The Chronicles of Suzy- 82 GS850GL

[ratdude]

The test ride , and more carnage

The test ride , and more carnage

Well as I stated in my last post , Suzy started , ran and idled but had yet to be ridden ( by me ) . I changed the oil , the old stuff smelled of varnished gas , not a good sign . Put on my lovely airbox . Aired up the tires and front forks ( yup we will be needing fork seals before this is through ) and off we go ...

30 miles later I got enough info to figure out whats next .

All in all engine was pretty good ran real well , carb work payed off big time , especially since I have yet to hook up the gauges and actually tune the darn things .

Clutch engages and dis-engages , smooth is NOT in its vocabulary however

Electrically got more work to do , charging system is functional
Amazingly the suzuki self cancelling turn signals are still working
Neutral light MIA
Low beam lighting MIA
Instrument lighting on tach only
Fuel gauge works !
Front brake light switch dead
that idiotic gear indicator still works ( do they ever die ? )

The exaust has seen better days , the crossover pipe is shot , and while it sounds really cool at low speeds , it sounds like crap at speed .

more work to do , no pics for this one

Rat

 

[Guest]

Looks like you have a good plan of action. One step at a time. When get your bike squared away you will have something to be proud of. There is nothing like the feeling you get when you have done the work yourself.

 

[ratdude]

Exhaust , how I hate ye

Exhaust , how I hate ye

As I mentioned before the exhaust crossover on suzy was shot , I decided to do the bypass thing for it . No problem I thought, all I got to do is get those two center exhaust headers off ............

~~RIGHT~~

like I had a chance in hell of if being that simple .....

I soaked the bolts in PB blaster , I did a couple with the acetone ATF blend , I have torches and I know how to use em' .

The result , 4 of the 8 bolts snapped like twigs .

Oh the clever adjectives I learned to express my Joy !

I really considered parting suzy out , I really wasn't to happy at this point

But I am stubborn I guess so I started the wonderful process of pulling the motor just to try and drill these puppies out

I HAVE been here before , I owned Honda's and VW's.

Pics are sketchy , I was really up in the air at this point.

Motor out ( dang that went fast ! )

28 years of grungy

Outside , waiting for a bath

Drilled , tapped , and waiting on a long bath in gunk

Waiting to go back home ( NOW is the perfect time to check the valves )

Later
Rat

 

[ratdude]

Exhaust , how I hate ye Part 2

Exhaust , how I hate ye Part 2

Just some pics of putting the engine back into the frame

Rat

Engine back into the frame

If can only remember how these wires went ?

Obligatory burnt stator connector shot ( did EVERY single GS850 do this ? )

thats better

 

[ratdude]

Yup , I was warned

Yup , I was warned

Well I wasted 20 bucks on this thing .

My petcock had a leaky diaphragm in it ( which explained how that #2 cylinder idled when the carb had a clogged idle circut initially )

Yes I got me a rebuild kit , NOPE it didnt work ( in fact the petcock just stayed on from that point )

Now I think I only read in these forums about a hundred times to replace , not rebuild the petcock .

~~YOU GUYS TOLD ME SO~~

lol

And at about one in the morning , when you are going to install your spiffy NEW petcock AND you realize it doesn't come with the sealing washers for the bolts AND you didn't think to order any .

You can make a leak free subsitute by fabbing new washers from the side of a plastic oil container , just punch the center hole , cut the outside with a pair of scissors . wala , new washers

Ask me how I know .....

Rat

 

[Dogma]

Haha that ought to do it for now. I used a chunk out of the airbox boots I had just replaced. It was just hard enough and just soft enough to get the job done. I have a pack of the washers now (they seem to come in a bag of ten or so), so I can replace the washers on the float bowl drain screws, the secondary drive oil level check screw, etc.

 

[ratdude]

Fun with the wire wheel

Fun with the wire wheel

OK I am alright with patina ( I am called rat after all ) , I know people pay big bucks for it , but Suzy is a bit excessive in this department .

You too can remove excess patina on bolts and such with a wire wheel just keep a light touch so as not to destroy the chrome entirely .

Obviously I would avoid this on anything you would really want to be shiny as the wheel will scratch the hell out of fenders and such .

Very poor shot of the footpeg bracket with the WAY expensive Scratchmaster 1000 in the background .

