40$ '83 GS550ES project

[Christof13T]

This is the more complete bike of the 2.
The only thins missing are the 2 side plastics that go under the seat.

The bad news is that it appears to have been drowned in a muddy lake.
It really looks to have been sunk in mud.
Pulled the airbox to find mud caked in the inlets of the carbs.
Pulled plugs to find rust on all 4.
Pulled carbs and there was mud in all 4 intake ports.
Starter tries to engage but motor is pretty hard locked.

I have some atf soaking in all 4 jugs...
Not very hopeful that I'll get away without oversize pistons at a minimum.
Anyone have a source for higher compression pistons?
I'm assuming the cylinders are sleeved with cast iron and not coated..

I have a manual on the way for it... kinda anxious to dig in to it.
That dang work thing getting in the way...

 

[Nessism]

http://zeus.mtsac.edu/~cliff/storage/gs/GS550E-ES-L_1983.PDF

Factory Suzuki manual is best. Hopefully that's what you ordered.

 

[Christof13T]

I ordered the Clymer's through my local Suzuki dealership.
It should be in sometime this week.


We got froggy yesterday afternoon and started digging a little deeper. Pulled the VC and had a look at the cams.
They look unbelievably good! A couple of the lobes on the right side of the intake cam have a smidgen of surface rust.
The pistons were locked solid in the bores. I had them soaking with atf for several days.
We first attempted to bust it loose by rocking the bike back and forth in 6th gear. Not even a wiggle was evident at the cam chain.
Went ahead and pulled the stator cover and put a wrench on the rotor bolt...
Immediate movement! It took some working but it did free up completely. No signs or sounds of mechanical damage so far.
Going to let it keep soaking another day or so... then flush the jugs... then I will check compression.

The carbs are about a solid block of corroded cast aluminum... dunno it they are going to come back from the hell they have been put through.
Keeping the fingers crossed but pretty much resigned myself to be on the lookout for replacement.

 

[Christof13T]

Here is a peekture...
Will be uploading pictures and videos as the project progresses.

 

[hillsy]

Looks like a parts bike. Sorry.

 

[Christof13T]

Oh ye' of little faith!

Just popped open the carbs...
Not nearly as bad as they could have been.
Going to need needles and seats for the float valves but everything else will clean up fine.
The slides came out without too much guff.
No marring, scores, wear to speak of. There is some light surface corrosion in one of the slide bores but nothing a little scotch brite can't hanfle.
It's looks are very deceiving. There are no cracks in the welds... really only light surface rust here and there.
Heck... even if I have to bore the cylinders and put oversize pistons in it I'm way ahead. Everything else it needs are wear items anyway...
Tires, chain, fluids, filters...
It's nothing for me and the miss's to strip a bike for a paint job.
We are both machinists, mechanics, welders, shade tree engineers...

 

[hillsy]

Have you dumped the oil to see if water comes out?

Seriously, if it's been underwater, the bottom end is toast.

 

[Christof13T]

I have resurrected engines that have been in much worse condition.
So far the bottom end seems fine.
There was some water in the case but still mostly oil.
I'm honestly stoked that unlocking it was not such a pita. Worse case scenario is there is hidden damage and I rebuild the motor.

 

[Nessism]

To my knowledge there are no oversize pistons available in the market other than maybe a Wiseco kit that costs $500 + bore job. And if there was water in the bottom end there could be other stuff damaged.

 

[gustovh]

Just hope that the igniter isn't toast.

V

 

[Cipher]

you often see + size pistons on ebay but never as a set so a search with email notification would be in order. I once tore down one of these engines that had a burnt valve and at a high mileage the cross hatch was still evident on the bores. The bike looks clean overall just missing a few bits.

 

[Christof13T]

So I have had the jugs soaking in some magic sauce and things seem to be freeing up fairly nicely.
Started with 30psi compression on 2 cylinders, 60 on the best, and none on the worst... to
Cyl #2 125psi, cyl#3 130psi, cyl#4 100psi, cyl#1 180psi!!!

I forced the electrical system to power up with jumpers and sure enough it all came to life.
Even the gear indicator works!
Still need to verify that it will make spark.
Carbs need replacement float needles and seats... so 40$ or so plus some fluids and a couple filters and I'll pretty much have this "parts bike" running again...
How bout them apples...

 

[dorkburger]

Sounds like a fun what the hell, let’s try project... be careful with the jumpers. Don’t use a running vehicle or you will fry stuff.

We still need pics of the swamp thing.

 

[LAB3]

This is what will happen: Trying get a bike like that running will cause you great harm! It will explode, you will be mamed and the purists will still be chastising your grandchildren 100 years from now because you tried it! You will suffer irreparable DNA damage, hair loss and suffer erectile dysfunction by age 30! The poles of the earth will reverse and usher in a new age of pestilence upon all of mankind which shall rival the plagues of Egypt! Finally, the Suzuki family over in Japan will send Ninja's to kill you!

Sounds like a fun project, where do I sign up?

 

[Christof13T]

Sounds like a fun what the hell, let’s try project... be careful with the jumpers. Don’t use a running vehicle or you will fry stuff.

We still need pics of the swamp thing.

I didn't mean jumper cables... I meant jumpers across the appropriate terminals in the ignition switch connector...
The ignition switch will either need to visit a locksmith...born be replaced.
The gs500e came with a key. Thus one did not.

I'm running off a regular car battery I use in my shop for this sort of thing piggy backed off a 12v charger set on 2a.
I kind of have a portrait of Nikola Tesla tattooed on my ribs... spent a little time getting zapped here and there... I'm doing my best not to hurt anything.

 

[Guest]

Sounds like a fun what the hell, let’s try project... be careful with the jumpers. Don’t use a running vehicle or you will fry stuff.

We still need pics of the swamp thing.

Glen this mud puppy was in post #4, just a wee bit smaller.

I like the paint scheme. Keep up the good work, nothing more satisfying than bringing them back from the dead.

 

[dorkburger]

I overlooked that somehow. Heck, it even has some plastic intact. Cool.

 

[Christof13T]

I know it's missing the right and left side covere... but what about the front fairing?
Is that it? Or is it missing a lower plastic set up front?

 

[MaurieG]

Have you dumped the oil to see if water comes out?

Seriously, if it's been underwater, the bottom end is toast.

Not necessarily! My GSXR750 had the plugs left out by the PO. I too thought the bottom end would be toast! Not so! After draining the oil and about 2 pints of water, stripping the motor down, t all looked brand new! Go figure!

 

[Cipher]

holy hell the seat has no tear in the fake seam near the tank and its blue!
that alone would fetch a c note or more from a purist in need.