gs450 project from Aus

[Big R]

Alpha, head over to the GSTwins site and search for "stator failure". You'll find that most failures are either caused by low oil cooking (owner error), or aren't really failures at all. While it may be the same stator from 1980.....it has been improved throughout the years. And I bought my stator and R/R for less than $50 shipped. How much is the Electrosport combo?

 

[AlphaDogChoppers]

There may have been minor incremental improvements in the stator, but the Electrosport stator is a significant upgrade.

http://www.electrosport.com/street-bikes/suzuki/gs450-80-82.html?pt=stators

I don't buy the bit about stator failure being caused by low oil. The stator is in a case where there is oil, but it is not oil cooled. There is no oil in contact with the stator when the engine is running. The stock stator only produces 15A at 5,500 RPM. Very little power to spare for extra lighting or accessories. I upgraded my headlight from the 30/50W original to dual 55/65W H4 headlights. The extra load cooked my stator.

Something I learned from the Electrosport Web site was that the original stator/regulator setup on my GS did not regulate all three legs of the stator output. Some of the stator output went to the headlight without regulation. When I rewired with relays to route power to the headlights, it meant that the leg of the stator that used to power the headlight was now only powering the relay coil, so the rest of the stator had to pick up the slack, and it was too much. Installing the Electrosport regulator corrected that system flaw. The new regulator was nearly three times the size of the original.

Anyone who is really interested in upgrading their charging system should really go with aftermarket. The 500 stator is a very minor improvement.

 

[Collo]

Plenty of info there thanks guys.

So far the stator and R/R are okay so I'll go along with that for now. Prob just the carbs soon. I know I'm asking a lot of questions but, speaking of interchangeability, does the GS500 front brake calliper and rotor fit on the 450 forks?

Thanks fellas it's been a big help organising my ebay time. Albeit expensive.

Edit: Maybe I should just buy a 500!

 

[Big R]

That's fine Alpha, I can tell you won't believe me. So I'll let it go.

Collo, the 500 brakes do not interchange at all. You can use the master cylinder and lever, but that's it.

 

[jermgs450]

Collo, Do you have 19's in front and 18's on back? Can you plz tell me the tire sizes you got?

 

[Collo]

Hi mate,

I have 100/90-18 on front and 110/90-18 on back. So 18's back and front. Wouldn't mind a larger rear tyre but it still has plenty of tread left.

Rich, too bad about the brakes. I'll keep looking at options.

 

[peteGSX]

Collo, she's lookin' good!


For stator and R/R, I went with an Electrex World one from a mob up here out at Boonah. www.motorcycle-parts.com.au


I got a used Shindengen R/R from a Kwaka locally for about $60 posted. All up about $180 and my charging system is better than it ever was.


For your rear tyre, I have heard that a 120/90-18 will fit, but gets close to the limit of clearance.


When my dual sports are done (very soon now) I'm going to pure road tyres... undecided which ones to run yet but will be going 100/90-18 and 110/90-18 like you have at the moment. My current dual sports are 100/90-18 and 4.10-18.

 

[jermgs450]

thanks! Looking forward to your finished product!!

 

[Collo]

I now have brakes. Turned out to be the MC which strangely wasn't that old. Anyway the new one is in, although being a small bore size it's not that powerful, but hopefully good enough.

Have this weird prob with the left cylinder. Have cleaned carbs twice now and bike sounds good. Small issue is that the left cylinder wont get hot. Took out the plug and it's wet as though it's getting fuel. Then put it against block to watch it fire and that's when the strange light show occurs.

The spark plug fires in time with a faint spark which goes from the tip of the plug to the side (not the right spot) and then occasionally, every few cycles, it has a decent spark where it should (tip to tip). Does this sound like a ignitor issue to anyone?

Plenty of punch out the right exhaust and left one feels like a steady breeze. Any help much appreciated.

 

[Big R]

Faulty spark plug?

 

[Collo]

hi Rich, just tried two new plugs and same prob. Starts up so quick now and idles really well but there is just no kick in the left side muffler or any heat. I pulled off the vacuum line and that makes it idle higher and there's an even amount of fuel in both bowls.

It could be there's an air leak but it all appears air tight.

 

[peteGSX]

Hmmmm that does sound ignitor-ish to me Collo...


Three symptoms I've seen when these particular ignitors fail:


1. No spark.
2. No spark on one side.
3. Erratic sparking.


Mind you, how are your coils, plug leads, and plug caps? What's the voltage going to the coils like?

 

[Collo]

Hi Pete,

Yeh I figured it might be the ignitor, however I took it for a run today now that I have brakes and it ran well. Idles way too high even with idle screw on minimum. Left pipe still not getting as hot as the right but it is kicking better every cycle with equal force as the other. Blows no smoke as far as I can see. Maybe its running lean?

OKO 34mm flat sides are cheap on ebay but hooking dual setup my be a prob

 

[peteGSX]

If it's lean it will typically run hot... I'm guessing you haven't balanced your carbs though? That will potentially put it quite out of whack from one side to the other... could also be that it just hasn't run for a while and you need to get the rings bedded in/freed up etc. too.

