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My GS850G ongoing issues and maintenance.

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    My GS850G ongoing issues and maintenance.

    I realised that I don't have a seperate thread to document all the various things that have cropped up over the years, so this will do. I'll populate it with whatever photographic material I have from doing repair work in the past decade or so, and even before that, though pics from the 80s, 90s and even the 2000s are few and far between.
    ---- Dave
    79 GS850N - Might be a trike soon.
    80 GS850T Single HIF38 S.U. SH775, Tow bar, Pantera II. Gnarly workhorse & daily driver.
    79 XS650SE - Pragmatic Ratter - goes better than a manky old twin should.
    92 XJ900F - Fairly Stock, for now.

    Only a dog knows why a motorcyclist sticks his head out of a car window

    #2
    Looking forward to your future posts on this. I'm sure it will be enjoyed by many!
    1981 Suzuki GS650G

    Comment


      #3
      Grimly,
      To compile the innovative mods and repairs you've done to that 850 in one thread would be a great thing. I've enjoyed reading about your work and find it inspirational.

      Seems like just going through the "what did you wrench on today" thread and transplanting some of your posts would be simple enough. That would be a start anyway.
      Roger

      Current rides
      1983 GS 850G
      2003 FJR 1300A
      Gone but not forgotten 1985 Rebel 250, 1991 XT225, 2004 KLR650, 1981 GS850G, 1982 GS1100GL, 2002 DL1000, 2005 KLR650, 2003 KLX400

      Comment


        #4
        May as well kick off with a current mod - making adjustable preloaders for the forks.
        I have a spare set of air-fork caps, and I found that 10mm threaded bar couplers fit perfectly inside them.
        I picked up a couple of 10mm set-bolts, but they're actually a little bit short, so I'll cut some 10mm all-thread to the length I need and weld a nut on the top end.
        My plan is to epoxy the bar couplers into the cavity of the caps, then cut off the air humps - there will still be 5mm thickness of alloy on the top after that, so strong enough, I feel. Getting a good bond between the aluminium, epoxy and steel will be crucial, as I don't want these things to work loose. They can't actually go anywhere, but the more secure, the better.

        In use, they'll be quite simple, adjust the rod down until the pre-load is right, and nip the locknut up.





        ---- Dave
        79 GS850N - Might be a trike soon.
        80 GS850T Single HIF38 S.U. SH775, Tow bar, Pantera II. Gnarly workhorse & daily driver.
        79 XS650SE - Pragmatic Ratter - goes better than a manky old twin should.
        92 XJ900F - Fairly Stock, for now.

        Only a dog knows why a motorcyclist sticks his head out of a car window

        Comment


          #5
          Replaced the cheapanese relays in the fairing and the frame for some decent Bosch ones. I hadn't had any trouble with them, but they are a bit flimsy and I simply don't trust them, as the top pops off far too easily, which would leave them adrift and capable of causing some mayhem.









          Also stripped a Telefix fork brace from a set of L forks that had been lying around for 20 years. Some monkey had attempted to strip them but all they'd done was round off all the cap bolts. It took some heat and the judicious application of a Torx 30 adjusted with a precision percussion instrument to achieve full undoing.


          ---- Dave
          79 GS850N - Might be a trike soon.
          80 GS850T Single HIF38 S.U. SH775, Tow bar, Pantera II. Gnarly workhorse & daily driver.
          79 XS650SE - Pragmatic Ratter - goes better than a manky old twin should.
          92 XJ900F - Fairly Stock, for now.

          Only a dog knows why a motorcyclist sticks his head out of a car window

          Comment


            #6
            Good going!

            Great to document your work! And with pics too!

            Ed

            ****
            GS750TZ V&H/4-1, Progressive Shocks, Rebuilt MC/braided line, Tarozzi Stabilizer[Seq#2312]
            GS750TZ Parts Bike [Seq#6036]
            GSX-R750Y (Sold)

            my opinion shouldn't be taken as gospel or in any way that would lead you to believe otherwise (30Sep2021)
            Originally posted by GSXR7ED
            Forums are pretty much unrecognizable conversations; simply because it's a smorgasbord of feedback...from people we don't know. It's not too difficult to ignore the things that need to be bypassed.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by Grimly View Post
              ... adjusted with a precision percussion instrument ...
              I like that.

              .
              sigpic
              mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
              hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
              #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
              #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
              Family Portrait
              Siblings and Spouses
              Mom's first ride
              Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
              (Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)

              Comment


                #8
                Got the hokey-ass preload adjusters in place.
                They seem to work.












                There's about 12mm of basic preload in there because of the thickness of the washer and the protruding part of the threaded barrel, but that's fine as i had already tried a couple of 10mm spacers to see what difference they made, so knew I was on the right track.
                The total available thread depth from zero adjustment to full (as seen in the pics) is 20mm, so plus the 12 gives me 32mm.
                That works absolutely fine.
                ---- Dave
                79 GS850N - Might be a trike soon.
                80 GS850T Single HIF38 S.U. SH775, Tow bar, Pantera II. Gnarly workhorse & daily driver.
                79 XS650SE - Pragmatic Ratter - goes better than a manky old twin should.
                92 XJ900F - Fairly Stock, for now.

