75 gt550 , few good questions

[seanathin86]

About me, 28, Army and Iraq vet, factory worker. Have all sorts of toys, mostly 2 stroke. I know how to turn wrenches, went to school for automotive, not small engines.

I'll start from the beginning. I bought a gt550 on craigslist for $400. The guy had some dumb stuff done to it, couldn't even take a pic of it like that, it was fully dressed with a front windjammer from a Honda shadow with a mad kats air horn and compressor installed ( suzuki headlight glass removed since it didn't fit) a sissy seat, rear luggage rack with compartment, side plastic saddlebags and he even had a rear hitch and a roadrunner mud flap, handle bar clamps to bring the bars back 2 inches, and to top it of he had a gold mac truck dog on the front fender. Along with the bike he gave me 2 used coils, a timing gun, Chilton manual, new trickle charger, and a new battery(dry). It has a molded 2 person seat, not just a step up one but a nice curved one, seen a couple like this. I think Im gonna scrap all the full dress crap. It has almost 57k on it, almost left when I saw that but wow, it made it that far, thats a good sign. Last on road 2010. He said he is the original owner and he took it coast to coast 6 times, broke the speedo cable so it actual has 59k. He said the middle cylinder is bored 10 over since he burned a hole in the piston(claimed he ran hotter plugs) and he said he put a gs1100 clutch cable in it. It has a throttle lock on it, pretty sure I wanna take that off, seems unsafe. It has been dropped on the right side, the clutch cover is banged up and the cover missing (already got another). Both inner exhaust hangers are broken and the left outer muffler was welded all the way around by the center stand which is missing the foot catch so I was thinking he may have dropped it on that side or the bike doesn't have enough ground clearance. From left to right compression is 120 120 140. Have not tried to start it. Carbs apart and new battery is charging. Im a little afraid to try the electric start, seems some gt's have trouble with the elec starter at this age.

Whats with the plasitc lenses for the gauges? Can I put glass in? From a gt750?

Mine has chrome head light bucket and holders and chain guard, but I have seen painted on other bikes, was that an option for all years or just some? I have seen the fork covers and the side covers change over the years. I have seen some 550s with a blacked out engine, was that another option or certain year?

What are those little white pills between the cooling fins for?

I see he ran a ground down from the battery to a screw on the engine, any ground problems with this bike?

Where is the starter located?

What parts are interchangeable between the 380 550 and 750? I kinda wish I didn't tell my brother to sell his water buffalo (then again it was sitting outside 10 years with no title but 97% complete). I bought a box of parts from a 75 and 76 gt380 mostly brake parts, turn signals, gauges, wiring, mirrors, ignition, headlight. I also bought a decent looking gt380 engine, Pistons and cylinders look good.

[Alan H]

About me, 28, Army and Iraq vet, factory worker. Have all sorts of toys, mostly 2 stroke. I know how to turn wrenches, went to school for automotive, not small engines.

I'll start from the beginning. I bought a gt550 on craigslist for $400. The guy had some dumb stuff done to it, couldn't even take a pic of it like that, it was fully dressed with a front windjammer from a Honda shadow with a mad kats air horn and compressor installed ( suzuki headlight glass removed since it didn't fit) a sissy seat, rear luggage rack with compartment, side plastic saddlebags and he even had a rear hitch and a roadrunner mud flap, handle bar clamps to bring the bars back 2 inches, and to top it of he had a gold mac truck dog on the front fender. Along with the bike he gave me 2 used coils, a timing gun, Chilton manual, new trickle charger, and a new battery(dry). It has a molded 2 person seat, not just a step up one but a nice curved one, seen a couple like this. I think Im gonna scrap all the full dress crap. It has almost 57k on it, almost left when I saw that but wow, it made it that far, thats a good sign. Last on road 2010. He said he is the original owner and he took it coast to coast 6 times, broke the speedo cable so it actual has 59k. He said the middle cylinder is bored 10 over since he burned a hole in the piston(claimed he ran hotter plugs) and he said he put a gs1100 clutch cable in it. It has a throttle lock on it, pretty sure I wanna take that off, seems unsafe. It has been dropped on the right side, the clutch cover is banged up and the cover missing (already got another). Both inner exhaust hangers are broken and the left outer muffler was welded all the way around by the center stand which is missing the foot catch so I was thinking he may have dropped it on that side or the bike doesn't have enough ground clearance. From left to right compression is 120 120 140. Have not tried to start it.

Oh dear!!

Carbs apart and new battery is charging. Im a little afraid to try the electric start, seems some gt's have trouble with the elec starter at this age.

Let us know the first 3 digits of the engine number and we can tell you if there's an early or late starter clutch in there. The early ones were 'ok' if not abused, the late ones were very good.

Whats with the plasitc lenses for the gauges? Can I put glass in? From a gt750?

Yes you can put glass in, but the 750s had polycarbonate too and are bigger. My 550 gauge 'covers' are glass cut to size and sealed with a very small amount of silicone sealer after the clocks were stripped and rebuilt.

Mine has chrome head light bucket and holders and chain guard, but I have seen painted on other bikes, was that an option for all years or just some? I have seen the fork covers and the side covers change over the years. I have seen some 550s with a blacked out engine, was that another option or certain year?

No 550s had black engines. Headlamps and 'ears' could be chrome or different painted depending on year/model.

What are those little white pills between the cooling fins for?

They stop most of the fin ringing noises.

I see he ran a ground down from the battery to a screw on the engine, any ground problems with this bike?

The engine is rubber mounted so needs a good earth for the starter to work.

Where is the starter located?

Underneath the engine (centre) behind a cover, above the two centre exhausts.

What parts are interchangeable between the 380 550 and 750? I kinda wish I didn't tell my brother to sell his water buffalo (then again it was sitting outside 10 years with no title but 97% complete). I bought a box of parts from a 75 and 76 gt380 mostly brake parts, turn signals, gauges, wiring, mirrors, ignition, headlight. I also bought a decent looking gt380 engine, Pistons and cylinders look good.

Some electrics, some tanks, some other bits. 550/750 had more in common, but all engines/frames etc completely different. Forks similar 550/750, 380 different, front wheel similar but twin disc on the 750, rim sizes different. Different master cylinders.
Same front calipers on all 3, but 750 has different lower leg for extra disc plus left hand caliper. Second disc fits to hubs easy to twin up on other models.
I would suggest you get a parts manual off ebay [http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suzuki-GT550- ... 58aa84ca5a]Like this CLICKY[/url]. They are very good for working out how things come apart and go back together with exploded diagrams of every part.
Plenty of parts available on the web, or on here. Lots of help and advice too.
Do a search on here for whatever you need to know first, as lots of things have already been asked several times.
Questions are always answered, but if really stupid, the answer may have some piss-taking/leg pulling/'ya don't say' comments with it too, but as an ex military type, you'll be used to that I reckon!!

Good luck with the bike, I've just got one running again and have another 3 to go at.........

[Coyote]

You can make this:



Look like this:



This is done with sandpaper! Start with wet 600 grit paper. Use decreasing grades as you go, ending with 2000. 600,800, 1000, 1600, 2000. Keep wet at all times and wipe often. The trick is to get all the scratches out from the previous grade as you go. Don't rush. It takes about an hour of elbow grease, Keep water clean between each grade. Finish with plexiglass and plastic polish and scratch remover (available at any auto parts store). The gauge in these photos were so bad that I had to start with 400 grit. Yes, It's the same gauge.