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Whats the deal with the 16 valve engines?

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    Whats the deal with the 16 valve engines?

    A quick refresher please, been a while since I needed any GS guidance. A friend is asking about any known issues with the 16 valve engines. I have no experience with them but I seem to remember they may have had some top end issues? Lubrication maybe? Please refresh me.
    Last edited by nejeff; 11-17-2020, 10:17 PM.

    #2
    Never heard of (or experienced) that.
    1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

    2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

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      #3
      The only issue I know about on a stock setup is the valve cover bolts easily strip out the threads in the cam bearing cap and require a thread insert for repair. I have seen people alter the upper end oil supply, but these were always modded motors. I think there is plenty more to worry about on 30+ year old motorcycle than the top end. But the worse thing is a motor with 20,000 miles where no previous owners adjusted the valves past the initial break in. That will kill any motorcycle motor, be it the 2 valver or 4 valver.
      1981 Suzuki GS250T
      1982 Yamaha Seca Turbo
      1985 Suzuki GS550E
      2004 Suzuki GSF1200S

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        #4
        I think it was the 750s that had the oiling problems.

        .
        sigpic
        mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
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        #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
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        Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
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          #5
          Yup, the 750 had oiling problems. Shimming the oil relief spring was a (at least partial) fix. The 1100E's weren't easy on their cams, followers, and valve guides either. For the most part they were durable though. It's just that the 8V GS bikes were legendary in their durability. Most of them would run to 100k miles whereas many of their contemporaries wouldn't
          Ed

          To measure is to know.

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            #6
            Originally posted by Nessism View Post
            Yup, the 750 had oiling problems. Shimming the oil relief spring was a (at least partial) fix. The 1100E's weren't easy on their cams, followers, and valve guides either. For the most part they were durable though. It's just that the 8V GS bikes were legendary in their durability. Most of them would run to 100k miles whereas many of their contemporaries wouldn't
            Correct. Not surprising when you realise that it's the same oil pump from the first GS750 8V through the plain bearing 16V 750 right up to the last 1100. As time went by they asked the same pump to do more and more.
            When you compare the pressure side of the first GSXR750 pump to the old GS one you see immediately how much change was needed. And on the GSXR they asked it to do less than on the last 16V aircooled engine.
            But IMO some good engineering and metallurgy made those engines last pretty well.

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              #7
              Yep, the 16V 750 had it the worst.

              Shimming the relief spring was a partial fix, but I believe there is or used to be a top end oiling kit for the 16V 750 that would pipe extra oil up there.

              The 1100/1150 kit seems to be available, since these are still used in drag racing. Not sure whether any new kits are still available for the 750, or whether this one fits, but this is the idea.
              Schnitz Racing has all the motorcycle performance parts you need to Stay in FRONT! Engine parts, swingarms, nitrous, turbo kits, chain, sprockets, air shifters, exhaust kits and much more.


              In close to stock form, the 1100 and 1150 didn't really have any widespread top end oiling issues, but the 750 could. In the one I saw personally, the bike was completely stock and ridden very gently, but the cam journals on the right starved for oil; it looked like the "uphill" side didn't get enough oil when idling on the kickstand. Once they start to gall, it's all over. So avoiding idling while on the kickstand is probably safest.
              Last edited by bwringer; 11-21-2020, 12:11 PM.
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                #8
                Ride a well tuned 1100 16 valve and you won’t have to ask that question.

                V
                Gustov
                80 GS 1100 LT, 83 1100 G "Scruffy"
                81 GS 1000 G
                79 GS 850 G
                81 GS 850 L
                83 GS 550 ES, 85 GS 550 ES
                80 GS 550 L
                86 450 Rebel, 70CL 70, Yamaha TTR125
                2002 Honda 919
                2004 Ural Gear up

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                  #9
                  Originally posted by gustovh View Post
                  Ride a well tuned 1100 16 valve and you won’t have to ask that question.
                  Amen to that! Why not put your year and model in your signature?
                  1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

                  2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

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                    #10
                    Originally posted by Rob S. View Post
                    Amen to that! Why not put your year and model in your signature?
                    I’ts there, right at the top. 1980 GS1100LT.

                    V
                    Gustov
                    80 GS 1100 LT, 83 1100 G "Scruffy"
                    81 GS 1000 G
                    79 GS 850 G
                    81 GS 850 L
                    83 GS 550 ES, 85 GS 550 ES
                    80 GS 550 L
                    86 450 Rebel, 70CL 70, Yamaha TTR125
                    2002 Honda 919
                    2004 Ural Gear up

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                      #11
                      70,000+ miles on my 750, no oil problems.
                      sigpicMrBill Been a GSR member on and off since April 2002
                      1980 GS 750E Bought new in Feb of 1980
                      2015 CAN AM RTS


                      Stuff I've done to my bike 1100E front end with new Sonic springs, 1100E swing arm conversion with new Progressive shocks installed, 530 sprockets/chain conversion, new SS brake lines, new brake pads. New SS fasteners through out. Rebuilt carbs, new EBC clutch springs and horn installed. New paint. Motor runs strong.

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                        #12
                        Originally posted by mrbill5491 View Post
                        70,000+ miles on my 750, no oil problems.
                        Just curious Bill. Do you run Synthetic Oils or Regular? Not that it makes much of a difference...
                        My Motorcycles:
                        22 Kawasaki Z900 RS (Candy Tone Blue)
                        22 BMW K1600GT (Probably been to a town near you)
                        82 1100e Drag Bike (needs race engine)
                        81 1100e Street Bike (with race engine)
                        79 1000e (all original)
                        82 850g (all original)
                        80 KZ 650F (needs restored)

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