Suzuki 2 Strokes

Hi All, work has now started on getting the little GT up and running. It’s a late model 1978 I think. The engine was leaking oil, all the exhaust headers threads are fubar, and a strip down revealed some missing pieces! It did run before I started, seemed to be happy to idle away and was perky on the throttle, but I doubt it would have pulled under load. The main reason for splitting the crankcase was that one of the conrods had worn oval on the little end. It looks like one of the seals was leaking too, there was engine oil in the crankspace and lots of debris. Somebody had been in there before me and fitted a another needle roller to the worn pin, but it looks too narrow to me so no idea what’s been attempted before, but they had no success that’s for sure! Opening it up revealed that there was a missing O ring under the oil pump (hence the leak) and a missing E clip somewhere on the selector mechanism. But, the main problem is that I can’t remove the stator from the end of the crank. I got the crank out, but with the stator attached. It needs to be sent off for a rebuild, but how to remove the stator? Obviously the special tool is not with me, and there is a dodge by taking the head off a bolt and using the thread on the stator to bear down on the end of the crank with a 10 stud. But, that thread is also not right at all, looks like it’s been crossed at some point. The windings look fragile, it was charging though. Is it a taper fit? Any ideas how to proceed anyone? Maybe the whole thing in the freezer and then gently warm the stator assembly?

Eww. Tricky if the thread has been ballsed up. If it is like the GT380 you use one of the engine mounting bolts to do it. The correct bolt has a tapered end so that the thread on the end of the bolt will not be damaged. It is then screwed against a hardened rod that needs to be inserted first. I made my own rod from an old bolt, which was a bad idea because it was not hard enough. If you make up a rod use something stronger. One guy said he made his from an old allen key, which was hard enough not to deform under pressure.
If someone has used the wrong bolt (without the tapered end) maybe it has buggered up the thread on the way back out. They are not a standard M10x1.5 thread it has a finer pitch. If it is the same as on the GT380, it should be M10x1.25. If you can get your hands on a shallow thread tap you might be able to repair the threads sufficiently, but make sure you grease the tap and thread well or you will make things worse.
Please bear in mind I cannot guarantee the GT185 is the same as the GT380 in this respect, so you will have to use caution and common sense before attacking it.
Good luck

Just take it to Grampian and they'll do it while you wait (or have a breakfast at the caff 5 minutes walk away, and it'll be done when you get back.)
That includes a complete crank strip and rebuild.
http://www.grampianmotors.co.uk/images/Grampian_1.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Sounds like good advice.

I've been twice. They are very professional and their prices are good.
And the local breakfast is good too.

sportston wrote:Eww. Tricky if the thread has been ballsed up. If it is like the GT380 you use one of the engine mounting bolts to do it. The correct bolt has a tapered end so that the thread on the end of the bolt will not be damaged. It is then screwed against a hardened rod that needs to be inserted first. I made my own rod from an old bolt, which was a bad idea because it was not hard enough. If you make up a rod use something stronger. One guy said he made his from an old allen key, which was hard enough not to deform under pressure.
If someone has used the wrong bolt (without the tapered end) maybe it has buggered up the thread on the way back out. They are not a standard M10x1.5 thread it has a finer pitch. If it is the same as on the GT380, it should be M10x1.25. If you can get your hands on a shallow thread tap you might be able to repair the threads sufficiently, but make sure you grease the tap and thread well or you will make things worse.
Please bear in mind I cannot guarantee the GT185 is the same as the GT380 in this respect, so you will have to use caution and common sense before attacking it.
Good luck

I’ve been all over the bike like looking for suitable bolts! Thanks for that though I was coming to the conclusion that it was a finer thread, I think a previous DIYer had tried to force a M10x1.5 in there. I think the best thing is to get it to the crank rebuilder intact and let them sort it. Good tip about the Allen key, I can see that working.

Alan H wrote:Just take it to Grampian and they'll do it while you wait (or have a breakfast at the caff 5 minutes walk away, and it'll be done when you get back.)
That includes a complete crank strip and rebuild.
http://www.grampianmotors.co.uk/images/Grampian_1.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Unfortunately I’m in London so that’s quite a trip for a good brekky. Going to try Applebee’s in Essex.
In my growing list of missing parts is:
Oil pump O rings (no wonder it was knackered and covered in oil)
E clip on the gear selector
Anti rattle spring behind the clutch
I can probably find the O rings and E clip as generic parts, but where to find the spring? Any ideas?

CMS in the Netherlands lists the 3 e-rings under “gear shifting” as available:
https://www.cmsnl.com/suzuki-gt185-1973 ... VqJHi2ZPFw
The oil pump o-rings are also available:
https://www.cmsnl.com/suzuki-gt185-1973 ... VqLBi2ZPFw

The clutch spring, part # 09440-32001, is NLA but 3 are available on eBay.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R ... 1&_sacat=0

jabcb wrote:CMS in the Netherlands lists the 3 e-rings under “gear shifting” as available:
https://www.cmsnl.com/suzuki-gt185-1973 ... VqJHi2ZPFw
The oil pump o-rings are also available:
https://www.cmsnl.com/suzuki-gt185-1973 ... VqLBi2ZPFw

The clutch spring, part # 09440-32001, is NLA but 3 are available on eBay.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R ... 1&_sacat=0

Thanks Dude!

Yet another question for you knowledgeable people. As the exhausts are shot, i’ve been looking for alternatives. By chance I met someone who offered to make me a set of expansions, but he wouldn’t even try unless I could give him some workable dimensions. Which sounded fair enough. But, where would I find some plans for those? He was offering it for around £350 a pair which seemed reasonable considering the prohibitive costs of new or even second hand.
If I go down this route, I might buy myself a dremel and have a go at porting it too.

Any decent 2 stroke tuner sould be able to make a pair of spannies for you and make them to a 'standard' tune or whatever. Personally, I wouldn't tune it if it was mine. Remember that you have a 40+ year old engine there. You do want to ride it for a decent time? Tune it and you will end up thrashing it all the time and its life may be measured in weeks or even days. Your call of course, but if I was going for performance, I'd start with a bigger bike that will last and get some value for your £££s. Mick Abbey (Abbeytune) made the ones on my 550, but he's near Newcastle and would need the bike as he makes them individually.
https://m.facebook.com/mickabbeytuning" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Higgspeed sells pipes for the GT185: http://www.higgspeed.com/SUZUKI-GT185-and-GT125

They look really nice pipes. Suit the bike well. So long as you like to "live life loud" you'll love em. Mine have the GP style silencers and sound great. But the finish is not of show quality. The welding is superb, but the mandrel marks on the headers needed a lot of flatting and polishing to get rid of. The stainless expansion chambers have a slightly un-polished look, but will buff up to look like chrome with a bit of buffing and a mop.
Compared with the alternatives, they are great value and will last a long time.

If you get mild steel pipes, you can have them ceramic coated at Camcoat in Warrington. http://www.camcoat.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and http://www.camcoat.com/main/coatings6.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I had the 550 ones done 3 years ago and they still look good.

There are quite a few places that will make you a custom pipe if you have deep enough pockets