1981 GS450E Rebuild

[Guest]

Got out for a ride with John and his son today and I've now hit 937km's

Dumped the oil and filter this avo' after I got back while she was still warm and according to the tracking information my valve cover gasket, oil filter, and a new tacho cable are in Australia from Boulevard!

I'll get some new oil and a new filter in, check the valve clearances and ditch that dodgy Athena valve cover gasket, then give her a general once over and make sure everything's still happy and good.

I'm also continuing with the garage clean up... dumping crap loads of old stuff that's just useless and getting a heap of room back, can't wait 'til that's done! Then I can get to work on some of my optional extra bits I hope.

Oh, and no tuning happened with the Colortune again this weekend... I really need to make some time to do that real soon! Driving me insane still although nowhere near as bad as it was...

PS: Thanks for the ride today John, was great to get out and as a bonus we didn't even get that wet

 

[Guest]

Got home today:





Love those red and white labels!

Unfortunately I managed to order the tacho cable that doesn't have the rubber boot, but if I can convince my other half that a new Acewell gauge is required for my anniversary present in March then that won't matter anyway...

Anyway, into the service properly tonight, and here's how she was when I started:



That oil actually wasn't too bad coming out, still reasonably clean by the looks.

I really regret putting that Athena gasket kit in now... stupid stupid move... if only I'd discovered Boulevard Suzuki back then!



Kicking myself for not getting a breather cover gasket with my order as well, although the 4 bolts needed a little nip up to be properly tight so hopefully that takes care of that. Genuine valve cover gasket should sort the valve cover weeping out.

The good thing with the weeping is it's not one particular spot which I reckon safely clarifies that the valve cover isn't warped or something dodgy like that.

Anyway, valve cover off and everything in there still looks like it did when I assembled it:



All those bolts are still nice and tight and checked the head nuts again and they're all still torqued up right.

Also checked the valve clearances and I have three at 0.06mm and one at 0.07mm so that's all good too.

Unfortunately when I pulled the Athena gasket off, it tore and left little bits stuck on the half moons. My eyes were tired by that point so I've just sat the cover on and will clean them up tomorrow night.

I want to grease one side of the valve cover gasket before assembly, any tips on which side to grease and is there any specific grease I should/shouldn't use? I was thinking just the marine grease I used on the swingarm and wheel bearings...

 

[Guest]

I also received these today:



I stupidly left my sunnies on my tank bag while leaving work a couple of weeks back and didn't notice because it's dark in the car park, so naturally when I realised they were gone I was already a km up the road... these ones are brand new ones dirt cheap off eBay and seem to be good. They fit under the helmet real well and the flexible arms make them heaps more comfy than the others I had too.

And here's where I have the garage at so far too, have to share pic's because there's so much bench space! Of course these were before the servicing started tonight...



Still heaps more to go yet and the clutter on the left bench and right side with the tools still needs more sorting also... everything's just sort of being stacked neatly ready for organising...

 

[Guest]

And aside from a compression check, the 1000km service is done!

All is good, valve clearances are in spec with all bar one at 0.06mm and the other at 0.07mm, battery standing voltage good at 12.72v, spark plug gaps good at 0.75mm, and all the bolts appear to be nice and tight.

Here's the difference between the Athena crappy gasket and the genuine:



It's like chalk and cheese. The genuine one is the slightest bit thicker and the difference in quality of the material used is obvious. The Athena looks solid and the way it appears to me is that it wouldn't be easy to conform to the gasket surfaces to create a proper seal (hope that makes sense).

The genuine one on the other hand looks malleable and somewhat porous and it definitely looks like it would be easy for it to conform to the gasket surface for a good seal.

Anyway, forums were off for a lot of today while Frank tried his upgrade (thanks for your continued work maintaining this place if you're watching Frank), so I didn't get an answer to the gasket greasing question.

I put my common sense cap on though and figured if you want the gasket not to adhere to a surface, it'd be best being able to be separated from the valve cover and instead would stay seated nicely on the head. Could be wrong but that's what I figured...

Anyway, a light coat of grease was applied:



And sat it in place:



And the valve cover back on and all the bolts tightened down nicely:



She really needs a bath to get rid of that oil...

Anyway, checked the plug gaps and this is how they're looking:



Definitely a bit of carbon build up there so a once over with the wire brush and back in they went.

And she's ready for a test ride whenever I can get a break in the weather:



I still need to do a compression test but of course she needs to be warmed up first to do that...

Almost forgot! Got the tacho cable replaced tonight too...

 

[oohsam]

Def need to get some genuine gaskets. they were 3 times thicker than the cheapos i put in there...

 

[Guest]

Def need to get some genuine gaskets. they were 3 times thicker than the cheapos i put in there...

Yeah if only I knew about Boulevard earlier... us 450 guys can't buy genuine kits any more so it was a tad expensive at the time to buy individual genuine gaskets

 

[landshark]

Pete, i saw you are looking at the acewells, i have one on my bike if you want to check it out one day.

 

[Guest]

Pete, i saw you are looking at the acewells, i have one on my bike if you want to check it out one day.

Thanks for the heads up mate! Will definitely do that.

If you make it on the 5th I'll have a good look then, otherwise I'll try to get down your way for a run over Tamborine before March and say g'day.

I've never been much of a fan of digital speedo's and tacho's but I don't think I have much choice without spending even more on getting these ones rebuilt professionally... and even then I think the speedo will still be out because of the front tyre size.

