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Search results

  1. B

    GS550 Gasket Set

    That doesn't look good. What is the alternative?
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    GS550 Gasket Set

    The oil leak is pretty much all round the headgasket. It sort of bubbles out all over.. Here's a video: https://photos.app.goo.gl/7j2ppHR5q4TY4PKZ9 I think it been getting progressively worse since rebuild. It was hard to start initially but is now nearly impossible. Compression 1: 105, 2...
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    GS550 Gasket Set

    Hello all, I have a '79 GS550. I have revived it from a non-running state to an almost running state. I don't really know much about engines or have much experience as a mechanic, but after the timing chain skipped I had had to go into the engine and on the advice of a local mechanic got the...
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    GS550 Valve Clearances

    Hello all, I'm trying to chase down what is causing my GS to have hard starting issues. I have a bit of a head gasket leak and slightly low compression, but in the interest of looking for the easiest thing to fix first, I'm investigating valve clearances. The manual says to have between 0.03...
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    Carb Cleaning Vs Rebuild

    Righy-o. Consensus reached. I'll rebuild them The VM Carb rebuild guide over at BikeCliff says I need a can of Berrymans Carb Dip. Seems to be a State side solution (i'm in the UK). I can get it here but its ?40+ ($50). Is there a UK equivalent or is that how much it costs?
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    Carb Cleaning Vs Rebuild

    Thanks for the input everyone, How often do carbs need rebuilding? I'm not a new owner, I rebuilt them around 4-5 years, since when I have had a hard starting problem (it didn't start at all before that) I was just going through my box of bits and came across a set of Cycle O - Rings (i think...
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    Carb Cleaning Vs Rebuild

    Hello there. I've got a 1979 GS550 that takes ages to start from cold & more recently was running underpowered. I did a carb rebuild a few years ago when i first got the bike (it was a non-runner that had been in a garage for many years). I never got it to start quickly but it was running...
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    Brake rebuild: where and with what to grease

    Thanks all. Got it all back together today, and seems to work. I've also learnt a lot about grease along the way : )
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    Brake rebuild: where and with what to grease

    Hello, I'm rebuilding rear brake caliper and master cylinder I've been searching around and consulting the Haynes manual, and having encountered quite a few different opinions on what grease to use in which places ​​​​​​ Just wondering if someone could give me a synopsis of which bits to...
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    Rear brakes not working

    Hello all, Just got my '79 GS550 out of hibernation, and the back brake is decidedly iffy. Initially it worked, and then it stopped working, i could press it all the way down with no / extremely limited braking. So i decided to have a little fiddle. if i pump the brake i get a bit of...
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    Draining fuel and carbs for winter

    Thanks for the input everyone. So it seems from the responses that filling the tank with zero ethanol, fuel stabilised petrol is a good move. Float bowls should be drained either when putting into storage or before starting back up after storage. Seafoam additive question: I gather this is a...
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    Draining fuel and carbs for winter

    Thanks again. So do I blow really hard into the main fuel line from the tank? And I'll fill the tank back up with some zero-ethanol fuel before I go as I presume it isn't lined
  13. B

    Draining fuel and carbs for winter

    Thanks for the input. I am trying to avoid the periodic starting it up scenario as I will be away. I asked the guy in a shop locally who sells old bikes that stand in his showroom for years and he said he empties tank and carbs
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    Draining fuel and carbs for winter

    Hello all. I'm not going to be riding my bike ('79 GS550E) for a few months for various reasons, and have decided to drain tank and carbs (as opposed to fuel stabilisation) I read on here somewhere a recommendation for attaching an air compressor after draining ( presumably to blow out any...
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    GS550 Starter Relay

    Hey, thanks for the response. That is what I was doing, and it doesn't work (unless i prod the dome down before putting cover plate on, in which case it fires constantly)
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    GS550 Starter Relay

    In the absense of an obvious replacement I glued the bits back together. Now I'm struggling to figure out how this button works. I have three bits: A plastic button, a spring, and a (copper?) dome. I'm guessing they go in the arrangement pictured, and the bit I'm holding slots in behind...
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    GS550 Starter Relay

    So I've done some more tests and traced the problem back to a broken piece that the contacts are soldered to inside the ignition button assembly: Presumably this is meant to be in one piece. If I touch the two contacts together it fires. The next question is whether anyone has any bright...
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    GS550 Starter Relay

    Hello all, So i went to start my bike yesterday after a couple of months lockdown rest. Not a twitch from it. Ignotion and Oil pressure lights were on, but not even an attempt to turn over. The battery was a bit low (my trickle charger had been accidentally disconnected). I tried jumping it...
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    4k Engine Rattle

    I think its just a vibration. I cleaned the bores out well ( in my opinion). A local mechanic did subsequently leave a load of shrapnel in a combustion chamber when drilling out a spark plug, which could explain that...
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    Not charging with headlight on GS550 1979

    Hello. i've been having some problems with my bike not starting after having ridden it with the headlights on. I have cleaned up the connections around the charging system, fitted a Polaris R/R, eliminated the headlight loop & just bought a new battery. I did a Quick Charging Test on first...
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