GS 550L Gets a make over

[Guest]

Steve's spreadsheet won't help where you are right now, but after you've done it this time it will be a huge help.

Flyboy's tip is excellent, but in the meantime there is another way if you can't get one, which I got from Suzuki_Don.

If you can rotate the shim bucket but can't measure clearance, then you should at least have some clearance so one size down should be enough.

If you can't rotate the bucket, it's touching and you'll need probably two or more sizes down.

Been there done that... I had my valves faced and that tends to leave you in no man's land unless you were to measure the valve face to stem top length before and after. Even if you measure that it's still a guess because lapping them in will have a small influence on that too.

 

[Redneck]

Well I did not lap the valves seats i did run 1000 grit around them to polish them up a bit and make sure there was nothing sticking to them that would cause some leak by. I think I will try flyboys suggestion first, then move on to Pete's. Maybe I can come up with where I need to go from there. So aggravating.

Paul

 

[Guest]

Good call, Flyboy's is the most accurate.

 

[Guest]

So aggravating.

I was in a similar situation after having had the valve stems ground (as on some cylinders it was down to thinnest shims available).
Be prepared to not get it right the first time, regardless of how accurate you take your clearance readings. I got mine only in the ballpark (not dead accurate), then after running it for a few hundred kms opened it up again and had to do few more adjustments. Just make sure to err on the side of bigger clearances, not smaller.

 

[Redneck]

Its finally black

Its finally black

Well I decided to put off the valve clearance for a little bit since that can be done with the motor in the frame. so I started prepping the engin for paint. Realized like a dope that trying to paint the engine with the valve cover in place was not a good idea. So I too it off, took out the cams again left the chain bridge installed to keep chain from falling back through, taped up everything that I did not want black and went to town with some rattle can VHT. I think it looks pretty good. Pictures will be provided when I get home from work. I took em just did not get a chance to upload them.

Since the cams were out I took Flyboys advice and gave each valve bucket a good whack with the hammer. I will put the Cams back in tonight and look at the clearances again. If that did not help anything I will wait till I have everything back together to worry bout them.

So next problem. How do you get the old Exhaust gaskets out. I tried to pop them out with a small flat head screwdriver but they were not budging and I don't want to mess up my exhaust ports. Anyone got any ideas?

 

[Flyboy]

Paul old buddy, I don't want to cause you any worry, and I know it might sound like a stupid question, but you did make sure there was no piston up at TDC that a valve could kiss when you gave it a good rap, right?

Now where are the pics of the newly painted engine.......you know we like pics.............

 

[Redneck]

Well I have never shied away from showing my ignorance and I won't this time either. No I did not check and now that you mention it I think I will run down stairs and do so. Besides have to get the camera out of the car to get the pictures. I am hoping that I did not leave it at TDC. We will soon find out.

Edit:

Good news was not TDC thank goodness did not even think of that.... now on to the eye candy
I had one real pooling effect and it was on the breather cover.

Paul

 

[Flyboy]

Wow, what a tranformation, that motor is looking very very nice, I like your work.:clap:

 

[Guest]

Looking good!

 

[Guest]

How do you get the old Exhaust gaskets out. I tried to pop them out with a small flat head screwdriver but they were not budging and I don't want to mess up my exhaust ports. Anyone got any ideas?

The gaskets are made of alu tin so a small screwdriver (or even better an angled seal puller) should work in twisting them out.
Or maybe there are none in

 

[mike-s]

if there is a clean face where you can clearly see the corners of the side & the back, there's no gasket in there. If you can see a slight lip at the inside or outside edge of the "gasket area" then there IS a gasket in there and you need a bit of creativity to get it out. I usually use a screwdriver from the side across the port and into the inside edge of the opposite side of the gasket, a couple slight sharp raps of a hammer on the back of the screwdriver and a flick and it's out. Of course you need to be a little more gentle if recycling, but when doing a big thing like you are, why go and do things half-arsed like that over a tiny part?