                Only a dog knows why a motorcyclist sticks his head out of a car window

                Comment


                  #9
                  Received another SU needle in the post, an AAA profile, and fitted it today.
                  The AAA is profiled to feed approximately 70 hungry horses on a tuned Mini 1000 (in the same ballpark for air demand), so I was fairly hopeful it would provide a reasonably close approximation to what I need here.
                  Instant difference on startup, almost immediately settled into a better idle than before. After some warm-up time, a bit of normal mixture and idle settings and the engine ticked over more steadily than it ever did before, so it's looking good. Flicking on the AFR gauge revealed the idle is a steady 12.6, so bang-on.
                  Wasn't able to do a test ride today as the wind was gusting up to 60+mph, so out on the road tomorrow with it.

                  In the same package was a hi-flow fuel inlet valve, normally fitted to fuel-guzzlers, but I suspect it's needed here to compensate for the gravity feed. I was never conscious of needing one before, but like a bolt from the blue it suddenly hit me - to rule it out, fit a bigger one.
                  I also suspect the petcock might not be flowing as much as it should, but will check that properly with a drain test both on the Prime and On setting. Last time I drained the tank on Prime there was no shortage of flow, but I've never checked it on the On position.

                  Once I get this carb sorted out properly, I can modify the spare carb for greater airflow and raise its capacity to almost match the next size up.
                  The carb in this case (currently fitted) is an HIF38 (1.5"), the next size up is the HIF44 (1.75").
                  Last edited by Grimly; 02-29-2020, 10:20 PM.
                  ---- Dave
                  79 GS850N - Might be a trike soon.
                  80 GS850T Single HIF38 S.U. SH775, Tow bar, Pantera II. Gnarly workhorse & daily driver.
                  79 XS650SE - Pragmatic Ratter - goes better than a manky old twin should.
                  92 XJ900F - Fairly Stock, for now.

                  Only a dog knows why a motorcyclist sticks his head out of a car window

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Got it out yesterday and moderately pleased with the results. AFR gauge (asssuming some measure of accuracy) tells me that hard acceleration is sitting at between 12 and 12.5, steady cruise is between 13.2 and 13.5 at 60 and 70mph. It peaks lean on decel to around 16, which is ok.
                    In all, the midrange isn't too far from what it was like with four carbs, according to the seat of the pants dyno, but the top end will not be there, of course.
                    I need to venture over to the motorway and put some top end time on it, just to see how it behaves. Previously, it was maxing out at 90, and I know that manifold will flow enough for 115, with the bigger carb.
                    Pre-AFR, I didn't know whether it was running out of fuel at 90 or airflow, or what.
                    Changed the oil today and put in some 5w50 just for a trial. The gearbox will shear that down in 2000 miles to a thin 40 at most, more like a 30. The crap that was in it turned out to be disappointing - Wave Power synth 10w40, which only lasted 800 miles before it went off. This gearbox is brutal on oils.
                    ---- Dave
                    79 GS850N - Might be a trike soon.
                    80 GS850T Single HIF38 S.U. SH775, Tow bar, Pantera II. Gnarly workhorse & daily driver.
                    79 XS650SE - Pragmatic Ratter - goes better than a manky old twin should.
                    92 XJ900F - Fairly Stock, for now.

                    Only a dog knows why a motorcyclist sticks his head out of a car window

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Just how heavy is that "precision percussion instrument" ?
                      Expecting the Spanish Inquisition
                      1981 GS850G: the Ratzuki
                      1981 GS1100E

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by zuluwiz View Post
                        Just how heavy is that "precision percussion instrument" ?
                        It was a one-pound ball-pein hammer.
                        ---- Dave
                        79 GS850N - Might be a trike soon.
                        80 GS850T Single HIF38 S.U. SH775, Tow bar, Pantera II. Gnarly workhorse & daily driver.
                        79 XS650SE - Pragmatic Ratter - goes better than a manky old twin should.
                        92 XJ900F - Fairly Stock, for now.

                        Only a dog knows why a motorcyclist sticks his head out of a car window

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Today I made a better exhaust noise.











                          ---- Dave
                          79 GS850N - Might be a trike soon.
                          80 GS850T Single HIF38 S.U. SH775, Tow bar, Pantera II. Gnarly workhorse & daily driver.
                          79 XS650SE - Pragmatic Ratter - goes better than a manky old twin should.
                          92 XJ900F - Fairly Stock, for now.

                          Only a dog knows why a motorcyclist sticks his head out of a car window

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Dude, you don have to post it 2ce…
                            "Only fe' collected the old way, has any value." from His Majesty O'Keefe (1954 film)
                            1982 GS1100G- road bike, body, seat and suspension modded
                            1990 GSX750F-(1127cc '92 GSXR engine) track bike, much re-engineered
                            1987 Honda CBR600F Hurricane; hooligan bike, restored

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by Buffalo Bill View Post
                              Dude, you don have to post it 2ce…
                              Two seperate threads in different places, though. Each with a different purpose.
                              Perhaps you're right - just here would be better, depending on what readers use to catch up on content with.
                              "New Posts" will throw this up anyway.
                              ---- Dave
                              79 GS850N - Might be a trike soon.
                              80 GS850T Single HIF38 S.U. SH775, Tow bar, Pantera II. Gnarly workhorse & daily driver.
                              79 XS650SE - Pragmatic Ratter - goes better than a manky old twin should.
                              92 XJ900F - Fairly Stock, for now.

                              Only a dog knows why a motorcyclist sticks his head out of a car window

                              Comment

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