• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

Tuning my 81 gs550l

  • Thread starter Thread starter kingpin1958
  • Start date Start date
K

kingpin1958

Guest
Ok after reading till my head is spinning all the great information on this great site. I have purchased new plugs,plug caps,real gasket valve over gasket,shim tool,carb adapters to sync carbs. I have already cleaned and replaced intake and all carb oring thanks to Mr Barrs oring services also used the ss bolts on the intake flanges. I have no clearence on any exhaust valves and .003 on #1 intake .002 on #3 intake and again none on #2,4 intake. My question is should I just go 1 size under for all of them or what? Any advise is welcomed. I'm hoping my shim tool and the other parts arrive tomorrow(Monday) form z1 and real gaskets.
 
Since you're using two zeros, as in .002 and .003, we are to assume you're measuring in inches, then? The two that measure there are OK, and I would not drop them. If the buckets can turn pretty well in checking position on the rest, it's pretty safe to assume you can drop by one size and be in spec.

Check all the sizes you have and see what you can swap around. It helps to have a metric micrometer or digital calipers around as invariably a couple of shims will have had their sizes worn off. You can e-mail Steve and ask him for his spreadsheet to help you keep track of what you need.

Hmmm. A real gasket on a 550? Watch your tach to make sure the driven gear meshes OK.
 
Thanks Mike and yes i'm using the inch feelers. I never though about the valve cover gasket has that been a problem for others? I'm also replacing the plugs and plug caps. What can you tell me about replacing the plug wires? I will be bench syncing the carbs and vacuum syncing them as soon as I have it running. My floats are set about 19mm so I have to change them also to 22.4mm? Please feel free to correct me if you see anything wrong.

Thanks again
Greg
 
The factory wires are copper-core, so the conductors themselves are usually trouble-free. The main issue would be the insulation cracking and arcing going on. When you replace the caps (just un-screw them from the wires), cut about 1/4" of wire off to expose fresh copper and you should be good. If you want to replace the stock wires, they're epoxied in to the coils and will take some careful work to remove. A forum search should find examples and maybe helpful pics from folks who have done it: but they weren't made to be replaced.

I've never tried real gaskets myself, but my understanding is that they're a bit thicker than OEM gaskets. If your tach cable enters the head, as on an 850, this is not a problem. If your tach cable enters the head cover, as on the 550, then the thicker gasket changes the clearance between the tach driven gear and the camshaft. That extra clearance has been reported to cause premature wear of the tach driven gear. YMMV. I've seen a few people say they've used RGs on 550s without issue.
 
Thank you Mike for the information. I got all my parts in so I have checked all tappets now and need to get 1 2.60 and 1 2.70 and that should fix the clearance issues. Next I will be installing the valve cover gasket(real Gasket) I will let you know how it works out. After that I have to reset the floats they are only 19mm then on to the plug caps by the way my coils seem fine as do the wires so I'm leaving them alone. I guess I will have to purchase a vacuum gauge to sync the carbs.
 
The Morgan Carbtune is highly recommended for vacuum sync:

www.carbtune.com

Presently running about $105 after exchange, with shipping and pouch. Though, I'm not crazy about the nylon adapters included: the brass ones from Z1 or also available on eBay are much nicer to work with IMHO.

There are only about a zillion GSR members in Indiana - seems like it shouldn't take too much to find someone with the tool who would be willing to help you out. But a sync should at least be an annual affair.
 
Update on the progress

Update on the progress

Thanks again Mike I found koolaid kid in Indy has one and yes he would help sync them when I'm ready. I waiting on two shims form Ray (thank you Ray)and I have to get the valve cover cleaned up and new gasket installed. I got the new plug caps and the perm. sync tubes Installed also
 
Tuning my 81 gs550l

I did the plug caps tonight removed 1/4 or so and installed new caps not hard at all.
 
tuning my gs550l

tuning my gs550l

I also installed the perm sync tubes in the intake manifolds and have 4 new b8es plugs ready to go.
 
Kingpin, keep an eye on those covers as a few members have said they've lost theirs very easily. If that happens, I believe you'll start seeing hanging idle symptoms if I've read correctly.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top