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83'GS1100 engine seized help

  • Thread starter Thread starter Thehotbeast
  • Start date Start date
T

Thehotbeast

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Hello guys, I have a friend that has an 83 GS1100 and the engine is seized. I have tried to make it turn but no chance. He says that he parked the bike one night and the next morning it was seized, as per the plugs it looks like it was running very lean. I have removed the valve cover and everything looks normal also checked the clutch and the rotor, clutch move a bit but the rotor doesn't want to budge and I am able the change the gears from 1 to 2 by rocking the bike but even with it in second gear it doesn't want to move.

Should I now remove the engine head and cylinders ? any suggestions

Thanks
 
Pull the ignition cover on the right hand side of the engine and try to turn the engine over with a 19mm wrench. Pull the plugs first. Report back on your success and good luck.
 
Nessims,

I have already tried this... it's stuck I even tried from the left side (rotor) same story. tried to rock it back in forth in second gear no movement.
 
Sounds like time to pull the head then. Sorry.
 
Don't be sorry... it's a nice project and my friend is paying me to do it...
 
Have a look in the oil level window and see if the level has grown over night?

If you have the head off, disregard my post.

Suzuki mad.
 
Oil was drained... it's not hydro lock... the top of the engine will be removed Saturday morning...
 
That doesn't sound good.

Might just be a piston seized in the block if its got too hot while running lean ........

What was the oil like? Old, dirty, any extra bits floating around in there?

You say you've got the rocker box off? Is there lots of oil in the valve pcokets and on the cams?

You can strip some of the lump in the frame but for major crank work the whole thing will have to come out of the frame. It will be a lot lighter with the cylinder head and barrels off. If you go with the cams still in its best to come out the right hand side.

BEWARE. ITS A VERY TIGHT FIT.

Watch the front and lower engine brackets as they have to come off the frame to get the lump out. Also label your rear engine brackets by the sprocket cover. Mine weren't handed and it looked like the engine hadn't gone back in right due to these.

Suzuki mad.
 
Oil was dirty but with no surprises... that's what I think also, was too lean got hot and seized in place. Yes there was oil in the valve rockers area so oil pump was doing it's job. Lets hope it's not the crank.

The top of the pistons looks very dry with nice white color, the owner also told me that a few days before it seized there was some lost of power from time to time. Since he has no mechanical skills he did not see the signs.
 
Don't think its the crank but you will know as soon as you take the head off due to the position of the pistons. 2 up and 2 down. If not its a twisted crank.

I'd guess that its scored the barrels. Hope its not new pistons and barrels, they can be fun to find.

Doesn't sound like the cams are damaged but I'd check that the valves aren't burnt out. Re grind them back in.

Also you may find that on the cylinder head no 2 and 3 will have a small crack from one of the exhaust valves to the spark plug hole. (common fault on 1100's 16V's)

Suzuki mad.
 
Never heard of a roller bearing crank, locking an engine. they may twist, or a bearing may get noisy, but probably not lock the engine. Maybe a cam chain broke & lodged itself around the cam sprocket on the crank. Never saw a locked up 1100 E engine, but there's a lot of other things I haven't seen either. Very interesting, Keep us posted.
 
May Help

May Help

In 1979, I bought a '67, BSA 650 lightning that had a burnt electrical system and, had also seized. This one had seized from sitting up (that's what I was told). An old mechanic told me to pull the plugs and squirt just three drops of automatic transmission fluid into the plug holes and let sit for two days. I did this and two days later it kicked over almost right away. Maybe this will work for you.
 
spray PB blaster or WD40 in each cylinder followed by a couple ounces of dextron transmission fluid each and let set over night.

it is way way easyer to get cylinders off if it is un-stuck first.
 
rphillips said:
Never heard of a roller bearing crank, locking an engine. they may twist, or a bearing may get noisy, but probably not lock the engine. Maybe a cam chain broke & lodged itself around the cam sprocket on the crank. Never saw a locked up 1100 E engine, but there's a lot of other things I haven't seen either. Very interesting, Keep us posted.
Click to expand...


I have a GS850 engine with a seized crank under my workbench if you'd like to see a roller bearing crank locked tight. #-o

The #4 rod bearing is locked solid. To be fair, it made steadily increasing amounts of mysterious noise for 15,000 miles first. And the poor thing did manage to get me within 5 miles of home at the end of a 700 mile day.

I suspect the problem came from the PO's slovenly and liberal habits with silicone sealer, but I may never know for sure.

Best wishes with the 1100 engine -- it definitely needs to come apart. The problem should become apparent with the head and cylinder off.
 
Sorry bwringer, I wasn't saying it had never happened, just that it is very unusual. Did you mean that engine had 15000 mi, or it had been making noises for 15000 mi.???Glad to hear yours almost got home anyway.
 
Update...

Finally got the time to dismantle the top of the engine... big surprise #1 piston bottom portion was missing along with both cylinder skirts, all the metal chips and parts went in the crankcase and blow a hole in it, crank is seized solid.

Before going further I suggested to my friend to look for another engine or whole bike will be lot less money then fix this one if it's possible, still need to split the crankcase.

I think it's the death of another noble motorcycle. Will be parting it out soon, will let you guys know.
 
I hope someone has the answer to, What could have caused this kind of damage, between the time he turned it off one night, until he tried to start it the next morning? I hear it gets pretty cold in Canada. Rekon the piston froze & busted???
 
I hope someone has the answer to, What could have caused this kind of damage, between the time he turned it off one night, until he tried to start it the next morning? I hear it gets pretty cold in Canada. Rekon the piston froze & busted???
Click to expand...

Most likely heat stress failure, running too lean for too long, leading to metal fatigue and piston failure.

Dink
 
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