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How far down the rabbit hole will I go... `78 GS750

  • Thread starter Thread starter bottobot
  • Start date Start date
bottobot said:
Well she was fine with the first day of it but the second day was a bit much :lol:

I wish I'd known about that site first. I've already paid for the seals and guides. Something I still need to replace is a cup/washer that sits at the bottom of the valve spring. Any suggestions on where I would find one of those? It was missing from the exhaust side of cylinder one. I guess the PO at some point felt he could do without. No amount of shimming could offset that kind of problem.
Click to expand...
Can't imagine that is working out too well for the bike:

Boulevard Suzuki has them (valve spring seat and retainers) listed:

http://www.boulevardsuzuki.com/fiche_section_detail.asp
 
Well, you haven't hit the Tea Party yet, so you can't be too far down

That should be some set up you've got, once you get it up and running and take care of all that deferred maintenance

One thing I would recommend. I see you changed out the front brake fluid. On a bike this old and especially one that sat around like yours did, I would pop off all 3 calipers, pull the brake pads out, then the piston and see if there's anything inside of there that's going to cause you grief. Clean out the caliper and replace that O ring around the piston (provided the pistons aren't rusty).

Going fast is great, it's not being able to stop that causes problems
 
Big T said:
Well, you haven't hit the Tea Party yet, so you can't be too far down

That should be some set up you've got, once you get it up and running and take care of all that deferred maintenance

One thing I would recommend. I see you changed out the front brake fluid. On a bike this old and especially one that sat around like yours did, I would pop off all 3 calipers, pull the brake pads out, then the piston and see if there's anything inside of there that's going to cause you grief. Clean out the caliper and replace that O ring around the piston (provided the pistons aren't rusty).

Going fast is great, it's not being able to stop that causes problems
Click to expand...

Thats a great idea. I was even thinking of drilling the rotors as well. Is this the worst idea or is it relatively straightforward improvement?
 
Aftermarket for the pads,OEM for the rebuild kits for the calipers and master cylinder,IMO.Have you measured your rotors thickness?Also ,check out the Salty Monk brake upgrade.Keep up the fantastic work!
 
bottobot said:
Thats a great idea. I was even thinking of drilling the rotors as well. Is this the worst idea or is it relatively straightforward improvement?
Click to expand...

Not a bad idea, but it only improves wet braking

Drilling the stainless rotors is a long slow process

The Salty Monk twinpot upgrade is the way to gp
 
Big T said:
Not a bad idea, but it only improves wet braking

Drilling the stainless rotors is a long slow process

The Salty Monk twinpot upgrade is the way to gp
Click to expand...

Now that sounds interesting!

I'm just waiting on my valve guides to show up. Its taking awhile >:(
 
I just dropped off my 850 cylinder block, head and pistons with a 45 year expert machinist. He told me that the problem he see's most with the older bikes (especially Hondas) is not the ring wear but the oil bleed back holes in the oil control ring groove. They get clogged and unless you clean them ina bath solution they can remain plugged after a rebuild/re-ring and the bike still puffs smoke because the oil cant get back to the bottom end via the drain hole. I looked at my pistons and saw two very small holes on the inside of the piston under the oil ring. So I guess what I am saying is; cleaning the drain hole is very important and if you plan to run the old rings (which is ok btw) be sure to clean the drain holes.
 
rwcfrank said:
I just dropped off my 850 cylinder block, head and pistons with a 45 year expert machinist. He told me that the problem he see's most with the older bikes (especially Hondas) is not the ring wear but the oil bleed back holes in the oil control ring groove. They get clogged and unless you clean them ina bath solution they can remain plugged after a rebuild/re-ring and the bike still puffs smoke because the oil cant get back to the bottom end via the drain hole. I looked at my pistons and saw two very small holes on the inside of the piston under the oil ring. So I guess what I am saying is; cleaning the drain hole is very important and if you plan to run the old rings (which is ok btw) be sure to clean the drain holes.
Click to expand...

That's pretty interesting. I haven't heard of that yet I have however soda blasted the engine as thoroughly as possible. I went through every little tiny hole and soda blasted them all just to be sure I was getting everything but now that you mention this particular issue I'm going to have another look at it and just triple quadruple check that I have it done correctly. Thanks for the tip!
 