 

[Zerokewl]

I had the exact same issue. I had no power for the longest time and kept rebuilding the carbs. Then one day I accidentally brushed the exhaust after running it and found it was cool enough to touch. I figured that it wasn't sparking on that cylinder. I took the plug out and turned it over a couple of times--saw spark and put it back in. I still couldn't get that cylinder to fire. I thought it might be compression. Ran a compression test and leak down test--everything was within spec.

Finally I bought a Dynatek all-in-one Signal Generator/Ignitor combo. I installed it on my 1980 GS450 using the stock mechanical advance, but replacing the stock magnetic rotor with theirs. I also had to machine a washer to use as a spacer over the end of the rotor. The new rotor was a bit shorter than the stock. You have to use non-magnetic material for the spacer. The kit came with new coils, but not the spark plug wires. The stock coils have the wires integrated into them and you can replace the boots. I had to pick up some wires and cut them down to fit. You need 8mm wires.

...Long story short. My GS450 Runs like a Beast!!!

I have also since rebuilt the carbs. I have a great source for a carb kit(s) (all new orings/needle and seat/K&N Pods/Main Jet/Pilot Jet/Air Jet/Dust Caps/intake boots/gaskets/hex bolt kit). Includes everything but the diaphrams, which I can get but those are pretty pricey. As you know they don't build kits for those Mikuni BSS34 CV carbs because of the EPA regulations. I pretty much assembled this kit through various sources. I will also rebuild carbs.

I also recently rebuilt the brake caliper, replaced and repacked all the bearings, built a fiberglass seat cowl, replaced the tires, and removed the old handlebars for clip-ons.

Lastly, I will say that I too changed out for the ElectroSport Stator and Regulator/Rectifier. The charging system runs like a champ. i have noticed all the difference from the terribly wimpy OEM system. I am switching up this weekend to a Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery. I moved all my electronics under the seat except the battery so far. I plan to put that new/smaller/lighter battery under the seat as well. A cafe Racer just doesn't look right unless it is clean.

I think I am getting to where I want to be with this project. I plan to do that battery this week and finish that bothersome seat pad. The thing is like riding a park bench. lol

 

[Zerokewl]

Here is a couple more shots of the project.

 

[Collo]

Thanks for your comments and photos. Interesting to know that the Dynatek fixed the problems. It all makes sense as I have spark but it's just so weak. It also looks the part too.

I'm in two minds as to whether I will keep this old beast now that its running again and back together. Have my heart set on getting an old 50's or 60's era Gilera, but not the most common thing here in Aus. If I end up keeping it I will definitely get the Dynatek and some upgraded electrical. Much appreciate your advice and think you probably hit the nail on the head with a solution.

BTW - your bike is looking great, and what are you going to do or rearsets?

 

[Zerokewl]

I totally hear you. I was about to give up on mine for the longest time. That hanging idle got me when I switched to the K&N pod filters. Everywhere you go people are like you need bigger pilots... bigger pilots.... bigger pilots. They don't mean anything without smaller air jets to offset the vacuum.

Thank you for the compliment. it is almost where I want it to be. I have the GS450E, so my rearsets are already a little farther back than other GS450 models. I am going to eventually go with these fully indexable rear-sets from Dime City Cycles:

http://www.dimecitycycles.com/vintage-cafe-racer-caferacer-custom-motorcycle-chassis-transmission-shifter-parts-dcc-originals-fully-indexable-aluminum-rearsets-rear-sets-dcc-rs10.html

I will probably weld a bracket off the backside of the frame though; so I can go a little farther back still. I know the 2005 GSXR rear sets are supposed to bolt right up. You still have to trim/add to the linkage, but I think these look better. That and being indexable--I can set them to my preference. =)

 

[Collo]

Yeh good idea for the rearsets I've been looking at the exact same ones for ages. My bike's had K&N since I got it and idled fine, now that I've cleaned them the bike wants to run quicker. There's even slack on the throttle so I can't set it to idle any lower on the cable or the idle screw.

I got no idea about carbs, I might just take them to a specialist to work out. There is a screw which I undone and put back in and might not be in the exact same place. No idea what it was but was brass and screws in the float bowl bottom cap thing.

As for my rearsets, a cheap universal one of ebay, I'm not too happy with where they sit and they feel a little thin and breakable. But the DCC ones will mean I need to make and weld another bracket and hopefully place them about 15cm rearward and maybe 10cm higher.



Photo is not the clearest sorry

 

[Zerokewl]

Just flipping through your photos--amazing job! I like your rearsets but I can see what you mean. I also like where you have your tank positioned. I built a bracket that offsets slightly, to raise mine up some. The stock tank position/angle looked off. I don't think I went high enough on mine though. Yours is positioned perfectly! Great job on the frame as well.

This next winter I will probably break it all back down go back over the frame (de-tab and throw in a closed loop). I also want to mill down my steering head. I also eventually want to lose those OEM Mikuni carbs and go with these:

http://www.motorcyclecarbs.com/CARBURETOR_KIT_SUZUKI_GS400-G_P9224C651.cfm

and lose the pods and go with velocity stacks. Those bad boys are a bit pricey, but really worth it after all the headaches I had getting the Mikuni carbs sorted right.