1985 GS550E Oil lines

[fbody_mike]

One of the oil lines that run from the crankcase to the head on the carburetor side is leaking a bit. Mostly sweating some oil and making a mess near the starter cover. This is the type with banjo fittings on both ends, and I am 100% positive it is not leaking from the ends. Now, in my old Suzuki stash at my dad's garage I got a pair of lines I took off my other GS550E back in the 90s when I scrapped it out. Should I go with the used set that has been sitting in a box, or is there some better aftermarket version I can get?

 

[BigD_83]

It's worth a shot to try the old lines, but eventually you'll have to find some new ones, or make some up for yourself.

A couple of years ago I was able to buy new ones from Partzilla, and I see they stil have them, currently costing $120 for the pair.

https://www.partzilla.com/catalog/suzuki/motorcycle/1983/gs550e/cylinder

 

[fbody_mike]

Kind of amazing that they are still available from Suzuki. I will probably end up ordering them.

BigD, How would you describe the power delivery of your 550E? Mine is responsive in the lower RPM up to about 6K, then hits a bit of a flat spot until 9K. After 9K it will scream well into the redline and keeps pulling.

 

[BigD_83]

It's been awhile since I last took it for a spin, but my 550 was not terribly happy putting around in the lower end.

Unfortunately, getting it much above 9000 rpm is tough in the city, and our "canyons" are a little too far away for after work riding.

It starts to open up in the mid-range with no real flat spots except a slight hesitation when cracking the throttle wide open while already cruising along at a fun rate of speed (probably around 7k rpm or so). I'm a pretty active shifter, and I don't mind working the clutch to keep it in spinning where it is happiest.

 

[fbody_mike]

About 3 weeks that oil line was on back order from Suzuki. Got word from Partzilla that it shipped today, hopefully I can get the bike back together this week.
By the way, when I pulled the oil lines, I found that they were both leaking from the upper banjo, where it is crimped to the rubber hose.

 

[Cipher]

there should be no flat spot 6-9
My god keep your revs up and shift agressively its not a litre superbike or a 460 v8 ford

The thing should scream away over 6k especially in third gear for some sciensy physicky reason.

If you can make brake hoses you can most likely make top oilers its just a hose and fittings.

 

[fbody_mike]

The flat spot I mentioned earlier was more when cracking the throttle open while cruising at 6K in 6th gear. From a standing start, or just ripping through the rpms in each gear, it screams to redline and past and still pulls hard, no flat spot in that case. But I think you called it Cipher, I get a bit lazy with the gears, my Bandit will accelerate in 5th gear from any RPM, my Seca Turbo does too, as long as the turbo is spooled. I guess I am a little spoiled.

 

[Cipher]

aha the top gear roll-on the 1300 fairly scoffs but yeah the 550 requires tappy toes
it sucks with the sloppy linkage but you just have a solid lever

 

[Roger P.]

The flat spot I mentioned earlier was more when cracking the throttle open while cruising at 6K in 6th gear. From a standing start, or just ripping through the rpms in each gear, it screams to redline and past and still pulls hard, no flat spot in that case. But I think you called it Cipher, I get a bit lazy with the gears, my Bandit will accelerate in 5th gear from any RPM, my Seca Turbo does too, as long as the turbo is spooled. I guess I am a little spoiled.

Damn Mike, we have owned three of the same bikes (550,Turbo, Bandit). When I went from the Seca to GS1100 I was surprised it didn't pull a whole lot harder than the XJ when it was puffing, although the 1100 did it from idle up, and on the Seca it was iffy whether or not the rear tire or clutch would spin halfway through. I thought I had oil on my tire the first time it happened. It would have been a fun bike to tune boost on, but it was pretty tired by the time I owned it, and needed as much wrenching as a Sea King helicopter to keep it running.

My 550 would also weep from the oil lines, and blow some past the timing cover when running at redline for a few miles or so. It was a damn strong engine though, it never broke despite my best efforts.

 

[Nessism]

If the bike feels a little flat in the midrange you may want to try lifting the needles. I've never played around with the two barrel carbs before but with the other BS CV carbs to lift the needle you need to reduce the spacer stack on top of the needle because a spring pushes up from below. Worth a try anyway.

 

[fbody_mike]

Damn Mike, we have owned three of the same bikes (550,Turbo, Bandit). When I went from the Seca to GS1100 I was surprised it didn't pull a whole lot harder than the XJ when it was puffing, although the 1100 did it from idle up, and on the Seca it was iffy whether or not the rear tire or clutch would spin halfway through. I thought I had oil on my tire the first time it happened. It would have been a fun bike to tune boost on, but it was pretty tired by the time I owned it, and needed as much wrenching as a Sea King helicopter to keep it running.

My 550 would also weep from the oil lines, and blow some past the timing cover when running at redline for a few miles or so. It was a damn strong engine though, it never broke despite my best efforts.

The old lines both had a loose banjo crimp. Right where the banjo fitting is crimped onto the rubber hose it was loose enough to be able to twist the hose a degree or two. Shrinkage maybe, or poor manufacturing, either way after I replaced them, no more leaks. Interesting to find out someone else had the same problem.

Crazy on our choice of bikes. The turbo is a great bike when it wants to be, lots of top end grunt when the boost is up, I run 16 psi in the winter and 15 psi in the summer. But your right it is missing that feeling at the low end. The Bandit delivers throughout the rpm range, and isn't subject to turbo lag, turbo stall, etc. interesting side note, when they are parked next to each other on the center stand, their proportions are very similar, wheels base, bar height, seat height, the Seca has a taller windscreen, but I guess it is just a good sport tour recipe.

 

[fbody_mike]

If the bike feels a little flat in the midrange you may want to try lifting the needles. I've never played around with the two barrel carbs before but with the other BS CV carbs to lift the needle you need to reduce the spacer stack on top of the needle because a spring pushes up from below. Worth a try anyway.

The two barrel carbs have two slides per carb, but one diaphraghm per carb. So the needle stack should be able to get the same affect. The big difference is their is no spring on the diaphraghm, instead there is a weight. So it may also be that the weight could be lightened and get some change in throttle response.

I took the bike out this week and was way more active in shifting and it performed great. I think I was expecting to much from a top gear roll on from 60 mph without shifting down.

 

[Nessism]

I just looked at the parts fishe and it seems the needles do have a spring under them pushing upward similar to the other Suzuki/Mikuni CV carbs. Again, to raise the needle the spacer on top of the needle clip needs to be shortened. A lot of people put shims under the needle clip but that won't do anything on those carbs. Page 63 & 64 of the carb rebuild tutorial details what I'm talking about for those not familiar.