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GS450 to 500 swap questions

i guess that all i can say is "oh well" i dont have money or time to change it at this point in the game. i dont recall, but i thought there was a thinner base gasket option, and that is what i got, but i could be mixing things up in my head. also this is the resaon i wanted to run GS500 carbs and cams, for more lift and such.
 
diptenkrom said:
i guess that all i can say is "oh well" i dont have money or time to change it at this point in the game. i dont recall, but i thought there was a thinner base gasket option, and that is what i got, but i could be mixing things up in my head. also this is the resaon i wanted to run GS500 carbs and cams, for more lift and such.
Click to expand...

Well,at least you know.
I use the GS500E thin steel OEM Suzuki base gasket and headgasket.

I plan to complete my project as soon as the custom pistons are finished.
I like my classic 81' GS450E and it's going to get it's improvements.
 
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i have a trip planned in mid Sept, and this is the only bike i have that will fit the kind of riding we plan on doing. if i had the time to play with, i would get the cylinder jug shaved, there is easily a good 2mm above teh ring travel.Prob ony shave .5-1mm of that thoough. if it comes out too weak, then i will pull it back out and do that.
 
so.. i got the engine together, dropped the oilpan and cleaned all that, reinstalled with new gasket. this was a good decision, for multiple reasons. FYI an open top end with oil left in it is a MAGNET for bugs to go die in there...

It runs, but not consistently. i have the original 450 carbs on it, that were jetted for the 450 back like 5 years ago. The bike seems rich. maybe i am wrong, but it still doesnt seem to want to stay running and it is smoking a good bit even after 2 sessions of running for more than 10 mins each. i have some 500 carbs, but they are not in ther best shape, so i am not sure i can make them work. i have GS1100 carbs somewhere, but that is prolly a lot of work to get fitted.

i do not have the stock airbox, or exhaust. pod filters are what they are. any advice on what to do next would be appreciated.

Also, is there any need to change the ignition timing with the 500 pistons/cams to get it to run optimally, or is the stock timing for the 450/500 the same?
 
Some of the cheap china pods block airflow into the small carb passages on the carb inlet side. You might want to check that.
 
Nessism - thanks, will def check this. the trip is gunna happen without the GS :( but that is okay. i have other bikes. hope to get this one ready for the SCAR in the spring.

I have run it 3 times now, and it is running better. smoking has cleared a bit, and it revs better, but the idle is not stable. i guess we will check these pods, and then try to sync the carbs. see where that leaves us from there.
 
update - I have ran it a few more times now, and it is firing up easier, and running smoother. i did find a few things:

1 - i think my carb inlet at the top is blocked, side ones seem partially to mostly open - i have short pipe extensions to fix this - also the vac ports for syncing the carbs are not capped off, so i'm sure that is messing with something.
2 - my main jet is 138, i think (might be 136, small print) - have some smaller ones on the way 128-135 5x sizes 2 of each.
3 - ill have to modify my battery tray in order to fab up a rear master cylinder mount for the rear disc setup - has anyone done this swap and have any advice?
4 - my bike's original cluster is long gone, and some wires have been just capped. I would like to install n indicator light pod. i have a few, but i might have to dig into the wiring loom, any way to re-cover this other than just taping it?
5 - if i decide to get different carbs, what is the preferred setup? i have a set of GS1100 carbs somewhere, i did read they were a good swap at one point, is this a difficult setup, since i have to remove 2 of them to make it work?
6 - i will have to perform one of the fixes on the oil drain plug, it is not snugging up and it is leaking slowly :(
7 - how important is it to balance tires? i have new Shinko 705's with new michelin tubes i need to mount. should i mount them and ignore this, or get them mounted and balanced right?
8 - pilot jet is 28. i did have the air/fuel screws out more than 2 turns, so i put them in and went 2 turns out. when the main jets show up, i'll put in like 130, and see how it runs from there.
 
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" also the vac ports for syncing the carbs are not capped off, so i'm sure that is messing with something."

Definitely. Cap them off asap. That's a serious air leak and if you leave it long enough will cause damage.
 
Grimly said:
" also the vac ports for syncing the carbs are not capped off, so i'm sure that is messing with something."

Definitely. Cap them off asap. That's a serious air leak and if you leave it long enough will cause damage.
Click to expand...

yeah. gunna happen when i reinstall the carbs prob this weekend. - not like the bike has been ridden - or even revved a lot. but bad idea to leave like that i am sure.
 
updated info for some of those points:

1 - i think my carb inlet at the top is blocked, side ones seem partially to mostly open - i have installed short pipe extensions to fix this
2 - my main jet is 138, i think (might be 136, small print) - installed 130 main jets

5 - if i decide to get different carbs, what is the preferred setup? i have a set of GS1100 carbs somewhere, - i did find my GS1100 carbs, if this is a significantly better route to go, then i need to figure out how to reconfigure them as there are 4, and the spacing is not right (air cooled are further apart vs water cooled) if there is a write-up somewhere on putting these on a GS500, i would be interested. if they would be "more-better" for the GS1000 - then i would rather save them for that project.

i capped off the sync ports on the carbs, i swapped to a 130 main jet, and i no longer get the black puffs when i rev the engine. I think the pilot is LEAN though. mixture is 2 turns out

these are the 450 carbs, on 500 cams/cyl/pistons - the carbs are different on the 450 (BS34SS) - and early 500 (BST33SS), but the tuning on the 500 shows a 40 pilot (on the 2 jet first version GS500 carb) - i do not know how closely these should translate, or if at all. I was gunna buy a few pilot jets to try. should i go that big or should i get like 30/32/34/36 or something else? any guess as to the jet range i should try to obtain is appreciated.
 
Why not just run GS500 carbs? All the jetting info for them is out on the internet.

Did you get the rear brake sorted out? I may have missed it......

And just an FYI: with the GS850G triple tree on the GS450 frame, you can run stock GS500 forks. The 500 forks have the same diameter as 850 forks, and the fork spacing is the same as well...... so you could use the GS500 forks, fender, wheel, caliper, etc.
 
GRich - i have not finished the rear wheel swap. I have been out of town a bit, and weather has not been very optimal for about a month. i have a plan, but have not started on it.

as for the carbs, i got 2 sets of earlier GS500 carbs and niether are actually usable, was hoping to get 1 set out of the 2, but either way, GS500 carbs are expensive for what they are. this was supposed to be a budget build, lol. i dont want to know what i have in it at this point, but $300+ for a "good" set of carbs, and more lkike $450 for a rebuilt/tested set is a lot of added expense right now. i kinda want to get the bike rideable, and prob swap carbs later on.

will keep the GS500 fork info in mind, but i swapped for the 850 stuff for added strength and length of fork, while being able to keep the factory style wheels (although running a GN400 18" front)
 
GRich said:
Why not just run GS500 carbs? All the jetting info for them is out on the internet.
Click to expand...

so i took your advice, and i ordered a used, from a running bike, but not gone trough set of 2006 GS500 carbs. i'm hoping a good clean, and they will just work. i can worry about tuning once i cross other hurdles. hope to find out in the next couple weekends.
 
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