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My first GT 550 - i love it

Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2017 12:52 pm
by tato81
At the beginning I would like to apologize for my English. I live in Poland. I just bought a Suzuki GT550. The motorcycle has been in the garage for nearly 30 years. I think it is worth to renew it. I cleaned the carburettors and the spark plugs and the motor start up. Unfortunately, one of the head gaskets is broken, the engine fired only two cylinders.

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Film on youtube with firing. You can see the shot from under the head gasket:

https://youtu.be/IV64eutX2zk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and next film, when motorcycle fired only two cylinders

https://youtu.be/CDZusereVKQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: My first GT 550 - i love it

Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2017 1:00 pm
by Alan H
Welcome in tato. The GT550 is quite easy to work on and plenty of spares on ebay etc. Your English is a lot better than my Polish, so don't worry!
In the UK, Robinsons Foundry or Francos are very good plus Marcel in Holland (and others).

Re: My first GT 550 - i love it

Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2017 1:36 pm
by tato81
Alan H wrote:...In the UK, Robinsons Foundry or Francos are very good plus Marcel in Holland (and others)...
Thank you very much Alan. I did not know these stores.

Guys look at this picture. Something's missing me.

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Kickstarter should be ended differently. What exactly is missing? Look at the next pictures; Only 1, or 1,2,3,4,5? I have a small oil leak there.

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If you watch the next video, you will see the play on the kickstarter shaft

https://youtu.be/v3yu0y_TuFU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: My first GT 550 - i love it

Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2017 7:37 pm
by Clifford
Should be a rubber plug in that hole at the end of the shift (#18 in the parts diagram).
Too much endplay for sure! Washer #16 is probably missing. It sticks to the cover when the cover is removed and gets lost!
Cliff!

Re: My first GT 550 - i love it

Posted: Sat Jul 08, 2017 4:15 am
by tato81
Clifford wrote:Should be a rubber plug in that hole at the end of the shift (#18 in the parts diagram).
Too much endplay for sure! Washer #16 is probably missing. It sticks to the cover when the cover is removed and gets lost!
Cliff!
Thanks Cliff, you're right. It is possible. When there is no washer #16 - There is play on the kickstarter shaft. I'll check it. And at the end only missing rubber plug, you think?

Re: My first GT 550 - i love it

Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2017 11:52 am
by sportston
That looks like a great bike there. A don't forget to skim the head when you change the gaskets. Check around the cylinder head studs as they exit the barrels. Sometimes the metal around them is raised and could stop the head from fitting well, causing your new gaskets to fail quickly.
I had this on my GT380. I had to remove the studs and slowly reface the mating surface with a diamond sharpening stone. It took a long time to do by hand! I would recommend getting an engineering company to do this for you instead if your bike needs this.
Good luck.

Re: My first GT 550 - i love it

Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2017 3:55 pm
by tato81
Thanks sportston, I will remember it. I tightened two screws in the head. They were loose. There are no shots now. I noticed that one carburetor has no idle screw throttle valve adjuster. And that is the reason that the cylinder flooded the fuel. I wonder which part is up to my carburetor;
- idle screw throttle valve adjuster nr 13267-34010 or
- idle screw throttle valve adjuster no 13267-34011
Or maybe they fit both?

This is my carburetor:
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Re: My first GT 550 - i love it

Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 4:44 am
by sportston
On Robinsons Foundry they say that 13267-34010 is no longer available. So I would risk trying 13267-34011 and hope it fits.
I could be wrong, but I think it looks like you have early model carbs on a later model bike. I am sure someone on here will correct me if I am incorrect.

Re: My first GT 550 - i love it

Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 8:08 am
by Alan H
sportston wrote:[quote="tato81" I wonder which part is up to my carburetor;
- idle screw throttle valve adjuster nr 13267-34010 or
- idle screw throttle valve adjuster no 13267-34011
Or maybe they fit both?
On Robinsons Foundry they say that 13267-34010 is no longer available. So I would risk trying 13267-34011 and hope it fits.
I could be wrong, but I think it looks like you have early model carbs on a later model bike. I am sure someone on here will correct me if I am incorrect.[/quote]
Or late barrels on an early engine.
Post the engine number and we'll be able to work out what you have and what you should have.

Re: My first GT 550 - i love it

Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 8:24 am
by tato81
On the plate writes, E-number: 75444, F-Number; 72360. I'll go down to the garage and try to read the number from the engine.

The number on the engine is: GT550 - 58928,

What does it mean?

Re: My first GT 550 - i love it

Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 12:23 pm
by Alan H
Here's a link to a site which has engine/frame details. http://www.ozebook.com/compendium/suzi/ ... engnos.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
So yours appears to originally be a 1977 B model - now with a 1975 M engine. This used to happen a lot if someone destroyed their engine and just put a fresh one in (from a crashed bike instead of repairing the original one). The tank paint appears to be an A 1976 model though, so there's a mix up somewhere.
The carbs are a different matter as they are off either a J 1972 or K 1973 model. There will be a separate choke lever on the handlebars for these which operates via a one into three cable system and the throttle operates by a one into four system (4th cable goes to the oil pump). The carbs you should be linked together and have a push/pull throttle and a lever on the left carb for choke. If you pm me your email address, I'll send an early service manual which has carb details and other stuff that was common on later models anyway. The tickover screw on the left carb should be on the left of the carb, not the right like the centre and right carbs.
This link http://www.suzukicycles.org/GT-series/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; gives more details and this link http://www.oldjapanesebikes.com/mraxl_G ... /index.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; tells the history and differences of the models. I suggest you do some reading!
The early carbs will work on later engines as it looks like you have 'iron bore' barrels, but you'll have to keep an eye on mixtures when you get running. Sometimes the chokes stick, or the choke cable can break to one carb and that will cause bad starting/not running on one cylinder. Also try removing the plug cap from the HT lead and cutting 5mm off the lead, then replacing the plug cap. The leads deteriorate over time.

This link http://www.alpha-sports.com/suzuki_parts.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; gives parts details.
Find the year, then model, then which part of the bike you need to look at.

Re: My first GT 550 - i love it

Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 1:11 pm
by tato81
Alan thank you for the valuable tips. You are right about my bike this 1977 B model with a 1975 M engine. Now I see it. This will make it easier for me to buy parts. Is 'iron bore' barrels good or bad for me? I understand that they are also aluminum. Which are better?
Alan i sent you a private message.

Re: My first GT 550 - i love it

Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 1:42 pm
by Alan H
You can rebore iron barrels, not aluminium ones. They are Nikasil (or SCEM) plated and are expensive to renovate.
The earlier types are cheaper to sort out if anything goes wrong!
Plated barrels were used in the UK and Europe on later models - but not in all countries.
If you look at the rear barrel base studs, on iron bore barrels they are all the same height, on Nikasil barrels, the rear studs are higher as they have extra ports.

Pics at this link - http://www.kettleclinic.co.uk/kcforum/v ... nce#p72211" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: My first GT 550 - i love it

Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 4:06 pm
by tato81
Ok, I understand. I guess I can risk and buy 13267-34010 (idle screw throttle valve adjuster) especially that it is available on ebay. what do you think?

Re: My first GT 550 - i love it

Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2017 2:33 pm
by tato81
However, I bought 13267-34011 as sportston recommended. Will the newer type airbox (the chrome one) fit my carbs?