81 GS550T Full Rebuild...In Ohio

[Mekanix]

Wipe the rust off with Wd 40 a rag and when the rag comes clean coat with oil.

Aanything to get a coat of oil on it. Wd 40 is good for cleaning and the oil is to keep it from rusting again. You can just oil after washing before it starts to rust next time.
Q tips work for getting into the guides.

[cowboyup3371]

After washing, keep those cylinders oiled inside and out!! The rust marks will go away after you wash and wipe them with WD40. Then apply some engine oil.

Same for the head. Keep the valve guides oiled!!
.

Just so I understand, I'll spray down both sides of the cylinder sleeves with WD40 and then wipe them down with a light coat of oil?

How do I oil the valve guides?

[Mekanix]

After washing, keep those cylinders oiled inside and out!! The rust marks will go away after you wash and wipe them with WD40. Then apply some engine oil.

Same for the head. Keep the valve guides oiled!!


Some spray nine and a coper wire brush worked well for me on the combustion chamber.

Let it soak in a few minutes, respray and start brushing again. The carbon comes off a little at a time but the brush takes it off just fine without damaging anything.

[cowboyup3371]

More Cleaning

After a long week of late nights at work, I finally got out to the garage again today. I poured some simple green into a container with two gallons of water and let pieces soak for a bit.



Then I started taking the brushes to each piece. The cylinders look a bit better but I need to go get a gun cleaning brush for some of the harder to reach areas. I did run through a bunch of qtips and will do more with that after another couple of cleaning sessions.



But I noticed some rust marks (??) inside the sleeves. I think it will be a simple job of using the hone brush and some oil to clean them up right?



After some time with that, I started in on the head. I took my 1" brass wire cup brush and chucked it into the drill and managed to get the valve area looking a little better.



Cylinder 1



2



3



and 4



I'm a little nervous about going too much further with the brush in the drill but I also think that's the only way I'm going to get it much cleaner before I do the lapping. What do you all think?

Well, off to Walmart to get that gun brush.

[tkent02]

Rifle brushes work wonders. Chuck them in a drill and go to town.

[cowboyup3371]

Scott,

Keep that cylinder head out of the blast cabinet. There are too many oil passages that can not be reached to clean out the grit so please don't be tempted.

Looking good so far.

Thanks Ed will do. I'll go find some other suggestions then for cleaning up those pieces better so I prep them for paint.

[Nessism]

Scott,

Keep that cylinder head out of the blast cabinet. There are too many oil passages that can not be reached to clean out the grit so please don't be tempted.

Looking good so far.

[cowboyup3371]

I know I tend to obsess, as many of us do, especially when we are new to working of our beloved GS's. Especially when we are new to a particular procedure....Like Ed said, I looked at my valves and seats and saw no chipping, cracks, or any other defect that really jumped out. So I just lapped real quick for a cleaning and fine tuning and am happy with that.
I used this.

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/VER0/13209/N0408.oap?ck=Search_N0408_-1_-1&pt=N0408&ppt=C0139

Lap, clean, assemble, be happy

Thanks Loud et, that's what I ended up picking up today so I'll just be trying the fine grit as I don't believe I'll have much to worry about.

Today was cleaning day again; Charmayne and I took the cylinders, head, and valve cover out to the base to dip in their parts cleaner. We got most of the easy stuff off but there's still plenty of varnish and baked on grease/oil/grime that needs coming off. I also picked up a couple of small dremel wire wheels to use on them and hope I can get it ready for paint in the next couple of weeks. Sorry for the picture quality but I just had the phone today and not the good camera.

While i cleaned, Charmayne dried things off for me using the air compressor. She realized the power of that compressor when she blew some of the brushes off the table without meaning too.



Here's the cylinders:



Head



We will work on doing more fine work at the house and then take it back to the base after we are done. They also have a sandblasting cabinet that should be connected in the next month or two. It's a small one, can't handle the frame, but I think it will work on the engine pieces.

Also, while we were out there, the other kids cleaned up parts for me here. Paul was really excited when I left the parts for him and, from what I understand, was upset when he was done. Here's him playing around afterwards pretending he was riding.

I know I tend to obsess, as many of us do, especially when we are new to working of our beloved GS's. Especially when we are new to a particular procedure....Like Ed said, I looked at my valves and seats and saw no chipping, cracks, or any other defect that really jumped out. So I just lapped real quick for a cleaning and fine tuning and am happy with that.
I used this.

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/VER0/13209/N0408.oap?ck=Search_N0408_-1_-1&pt=N0408&ppt=C0139

Lap, clean, assemble, be happy

[Nessism]

The coarse grit lapping paste like the Permatex stuff breaks down really quickly into fine so you only need one.

There is no need to buy new valves unless they are really damaged (most often because some idiots think valve adjustment is optional). If the valves are pitted, find someone with a valve grinding machine and get the faces dressed. They will look like brand new for something like $5-7 each.

[Mekanix]

Valve lapping compound normally comes in 2 cans, coarse and fine, paired up. Please study up on this before you do it. It is a simple procedure and will help you seat the valves correctly if done properly. Beats the heck out of having a valve job done, IMHO.

I've been having a really hard time finding that double can compound. All I've ever found was the Pernatex stuff and I found it was too corse.
Does anyone still sell it ?

Following this with interest. I have a question, was wondering what a new set of valves would cost, and if that would cause a problem or just more things to buy?

[Nessism]

Repeating myself again...but lapping compound is only for cleaning the seats, it's not for making a new seat. You need cutting tools to do that. If you lap too hard a ridge will form on the valve face so please go easy. Oh and that general purpose valve lapping paste will work fine.

Valve lapping compound normally comes in 2 cans, coarse and fine, paired up. Please study up on this before you do it. It is a simple procedure and will help you seat the valves correctly if done properly. Beats the heck out of having a valve job done, IMHO.

[duaneage]

I put a 550T back together again from scratch, here is a thread on it

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=82482&highlight=thebigred&page=2

An interesting project for sure. Ask me questions if you need help.