 

[landshark]

If you do come down this way, turn off at Yatala towards Jacobs Well and go through the cane fields, nice twisty ride, you then take the turn to Ormeau before you hit Jacobs Well. It will bring you back out on the highway near the strawberry farm at Ormeau(just north of Dreamworld).
You could then head over Tamborine from the Oxenford end.

 

[Guest]

If you do come down this way, turn off at Yatala towards Jacobs Well and go through the cane fields, nice twisty ride, you then take the turn to Ormeau before you hit Jacobs Well. It will bring you back out on the highway near the strawberry farm at Ormeau(just north of Dreamworld).
You could then head over Tamborine from the Oxenford end.

Aaah nice, thanks for that! Definitely haven't been that way before. I think last time I went down via the highway and back via Jimboomba... I was living on the south side back then though. I'll definitely keep that in mind for the next decent run...

 

[Guest]

Got out for a test ride on my newly found test route this avo and 36km's later looks like I have no oil weeping out the valve cover so far

Did a compression test when I got back and she was nice and warm and about 135PSI in each cylinder says she's all good...

 

[Leigh]

Just ironing out the bugs, eh Pete?

Mate, you should see the weather we've turned on down here for Simon.

Oh, was that insensitive?
hehehe

 

[Guest]

Just ironing out the bugs, eh Pete?

Mate, you should see the weather we've turned on down here for Simon.

Oh, was that insensitive?
hehehe

Yeah yeah you and your bloody weather and the bloody Island

Yes I'm jealous ok? Haha

I hope you're taking lots of pic's!

Simon, steal the nice sunny weather for the trip back will ya? We want it up here for next weekend

 

[Guest]

Well I'm sick and tired of having to drag my tank bag everywhere just so I get to take some tools with me... so I'm gonna do something about it.

There's room in the tail piece to fit a tool kit, but the bottom is hollow so it's not exactly an ideal location and anything I put in there will just slip out either side of the tail light bracket never to be seen again...

So, the obvious answer is to get my sheet of 1mm aluminium and cut out a base to put in there. Should be reasonably simple if not a bit fiddly because of the odd shapes that are in there and the tail light and indicator wiring.

Drew up a plan on the whiteboard:

Now I just need to get it drawn on the alu. and cut out... not sure if I'll be finished in time for the run on Sunday but it should be started at least.

I'll simply bolt it down with the tail light bracket bolts and the two bolts that hold the rear guard into the frame, should be plenty sturdy enough for what I need.

While I'm at it I really should cut out another bit to neaten the exposed front of the tail piece that you can see with the seat on... another eye sore that's annoying me...

 

[7981GS]

While you are at it, might as well extend the "ears" on the sides and rear so as to have enough material to fold up
and glue to the sides and rear for more strength and to assist in keeping smaller parts that you will eventually transport in there from falling out.

Daniel

 

[Guest]

While you are at it, might as well extend the "ears" on the sides and rear so as to have enough material to fold up
and glue to the sides and rear for more strength and to assist in keeping smaller parts that you will eventually transport in there from falling out.

Daniel

Cheers Daniel, I was thinking about folding some sides up like that but hadn't thought about the rear or glueing... but yes definitely a good idea there!

Not sure I've got anything that will glue aluminium to the galvanised steel rods and steel mesh that formed the tail piece under the fibreglass but I'll have a look. I wonder if JB Weld would do that? Will have to check the tubes...

 

[Redneck]

Havy you thought about using wire mesh again and doing some more fibrglassing. Just a thought.

Paul

 

[Guest]

Havy you thought about using wire mesh again and doing some more fibrglassing. Just a thought.

Paul

Noooooo!

Sorry, instant reaction there... hahaha

Fibreglassing is something I don't want to do too much of again... effective and handy but very sticky and messy... although it could perhaps form to the weird shapes in there a little easier...

I think I'll stick with the alu. and resort to fibreglass if the need arises... thanks for the suggestion Paul

 

[7981GS]

Cheers Daniel, I was thinking about folding some sides up like that but hadn't thought about the rear or glueing... but yes definitely a good idea there!

Not sure I've got anything that will glue aluminium to the galvanised steel rods and steel mesh that formed the tail piece under the fibreglass but I'll have a look. I wonder if JB Weld would do that? Will have to check the tubes...

3M Weatherstrip adhesive, glues just about anything to anything else.

Daniel

 

[Guest]

3M Weatherstrip adhesive, glues just about anything to anything else.

Daniel

Checked the JB Weld packet tonight and it says aluminium also

However, thinking about it some more, I don't want to permanently attach it to the tail piece at all, I just want it held in by the four bolts so it can be removed separately, otherwise I'll never be able to get the tail piece off again if I need to...

I'll just stick to folded up sides and rear to stop things falling out, but I think whatever I put in there I'll put in a bag or something anyway as it probably won't be 100% protected from water either given the seat doesn't seal 100% against the tail piece.

So I pretty much finished the design tonight although I'm undecided how I'm going to mold/bend/fold it over the front of the tail light bracket:



And except for that undecided bit, I've got it all mapped out on a sheet of aluminium ready to start cutting:



What'd be real neat is if I could find a way to hook up a rubber strap across the opening to stop stuff coming forwards as well... I do still have the rubber strap from the stock tool kit holder...