An update here, I called the machinist today and found out that the head is almost ready. The bad news is that Modern Motorcycle where I got the guides from, got the wrong size! These ones are oversized. I hate dealing with Modern Motorcycle, everytime I do its a giant headache! Took them forever to get the parts in and when they did they were the wrong ones.

So now I have to go get the guides from the machinist and get a refund from Modern which is going to be a mega pain in the rear.

Never again am I going to order stuff through them. I have to go find my receipt for that stuff or they are going to try and stuff me, I just know it.
 
Are those stock guide replacements? I dont know about your model but for my 16 valve, they come from the factory oversized. You can buy aftermarket ones that are not oversized.:
http://gszone.biz/guides.html
The 1000 guides are probably the same as your 750 guides.
 
gearhead13 said:
Are those stock guide replacements? I dont know about your model but for my 16 valve, they come from the factory oversized. You can buy aftermarket ones that are not oversized.:
http://gszone.biz/guides.html
The 1000 guides are probably the same as your 750 guides.
Click to expand...

Hi gearhead, they are the stock guides. The part numbers match up with what I needed so I guess its not a mistake on the part of modern motorcycle. I just talked to the shop and he's going to confer with the tech and see if how much of a headache it will be to bore it out so they fit.
 
Well I have all my parts back together minus one valve and I am experiencing some serious motivation problems. I don't understand the reluctance to get this thing finished at all. Actually just writing this out is helping. Hopefully I can post a pic of the head going back on today!
 
Mekanix said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBoCaVlxhCI
Click to expand...

Now that is motivating :D

I'm hitting a wall with trying to install the cylinders over the piston rings. I've done it before with help from a friend where we basically each do a side in unison. But on my own without a proper ring compressor tool I'm finding it impossible. I've tried using large hose clamps to keep the rings compressed while having cylinders 2 and 3 at TDC. But when I set the cylinder down and it pushed the hose clamps down past the first ring the rings just pop out and don't go in the cylinder. I tried doing it by hand for awhile too, but no go there as well.

Going to regroup and start putting the valves together while I think about another solution. Any tips?
 
bottobot said:
Now that is motivating :D

I'm hitting a wall with trying to install the cylinders over the piston rings. I've done it before with help from a friend where we basically each do a side in unison. But on my own without a proper ring compressor tool I'm finding it impossible. I've tried using large hose clamps to keep the rings compressed while having cylinders 2 and 3 at TDC. But when I set the cylinder down and it pushed the hose clamps down past the first ring the rings just pop out and don't go in the cylinder. I tried doing it by hand for awhile too, but no go there as well.

Going to regroup and start putting the valves together while I think about another solution. Any tips?
Click to expand...

To use the hose clamps, they must be at the exact proper tension, which is where you can just move them by hand when they're over the rings. also,oil the rings and piston lightly

Otherwise, the weight of the cylinder block pushes one clamp down and you're cockeyed and have to start over

Another trick is to use some 2X lumber to prop up the cyllinder and raise the pistons into it and let the house clamps slide down
 
Big T said:
To use the hose clamps, they must be at the exact proper tension, which is where you can just move them by hand when they're over the rings. also,oil the rings and piston lightly

Otherwise, the weight of the cylinder block pushes one clamp down and you're cockeyed and have to start over

Another trick is to use some 2X lumber to prop up the cyllinder and raise the pistons into it and let the house clamps slide down
Click to expand...

I see what you mean, I spent about an hour messing around with different ways to do it and I just couldn't so I broke down and bought a proper ring compressor tool for motorcycles. Its sort of like a pair of pliers with a ring you can squeeze.

I tore the base gasket anyways so I'm gonna tackle that whole thing when I get the tool and the gasket in the mail.

In the meantime I put together my valves. Here is a pic with the first one having been put in.


 
Finally some more progress. Been waiting for various parts to come in. Like an exhaust valve from Eric. Thanks dude it worked out great! Also a base gasket since I tore my other one taking it out. Now I get to put the cylinders back on. Man is it tough to do on your own.

I've got it up to the point you see now. I can't get past the second piston ring on pistons 2 and 3. So I will wait for my special ring compressor tool to show up, or I can get a friend to spend some time helping me do this. Here is a pic of the progress. Oh and other good news is that my cylinder head is all back together valves in and ready to go.

 
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