Guzziboys gsx400F of death

[Mekanix]

Did you dip the carb body's ? They behave funny if they're not completely clean by dipping each completely stripped body and then spraying with carb cleaner through all the passages and maybe another dip. Usually overnight is enough for the first dip.

Afterwards the carbs behave like new and small adjustments make a bigger difference right away.


What were the valve clearances you went with ?

[guzziboy]

Sure did! Dipped the first time and killed all my o-rings..pulled it back out and re did it this time for about 48 hours and replaced all the rubber. Its immaculate inside. Blown out air passages and carby cleaner. New Fuel Petcock in the fuel tank which isn't rusty as far as I can see although If its been sitting so long it might have some hidden surprises..might pull out the petcock tomorrow and have a look for any gunk. oh I just realised I never put the hose from the head down to the air box back on!..there's an air leak!

Went with .10 on the intake and .13 on the exhaust thought that would be fine. I think its probably air leaks, I re did the intake boots O rings too but the pipe is FULL of holes and the airbox aint much better. I havent even had a chance to adjust the idle yet. Maybe the valves are kaput after all. But the thing sounds beautiful when it does run, no loud rattles or clunks from the engine anywhere.

Ive learned more about motorcycles in the last six weeks than i did in 10 years of racing dirt bikes

[pete]

Mate I reckon she sounds pretty good! And I had a chuckle at your excited singing too... haha

If you have any intake leaks then yeah she won't idle real well, but most likely you'll find she's just not warm enough to idle well without the choke.

I found with mine after the rebuild it was pointless trying to adjust the idle etc. until I'd actually ridden it for a few minutes the first time.

[guzziboy]

Mate I reckon she sounds pretty good! And I had a chuckle at your excited singing too... haha

If you have any intake leaks then yeah she won't idle real well, but most likely you'll find she's just not warm enough to idle well without the choke.

I found with mine after the rebuild it was pointless trying to adjust the idle etc. until I'd actually ridden it for a few minutes the first time.

I have to admit it was more than a chuckle when she fired.. More like a girls squeal ! I don't think I'm quite there yet, I just had a look through your build Mr Pete and what a read!!

Just a side note I noticed your in keperra! I knocked around there for my high school years up at mitchie high school .. Small world!

[pete]

Mate I hear ya'... after shortening my slide springs last night she's quite a bit more responsive on the throttle... I felt like giggling like a school girl all the way to work and back today! Haha

My thread's a little... long... but there is some useful stuff in there somewhere... if you can find it

Mitchie hey? Cool! I was dragged up on the south side (wonderful Acacia Ridge) but have been on the north side for the last 12 years and much prefer it here.

[guzziboy]

I've actually still got a house up the road in everton hills believe it or not

Still haven't dug back into the bike yet ..

[pete]

Aaah cool, handy if you ever want to come back... haha

[guzziboy]

bumpity bump

so ive had some fun riding the beast around the city over the last month or two after finally getting it road Legal..now as old zooks go she has developed a wierd electical glitch where it started losing all spark randomly. Ive tried a few things like removing the starter barrell from the system but I have come up with nothing. Looking like I need to upgrade my system..CDi could be shot although Im thinking its more like my condensor/ignition

do any of you fine people know where I can buy a kit or what kit will fit this thing...I cant find anywhere that actually mentions a GSX400f..Im thinking the closest would be the gs550 in something like a dynatek????

[GregT]

Where are you ? Suzuki made a slightly later water cooled version called the GSX400 Impulse which was sold in some markets. There's a 400F being raced in NZ which i think has had the Impulse ignition grafted on.
The Impulse motor is nearly identical to the first version GSXR400 so there's another possibility.

[nikosg]

Sam are you still in need of an exhaust system? ill be selling my pipes once my new Marving baby comes in.

What ive got at the moment has a f*cking MEAN sound to it. Ill try upload a clip. got some shorty mufflers with wrapped headers.

Had to upgrade to a 4-1 racing system though

[guzziboy]

Where are you ? Suzuki made a slightly later water cooled version called the GSX400 Impulse which was sold in some markets. There's a 400F being raced in NZ which i think has had the Impulse ignition grafted on.
The Impulse motor is nearly identical to the first version GSXR400 so there's another possibility.

Hey Greg thanks for the reply! mate I'm in Victoria
I've been told differing stories on what version my bike is, maybe I should start looking down the impulse track , some people refer to my model as a katana, but there is absolutely no solid information out there ! Mines air cooled 4 cylinder version with 16 valves ( yeah heaps!) it's got electronic ignition and cdi as far as I can work out ( no points ). It ran perfectly up until this problem!

Thanks

Guzzi

[GregT]

I'm not surprised there's no info out there...from what I've been told they were a jap home market bike which was offered to a few importers....NZ and Oz decided they could sell some so in they came.
I'm (cough) not young....and when this one appeared at the track it was the first time i'd seen one - and i've been round the trade here for a while !!
They had a bad name here for doing bottom ends - like the first GSX750...
I doubt if there's more than 2 or 3 survivors this side of the ditch - but I suspect only one small batch came in.
I can't post a pic of the one racing here but if you go to Classic Action Motorcycle club (CAMS) website and look in the picture gallery, Francie Winteringham is the rider - and she hammers it along pretty good too.

[nikosg]

its a baby katana mate!

http://www.suzukicycles.org/GSX-series/GSX400F.shtml

There arent many of us out there.

[guzziboy]

its a baby katana mate!

http://www.suzukicycles.org/GSX-series/GSX400F.shtml

There arent many of us out there.

Got that right! Although they were apparently called a katana for America not in oz? Think we are the chosen ones:-)

[guzziboy]

I'm not surprised there's no info out there...from what I've been told they were a jap home market bike which was offered to a few importers....NZ and Oz decided they could sell some so in they came.
I'm (cough) not young....and when this one appeared at the track it was the first time i'd seen one - and i've been round the trade here for a while !!
They had a bad name here for doing bottom ends - like the first GSX750...
I doubt if there's more than 2 or 3 survivors this side of the ditch - but I suspect only one small batch came in.
I can't post a pic of the one racing here but if you go to Classic Action Motorcycle club (CAMS) website and look in the picture gallery, Francie Winteringham is the rider - and she hammers it along pretty good too.

amn. awesome club and AWESOME photos!~ Still cant find anyone that had fitted an aftermarket ignition to one of these things. I just spoke to the Australian distributor for Dynatek and he said and i quote "its not my problem they dont make it for your model"