Looking for Piston Rings - 1982 GS 400 E

[Rob]

Good Morning,

Found out that my sons 1983 GS400E needs new rings. Struggling to find a supplier. Any suggestions?

Thanks
1982 GS 400 E

 

[chuck hahn]

#13 here. ...28 bucks a jug doesnt seem unreasonable.

http://www.partsoutlaw.com/oemparts/a/suz/50d3f17bf8700230d8b4bc15/cam-shaft-valve

 

[Rob]

Thanks for the help, however it is a GS 400 E, not a 450.

I can find 450 parts everywhere, but not the 400.

Thanks Again

1982 GS 400 E

 

[JTGS850GL]

Looking for piston rings in a carb forum may not yield the best results. Might want to consider posting in the parts needed section. Just a thought.

 

[chuck hahn]

I picked the 450 as there isnt any 400CC bike listed in the fiches..sure that its 400???? What does the flat area right below jug 1 say????? At the seam where the upper and lower case halves seam together.

 

[chuck hahn]

ROB...backed it up and found a 1978 GS 400....but your saying its an 83 but for 83 its not listed. Anyway.....


http://www.bikebandit.com/oem-parts/1978-suzuki-gs400/o/m147990#sch267259

http://www.cmsnl.com/suzuki-gs400-1978-c_model13420/partslist/

 

[tkent02]

Just curious, what makes you think it needs rings? Most 400s don't go the 200,000 or so miles it takes to wear out the rings.

 

[gearhead13]

If you are in Canada then it would be a 4 valve 400, not available on any online sites that I know of, most or all online parts sites are US based and they didnt have that bike.

 

[Guest]

Have you tried Modern Motorcycling in Vancouver? Despite the name, they have a vast inventory of old NOS Suzuki parts.

As a warning, some find the service a bit grouchy, but that can depend upon who you get at the counter. Have ALL the particulars at the ready such as VIN and engine numbers and such. For example, your post has it as an '82 and an '83??? The bore should be stock, but unless you know the history it may be oversize so measure it. Stock is 67mm.

You'll probably need gaskets as well and only GSX 400 twin gaskets will fit.

Modern Motorcycle, 2816 Commercial Drive, Vancouver B.C. V5M 4C6
604 876 8131 modernmotorcycling.com

Don't buy all of them; I may need a set this winter...

 

[Guest]

Just curious, what makes you think it needs rings? Most 400s don't go the 200,000 or so miles it takes to wear out the rings.

I did in the rings on a GS400 in about 35,000 miles but that was sustained high speeds and bad [Mexican] gasoline and oil. I know what I did and no guilt or regrets; it was very enjoyable. My current bike - same as OP - shows zero signs of ring wear at 40,000.

I suspect that the shop may have done a compression test and decided the compression being low was worn rings. It is more probably either valves out of adjustment - too tight - or stuck rings from sitting or corrosion. That said, if you're planning to tear it down, finding a source of parts before you start is a good idea.

I had a friend with the same motor and his rings were really pooched at about 40,000 miles, but the cams and followers were ugly as well. Just run cheap car oil, never change it and flog the daylights out of it and you can make short work of one of these motors.

Once the rings start to leak, the blowby gasses heat the heck out of the cylinder walls and things go exponential, far more than on a water cooled motor. I've seen more cam and follower problems than rings on this particular motor. Buckets and shims are inherently longer lasting, which is probably why they kept them on the 450 and 500 motors but went four valve/rockers on engines going to 400cc restricted countries.

 

[tkent02]

I suspect that the shop may have done a compression test and decided the compression being low was worn rings.

Of course they say that, they make more money replacing rings than they do adjusting valves.
I'm still wondering what the OP sees that makes him think it needs rings.

 

[Rob]

Ok, so...

Took it into the bike shop, as it was not running well as soon as it got warmed up.

Bike shop said that it needed a carb rebuild, so he tore them down and replaced all of the jets.

Definitely ran better cold, but, again, as soon as it warmed up it would stall when throttle down.

Driving it home from the bike shop, the air box filled with oil, and of course the engine stalled and would not restart.

The bike shop OUTSPOKEN in Uxbridge Ontario has been really fantastic, with my son, and not charged him anything for the carb rebuild yet, and has offered the use of any tools etc for whatever work needs to be done.

The bike has +/- 35,000 kms, and we have just bought it used, so do not really know the history.

Originally our bike shop said it was the valves, and that is why we thought we could get it the couple of blocks home.

Any other suggestions would be really fantastic.

Just a thought if it makes a difference, when I look on line at PIC's of other bikes, it seems to be what was a GSX 400 in the USA?



Thanks so much

1982 GS 400 E.

 

[Rob]

Sorry about the year mix up, and the typo.

It is definitely a 1982.

Thanks

Rob
1982 GS 400 E

 

[hannibal]

I believe X in GSX refers to the 4 valve motor. So that should correctly refer to your bike. I don't believe the US models ever got the GSX designation even when the US bikes got the 4 valve motors.

 

[Guest]

If the air box fills with oil, the only reason I can think of would be a lot of blowby; the oil in the valve cover area gets blown out through the breather from crankcase pressurization from exhaust passing by the rings. This almost sounds like broken rings, which can happen if the rings rust to the cylinder wall and then somebody 'frees it up' by, uh, violent methods.

First thing I'd do is pull the valve cover and see how the cams look. If all seems well, then take the head off and look at the cylinders. If you do go further, place a rag barrier under the cylinders before you pull them all the way off so any broken bits won't fall into the block. Also mind the exhaust flange bolts which have a habit of welding themselves into the head and breaking off when you remove them.

If the cams are ugly you might just look for a motor to swap, and keep the original as a parts donor.

 

[Rob]

Thanks for the assistance,

My bike mechanic actually came to our house and looked at the cams. He believes that the cams look good, at least for 35k.

This is only an issue when things get hot.

When it is cold, it starts first crank, no choke, and idles very well for several minutes.

It is only when it has driven a KM or two.

Thanks again

Rob
1982 GS 400 E

 

[tkent02]

Before you take everything apart, have the valve clearances been set correctly? Running well cold and not well hot doesn't sound like a valve issue, but it's worth a try. I have fixed a LOT of "dead" GS engines by adjusting the valves.

Not sure about your oil in the air box issue either, how much oil is in the engine? There shouldn't be enough oil in the top of the head to fill an airbox. Something is wrong here. Could be a gallon or two of fuel got into the oil and the engine is seriously overfilled? This is common with a failed petcock.

Before you tear it apart at least do a leak down test.

It could well be broken rings, but I would make sure first.

 

[Rob]

Dear All,

Thanks for the awesome assistance.

Anyone can tell me the proper valve clearance for the intake and exhaust?

I just did some checking on the bike, and some of the tappets have NO clearance at all even stone cold.

Any thoughts or info would be great!

Rob
Suzuki GS 400 E

 

[tkent02]

I don't know the spec on your engine, but no clearance will burn valves.

Someone here will have it, have you looked for a Suzuki service manual on Cliff's site? If not there you can get one on Ebay or Amazon. Don't use Clymer's, they are wrong on the valve procedure on other GSes.