1985 GS 400E Restoration first project

[Guest]

Hi, I just purchased this 1985 GS 400 for 650$ from the fifth owner. I am only 18, just passed to Motorcycle Safety Course, and this is going to be my winter project bike.

My main goal is to get it running nice, im not worried about upgrading anything, and I am on a miserable student budget

I am not sure where to start, I've read lots of articles and fifty pages out of the service manual, and everything seems manageable. However I am very worried about the daunting task of electrical systems.
The new battery is dead, so I really hope I don't need a new stator. Apart from that the turn signals, brake light, and horn don't work. Oh ad neither does the tachometer. But the headlight, high beam, oil, neutral lights work, im not sure about the speedometer.
Any help is appreciated, I found a couple of disconnected tubes, two that come out the bottom of the bike and one that is tied up on the right side, ill add pics.
Also I tried to do the clutch adjustment from the manual and now I think the clutch isn't engaging, at least not with the engine off
im hoping to get some riding in if she gets going before the snow hits the ground.
Other thing I want to do are forks, shocks, brakes, get braided lines, clean up electrical (but I am afraid to ). Maybe paint the frame and fix up the fairings, remove dent from tank
One last thing, when I test drove it the throttle has a really exaggerated lag, as in I will put it down and have to wait for the gas to come, is this a air leak?
Thanks in advance, I know there is tons of knowledge and experience on this forum ad I hope you can help

[Uladimir]

Here is an engine pic

[spyug]

Welcome. Those are great bikes and you will enjoy it for sure. don't be afraid of electrics, they can be daunting for sure but if you can think logically you'll be able to figure things out. There is a great book that can teach you all about m/c electrics:
http://www.amazon.ca/Motorcycle-Elec.../dp/0760327165.

The lag in throttle response is likely due to dirty carbs so I'd add a carb cleaning to the list of things to do. Lots of information on that so don't be afraid of that either.

This is the place for all things GS and the unofficial, official greeter Cliff will be along shortly to pipe you aboard and drop a ton of useful info on you.

In the meanwhile tell us where you are as there may be other members close to you that could help mentor you.

Good luck with the new project, just relax and do a bit at a time. You'll get her sorted.

Cheers,
spyug

[Gorminrider]

Lots of stuff here for you! You must go HERE http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/ and read evrything you can!
you can find many similarities with many bikes here as to carbs,electrical etc...just browse through threads for as long as it takes!
at some point, you will open your wallet for this 28 year old bike but if you are extremely careful to identify and isolate the problem exactly, they can be cheap to run.

yes, the intake collars are crucial points and can leak air, robbing the carbs of airflow and therefore your engine of proper air/fuel mix....inspect them very closely and try a little heavy oil squirted around and on them-doesn't always work, but try it....or, it could be the fuel-filter and tap in the tank is plugged with crapola and the bike is indeed running lean as the fuel level in the carburetors drops...which is it? and more. Start reading!

[pete]

Hey mate, welcome! Always good to see another twin coming back to life.

Clean the carbs, clean all electrical connections and grounds, do a valve adjustment, then see where you're at and go from there.

[Uladimir]

Got her running!

Spent most of the day tinkering around, don't have my socket set so I couldn't get the tank off, but I cleaned up some nasty rust with vinegar and tinfoil and get her nice and clean.
I hope no one disapproves too much, I got my friend to jump me from his car while it was off, revved it up and let her idle for maybe a half hour hoping the battery would charge.
A couple hours later I went for a little ride in the big parking lot behind my place, get some nice GoPro footage and ill link the YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYMrr9PCqrQ

It runs nice sounds great too! I think my tire pressure is really low, and only weird thing I noticed was backfiring maybe? Or some sort of spitting noise when I downshifted without matching revs very well.

The adjustment I did to the clutch helped I think, but my turn signals still don't work, the brake light is definitely a loose connection because I would come on a little bit sometime when I used the front brake.

Two questions, my front brake seems loose, like there is a lot of free play and the rear brake brings me to a stop much faster, although really squeakily. Ill look for answers in the pages you posted, thanks by the way, its probably simple.

Other question is how to get to the fuse box, had trouble finding instructions, and I don't know how to open up the electrical connectors to check them.

One last one, the front bearing I think makes an annoying squeak, when I turn left ad especially noticeable when rolling around with the engine off, will cleaning and greasing them fix it or could it the front suspension?

Unfortunately I cant do any work this weekend, brought the bike inside in case it gets cold. Thanks for the warm welcome!

[850 Combat]

Neat bike. What country? That wasn't imported into the USA as far as I know.

[Uladimir]

Ontario Canada, in reply to spyug im in Ottawa area

[Nessism]

Never let your air cooled bike idle for more than a few mins. without a fan blowing on the engine. Great way to damage it permanently.

[Uladimir]

Ok so I finally got to doing some work done, took off the tank and side/ rear fairings, cleaned every electrical connection I could get at with rubbing alcohol and a wire brush. I charged my battery fully and put everything back on, and now she won't start! One thing is I bled some gas and its yellow, not sure if it's bad or it has winterizing solution in it. I'll refill the tank but is there any way to get bad gas out of my carbs and tubes? Engine doesn't even turn over, not sure if I messed up an electrical connection, next I will check the spark plugs and clean carbs, I'll put up some pictures too. One more thing, has anyone seen a bile where turn signals and odometer/ tachometer dont work, I looked at my wiring diagram and couldn't figure out if it's just one connection or wire that might be causing the problem.
Thanks

[Uladimir]

need help with this

Okay I hope everyone believe in no such thing as a stupid question what is this thin? How do the connectors come off of here? They look like if I yank of them something inside will break, also having trouble finding this parts number because I think I obviously need a new one looks gross in there
as always appreciate your help

[tkent02]

Turn signal flasher. Just pull it off. If it breaks get a new one, no big deal.

[Uladimir]

Getting there!

One of my roomates saw my bike sitting in parts in the living room and said you'll never get that thinsg on the road by spring. So I went out to princess auto, got my self a sand balster, some glass media, spray gun, paint engine enamel and high heat for the pipes, stipped it down to the frame, blasted painted everything, plasti0dipped my rims, just pput everything back together now just need to do my valve adjustment, timing and I decided the carbs need to be black too, this is a pic of the bare frame, ill add some with the new paint job

[eil]

I must have missed this thread the first time around... Yet another slick little bike that we 'muricans didn't get. I think of all the factory GS paint jobs I've seen, this one is now easily my favorite.

[Uladimir]

Coming along...


I guess this means I need a new gasket here?





Cannot for the life of me get cam over off, any suggestions, don't think shes looking too shabby for a broke school kid


Sprayed frame matte, rims are plasti-dipped so its reversible, front fairing looks bad here because it needs another coat, redid enamel on the engine, don't kill me for making her orange please!!