was afraid that was the answer but I was hoping it wouldn't be. :-( The manual says that just unbolting and sliding the air box back provides all the room needed. Whoever let that fly in the final edit s/b shot! I suppose it's not IMPOSSIBLE, but it seems unreasonable to make the attempt given the lack of clearance. Guess I'll just have to take the more time consuming, smarter and easier road tomorrow. Should've done it today but instead I wasted my time trying to make the "quicker" method from the manual happen.

I'll keep an eye out for the rubber pieces you mentioned. Didn't know about those.

Thanks for the advice!

first off,
Unscrew the airbox so it gets a little motion...

second off, the first time you do it...expect to spend some time going back and forth, up and down etc pulling up and down on the carbs...

also, unscrew all those rings off the boots, and push them as far back as you can...it will help

I've been following the Clymer (sp?) manual and the first thing is removing the airbox screws. I've definitely spent "some time going back and forth, ...". I have also unscrewed all the retaining rings completely and I can push them to any location on the boots (or carb for that matter).

[Nerobro]

It's simple when you know the trick. :-)

First, loosen all the bands holding on the carbs.

Then undo the two screws holding the throttle cable bracket on the carbs.

Undo the choke cable nuts. Never use a wrench on those, they only need to be finger tight, and they're plastic. Using a wrench on those WILL strip them.

Take your battery out of the bike.

Remove the ignitor from the side of the battery box.

Remove the fusebox from the other side.

Undo the two bolts that hold the battery box down. They are underneath it and bolt to the shock mount.

Remove the battery box.

You will now be able to move the airbox back 3" or more. Pleanty of room to remove those carbs.

Take care not to lose the blocking rubber bits that fit in the front of the carbs. They tend to fall out easily.

Tip the carbs toward you to remove them from the carb boots. Then you can rotate the pully to remove the throttle cable. This manuver is where you'll usually lose those little rubber blocks.

That's it.

first off,
Unscrew the airbox so it gets a little motion...

second off, the first time you do it...expect to spend some time going back and forth, up and down etc pulling up and down on the carbs...

also, unscrew all those rings off the boots, and push them as far back as you can...it will help