Yes I cleaned the oxidation off , NO you dont get to see , I forgot to take pics . ( the cast part not the shiny part , that was done with the Buffmaster 1000 ( Noooo you cant afford it ))

See ? excess " patina " ( backside of shifter )

much better

trust me the bolt on the right was just as crappy when I started

Later
Rat

 

[ratdude]

The airbox part 2

The airbox part 2

OK after much research , I have decided that the L model airbox was built by elves in the magic forest . Therefore not only are the pieces damn expensive they are kind of scarce . ( I have been missing the endcovers and seals from the start )

But through the miracle of Ebay I was able to score a standard airbox, semi-complete for a standard model from Canada

I don't know if this has ever come up so I will interject my own comments

YES
You CAN put a standard G model airbox on a L model Frame
You CAN use the airbox boots from the L airbox on the G airbox

NO
You CANNOT use the air filter frame from the L airbox in your G airbox
You will forever be cursed with a mis-match from the curve of the G airbox covers and your L model side covers

But it Will work

As an interesting side note the allen screws for the vacuum ports on a trashed set of engine intake boots make a nice upgrade for the airbox cover retention screws ( if I only had some of those .. )

Comparison shot , L model left , G model right
and yes the duct tape is MINE ( DOH )

See ? it fits !

Almost spiffy

The cursed mis-match (but WAYYY better than duct tape)
PS there's that darn footrest bracket I never took a pic of

Later
Rat

 

[Dogma]

The airbox you have installed is from an 80-81, maybe 79 too. It's not a G vs L thing.

 

[duper850]

Now this is a thread!!

 

[ratdude]

The airbox you have installed is from an 80-81, maybe 79 too. It's not a G vs L thing.

Ok, I'll buy that , the Ebay listing had it as a 82 GS850G airbox which is how I came to my assumption . I do know a lot of these bikes were titled as newer years than when they were built so that would explain it .

Thanks for the clarification !

Rat

 

[ratdude]

Now this is a thread!!

Thanks !

I try to keep it real , cheap , and have fun with it .

Rat

 

[ratdude]

Stupid lil project #1

Stupid lil project #1

OK my gas cap bugs me , I am gonna be looking at it quite a bit ( hopefully )

I think a trip to the buffmaster is in order

Short and sweet

Before ( dingy )

After , I can live with that
( tripoli compound followed up with Nev R Dull )

Later

Rat

 

[ratdude]

Exhaust , how I hate ye Part 3

Exhaust , how I hate ye Part 3

What you didn't get to see . ( no pics )

I went ahead and had two pipes made to replace that stamped steel crossover that I am sure you have already seen a hundred pictures of all rusted out .

My version uses heavy gauge 1.5 inch ID exhaust tubing . the parts store expanded the pipes to slip over the headers . I used automotive muffler clamps on the engine side ( upside down so as to max ground clearance ) .
stock band clamps to the muffler connections .

I fired it up and it was almost quiet ( Yay ! ), except for SOMEBODY forgot to order exhaust gaskets ( boo ! ) .

What you do get to see
Tearing the exhaust off , yet again , to install the little wonders .

SIGH

Probably the best shot of the bypass pipe I have
( prior to "cleaning" up the pipe )

A "cleaned" up shot ( sometime patina wins )

four little wonders with the one old one that came out intact

Why you NEED to order these things ( old one is on the left )

Later
Rat

 

[ratdude]

Stupid lil project #2

Stupid lil project #2

OK my gauges bug me now

Did you know , you can polish plastic lenses with a rag , a Q tip , and toothpaste ?

Now you do

The obligatory before pic

After ( and minty fresh ! )

Wasn't that exciting !

Rat

 

[oldgsfan]

Wow, you have been doing a great job on this bike. I loved the photos of the carb job but the air filter is hilarious!

 

[ratdude]

Wow, you have been doing a great job on this bike. I loved the photos of the carb job but the air filter is hilarious!

Thanks . Just happy a few people get a kick out of the thread .
And yes, I was in disbelief, when I pulled out the air filter.

Rat

 

[ratdude]

Stupid lil project #3

Stupid lil project #3

Ok the rusty crappy brake bleeders have to go.

I am gonna hide em of course , not like I am actually gonna do work on this yet . lol

Now ya see em'

Now ya don't.

Rat

 

[ratdude]

Mysteries of the crappy clutch revealed

Mysteries of the crappy clutch revealed

At last , a relatively straight forward repair.

I went in search of what was making the clutch action pretty lousy .

it was easy to find , a DRY clutch cable , and corrosion at the lever pivots , easy fix, oil the cable and clean and grease the lever pivots .

DRY pivot , don't think this thing has seen lube for a while

Ok this is a brake lever , but you get the idea

the Super Duper Cable Luber ! ( Yep its a chunk of 1/4 inch ID surgical tubing , Gravity is our friend ! )

Maybe not the most clear shot , but trust me , its oily !

Rat

 

[Tim Tom]

I love what your doing with this bike. Its all the details that really make a bike look extra nice. You should re-name the thread the power of elbow grease...