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Help. 1979 GS 400?

  • Thread starter Thread starter excesses
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excesses

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I have what I think is a 1979 GS 400, at least that's what the registration papers say. Frame vin is 39155 and engine ser# is 39215. I am presuming that the engine is a replaced one...

When I look on E-Bay for parts like fork seals, I see seals advertised to fit 1977 and 1978 models - nothing about the 79.... Is it so different from the 77/78 model years?

I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who can confirm the model year from the numbers provided above if at all possible.... I'd like to restore this old beauty for the wife. The carbs may need some work and I'd like to find some good parts sources as well...

Many thanks in advance

DJ

I just follwed a few other threads here and they both confused me, then solved my problem. While some of the VIN info is shown with year codes etc, the info on the steering head of my bike is without. But - AHA it does say up in the right hand corner (Manufactured) MFD 11/77. So it is a 1977. Another clue was the blue colour.

Now, to try to explain to the Motor Vehicle branch why it is a 77 and not a 79. Or maybe I should let sleeping dogs lie..

DJ
 
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If it was manufactured 11/77, it would likely be for the '78 model year. In the lower right hand corner of that same sticker on the steering stem, it should have the model, and it should look like "GS400 __ " then have a letter embossed. What is the letter? If it is a B, it's a '77. If it is a C, it's a '78. If it is an N, it's a '79. Why the confusion thinking it might be a '79? It's possible that it might have sat on the dealer's floor or in a warehouse and was first sold in 1979.

Don't assume the enginen has been replaced because it does not have the same serial number as the frame. I think the only time they match is during the pre-production, prototype phase, when they both wear #1.

As far as fork seals, all GS400 seals should be the same.

Carb parts...chances are, most of the parts in the carbs are good, they just need a good cleaning and proper adjustment. Looking in the garage section on the home page of this site, you will find a good carb cleaning tutorial. Be careful when removing the float bowls and you can probably re-use the gaskets. If you do damage them, they are probably still available from Suzuki, and don't really cost that much. You don't want to get a "carb rebuild kit" from eBay just for the gasket, but you might find a gasket kit there.

One other thing the carbs will need is a complete set of o-rings inside. Robert Barr has o-ring kits available through his website at www.cycleorings.com. On his site is another link to the carb-cleaning information.

Good luck with the rehab, and don't forget that we like pictures...of the bike. 8-[


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Steve said:
If it was manufactured 11/77, it would likely be for the '78 model year. In the lower right hand corner of that same sticker on the steering stem, it should have the model, and it should look like "GS400 __ " then have a letter embossed. What is the letter? If it is a B, it's a '77. If it is a C, it's a '78. If it is an N, it's a '79. Why the confusion thinking it might be a '79? It's possible that it might have sat on the dealer's floor or in a warehouse and was first sold in 1979.

Don't assume the enginen has been replaced because it does not have the same serial number as the frame. I think the only time they match is during the pre-production, prototype phase, when they both wear #1.

As far as fork seals, all GS400 seals should be the same.

Carb parts...chances are, most of the parts in the carbs are good, they just need a good cleaning and proper adjustment. Looking in the garage section on the home page of this site, you will find a good carb cleaning tutorial. Be careful when removing the float bowls and you can probably re-use the gaskets. If you do damage them, they are probably still available from Suzuki, and don't really cost that much. You don't want to get a "carb rebuild kit" from eBay just for the gasket, but you might find a gasket kit there.

One other thing the carbs will need is a complete set of o-rings inside. Robert Barr has o-ring kits available through his website at www.cycleorings.com. On his site is another link to the carb-cleaning information.

Good luck with the rehab, and don't forget that we like pictures...of the bike. 8-[


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Click to expand...

Actually, if it's a B...at least with the 750, there will be no letter designation. I dunno if they did that also with the GS400, but my 77 750B just says GS750 or GS75X i cant remember which. But i do know there was no B designation.
 
As Steve said, 11/77 mfg date is a 1978 model year.

The forks should be the same as the other early years. There are several good on-line parts ordering sources here in the states, not sure "aboot" up north though. Try Bike Bandit and compare the fork seal part numbers for various years to confirm if they are the same or not.

Regarding the carbs, as Steve said, do your work up front and replace the o-rings (on the intake pipes as well as the carbs). These old GS bikes almost always have intake leaks if the seals are origionals. Replace them now and your tuning process will go much smoother.

Good luck.
 
Steve said:
Carb parts...chances are, most of the parts in the carbs are good, they just need a good cleaning and proper adjustment. Looking in the garage section on the home page of this site, you will find a good carb cleaning tutorial. Be careful when removing the float bowls and you can probably re-use the gaskets. If you do damage them, they are probably still available from Suzuki, and don't really cost that much. You don't want to get a "carb rebuild kit" from eBay just for the gasket, but you might find a gasket kit there.
Click to expand...

Lots of good advice. One note - although most pre-1980 GSs use the VM style slide carbs, the '77 and '78 GS400 uses the CV carbs like the later GSs. This carb cleaning article more closely matches the carbs on the '77 and '78 GS400 - http://www.thegsresources.com/gs_carbrebuild.htm
 
Thanks for the education, ptm. I know my '76 KZ400 had CV carbs, but my '77 KZ650 did not.
I was not aware that something similar was happening with the GS line. 8-[


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