 

[Redneck]

There is no doubt that they are in there. I thought of the hammer tap on the screw driver but was very leary did not want to screw something up. I have new exhaust gaskets to go back in. They were cheap enough. Hopefully this weekend things will work out and the engine can go back into the frame. Waiting on oil seals for the front forks ( friendly neighborhood UPS guy) and I still need to paint the rims. I need to put some alcohol or MEK through the tank a couple times then put the petcock and fuel sender back in with some gas to keep the rust at bay. Going with naked tank inside. It looks good still. Anyway that is where I stand for now.

Paul

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

Good progress Paul, seems like it's coming along well. Have you got an old flathead screwdriver that you can put the tip in a vice and bend it over to for a 90 degree end? Those come in quite handy for exhaust gaskets and o-rings removal...

 

[Guest]

Have you got an old flathead screwdriver that you can put the tip in a vice and bend it over to for a 90 degree end? Those come in quite handy for exhaust gaskets and o-rings removal...

yup, that's what i had in mind in the post above:

...or even better an angled seal puller...

 

[Redneck]

Well here is a quick update:

After following the advice of my fellow forum members, a flathead screwdriver and a hamer later I got all four popped out. Lets just say they were in there quite well. I do like the idea of the bent flathead screwdriver I can see where that would have come in handy many a time.

-Installed the Cam cover and gasket did not really torque it because I will be removing it later to fix the clearance issues.
-Gpt the starter reinstalled
-Stator cover is re-installed with gasket after making sure the starter gear is lined up right
-Old exhaust gaskets were removed

Next question, I believe I still have the originally tap plates in the valve buckets. Does anyone know what thickness they are? I could not find it in my manual. Have not had the opportunity to search Basscliff yet. But there are no markings on the plates in there right now, which leads me to believe they are the stock ones. I read that shim plates all have the size marked on them. If that is the case I can go a couple sizes smaller than the stock plates and that should do it. After tapping the buckets with the hammer I now have three valves that pass clearance.. unfortunately that still leaves me with 5 that don't.

This afternoon I am hoping to get the engine mounts cleaned up and if my source is available get them PCed along with the sissy bar. If not I will just paint them with VHT and bake em. Time to get off the comp and start work before uncle sam gets mad.

Paul

 

[Redneck]

Well could not get to the PC source last night do to family obligations.

-Took a wire wheel to the engine mounts got em cleaned up and painted this morning. Baked them in the oven for 50 minutes and all done.

-repacked the steering stem bearings and re-installed the stem and lower fork bracket.

-took the shocks apart cleaned them up and put them back together without the cups.

Not to mention the weather has not been to great today:

Okay I really just wanted to show off my lovely truck.

Realized I am not going to be able to put the engine in until I get the center stand finished and the fork seals come in so that I can put a front tire on. Speaking of front tires I found out why my new tire was leaking air... The wheel is bent at an edge. I intend on taking my wheels to the bike shop on monday and having them remove the tires. I will then take the good wheel into have it blasted and PCed along with my rear tire. If I can get all of that done on Monday, my fork seals are suppose to be in on Tuesday. I can then take the wheels over to the bike shop and have them reinstall my tires.

Woot sounds like I may have a rolling chasis by Next weekend. Sweet.

Paul

 

[Guest]

Mate that's great progress! I can't see four of those pic's though

Getting to a rolling chassis is an accomplishment in itself, you will feel great when you can wheel it round making bike noises

 

[Flyboy]

Hey Paul, that is looking s s s s suuuuuppper sweet, looks like you are making headway with a vengence there, keep up the good work. :clap:

PETE SAID

you will feel great when you can wheel it round making bike noises

Oh, you do that to..............

 

[Guest]

Yay I can see all the pic's now... looking real good Paul

And Flyboy... ssssh... don't tell everyone ok? Even though I already did

 

[Redneck]

I do that too but normally my little helper is on back and we have to "run errands around town" oh and she has to drive me every once in a while.

Paul