Barn find 1980 GS450L!

[rphillips]

Head'in in the right direction, keep it up.

[sacruickshank]

After lots of fiddling, it’s finally cranking! Now just have to get some fuel to it. I poured fuel in and tried cranking quite a bit, but no fire. I guess my next step is starting fluid, I want to hear it at least try to fire before I dig into the carbs

Would be good to test the plugs for spark while you're at it. It's an easy test and eliminates one possible source of non-starting. Pull the plug, put it back in the cap, hold the threaded part against the engine, fire the starter and look for a spark in the gap area.

Possible outcomes:
- If no spark then you might have other electrical issues (coils, wires, pickup sensor, etc.).
- If you get a spark but it jumps all over the place rather than the gap, you need new plugs.
- If you get a consistent strong spark in the gap, then move on to fueling issues.

[free99]

Glad your 450 is getting ready to chug. I'm the author of that other post with the formerly fully seized engine. Need any pointers, just ask.

Some notes:

• The 450 is my first bike, sounds like yours too. Be wary of inheriting bad information from overly-confident crackpots. E.g., a fella at work suggests that spraying crab cleaner directly into the airbox side of the carbs while the engine cranks will "clean your carbs". Absolutely don't, I learned that was *@%^$*@%^$*@%^$*@%^$ advice after buying a new carb off ebay for $60 since it was cheaper than the sum of all the rubber parts that got damaged within.
• Even today I am reminded that the factory manual leaves out some important details that the Clymer doesn't, and vice-versa. Spend the time double-checking a procedure between the two.
• Just stick with OEM where you can. You can play around with electrical additions if you like (like adding a 12v outlet for your phone charger/heated gloves), but safety or engine critical stuff, stay with OEM. If you need to add new connections, stay away from "quick splices", I lean on marine splice connectors from Horror Freight, they are good quality.
• Stripping the oil pan's plug is what later killed my engine, you can preemptively add a helicoil kit (14mmx1.25) so that you're screwing down into steel vs the soft aluminum.

Best of luck, it's been a great little machine.

[levsmith]

Alright guys, update time! I had a little time to tear into it last night. Sprayed some starting fluid in the air box and after a few minutes of feathering the throttle and spraying more fluid, it finally got fuel from the tank and idled very nicely! I found the spot where it’s leaking oil. It’s a little shaft in front of the chain sprocket. I have no clue what the shaft is, but it’s been bent a little bit and I’m assuming that screwed up the seal in the block. Can anyone identify what this little shaft is so I can go about looking up a new part and a seal for it?

029CF0B5-CAF2-46A0-8B91-E312CE76478A.jpg

[Rich82GS750TZ]

I believe that bent rod is your clutch push rod #19 on this fishe. #20 Oil Seal is probably where you're leaking oil. No idea if you can fix this without splitting the cases, but I doubt it.

[levsmith]

Rich, thank you very much! I don't know if I would have figured that out, but it looks like you are correct. I went to the website you linked and it shows the push rod is not available. Everything I can find says it was superseded and is now a 2 piece push rod so that it can be replaced without pulling the entire clutch if it were to get damaged again. I cannot seem to find the new part number though. Anyone have any guesses? Maybe a trip to the dealer is in order...

[650Skull]

partzilla part no's list other models that part fits.........

https://www.partzilla.com/product/su...2102abced58f58

Ebay have them second hand............caution with ebay is the sellers sell without knowing what they have or state the models they fit without knowing for sure......Just need to do due diligence

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/CLUTCH-P...cAAMXQhuVRQOWY

[levsmith]

Well it looks like the '83 and up had the two piece push rod. I went ahead and ordered the two new pieces, a new seal, the seal holder for this new style and a new crankcase cover gasket since I'll have to remove the clutch. I'm crossing my fingers hoping that it all fits the same. I'll update you all when the parts come in.

[LAB3]

Mine was leaking from the exact same spot, being an 82 it was one piece, replacing both the shaft and seal took care of it. My question then became, how do it bend in the first place? Never did figure that one out.