Engine needs replacement, possible to use gsxr engine?

[thakur]

Hi folks,

Due to poor maintainence, my 03 gs500's engine is dead! As much as I'm repenting not taking proper care of it -- I'm now looking to the future.

So my question is -- and remember I'm a complete novice -- is it possible to put in another engine into my bikes frame? I'm looking at something like gsxr750 engine which is available at my local salvage yard.

Anybody have links to something like this being done? I'm not specifically attached to the gsxr engine, but since I'm spending money on the engine -- I might as well go on for a little 'experimenting'. The engine is going to be installed by a professional mechanic who said he 'could' install 'another' engine on it.

Comments?
Thanks,
Thakur

[mjm]

Very few other engines will fit without major modifications costing much more than the bike the engine was intended for.  Particularly if they have more cylinders.

GS 450 will fit if you use the GS 500 cylinder heads - or heavily modify the GS 450 heads. Otherwise the exhaust pipes hit the frame.

Might be possible to put in an RD 350/400 or even a Yamaha Bandit water-cooled.  Possibly a Honda/Kawasaki twin or two.  Otherwise - no, it will not fit.

[Mickey_D100]

I have NO real idea, but I'd think that with the difference in geometry between the inline 4 and the v-twin you may have to do some HEAVY modifications to get that sucker to fit.  But I don't know.  I'm sure someone will pop in with an informed, intelligent response soon.   :dunno:

[ratz]

with some modifications, a ex500 engine will fit, but there is a lot of welding!
New engine mounts, and countershaft sprocket alignment is different.


The GSXR motor is too long, too wide, too tall, too heavy, and the countershaft sprocket doesn't align, unless you mount the engine off to one side.

[SmartDrug]

How the hell do you do so much damage to an engine that is less than 3 years old so that it needs replacing and is not worth repairing?  How many miles could you have possibly put on it?  Even if you were to forget to change the oil for 20k miles, the engine would probably still run.  Let us know. :dunno:

[insulinboy]

anything is possible really.. the qustion is.. how much money do you want to spend on a bike that you will NEVER get near that amount back out of (Im talking you could buy a new R1 or 2 for the money that you'll spend doing the mod) and how much free time do you have to actually do the mod.. cause you could spend 2 or 3 years easily perfecting it and getting it to work right

[thakur]

How the hell do you do so much damage to an engine that is less than 3 years old so that it needs replacing and is not worth repairing?  How many miles could you have possibly put on it?  Even if you were to forget to change the oil for 20k miles, the engine would probably still run.  Let us know. :dunno:

It's really a story of 'oops, forgot the oil change'. Essentially, I have the EXACT problem as this guy: http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19805&highlight=rattling

The exact same rattling sound. My mechanic says at a minimum my piston rod is damaged .. and possibly a lot more -- he's just suggesting I get a new engine.

Sigh, this sucks -- love this bike! but I think I might just sell it as a project bike now. Should be able to recover 1k or so and put it in towards a new bike for next season (I'm in Canada) -- I'm banging my head on the wall.

Edit: Bought the bike with 3k on it -- right now it has 12k -- and I haven't done a single oil change since I got it (3 months) -- stupid, I know.

[The Buddha]

12K ... KM right How much low were you ... rattling sound ... yea sounds like someone is yanking your chain ... seized up motors dont make rattling sound ... valve adjustment, or cam chain ... or end play in cam shaft ... all of which are 20 mins to fix ... all put together ... OK just kidding ... but diagnosis is frist ... 12K on oil is not enough to kill it unless you ran out of oil ...
Cool.
Srinath.

[thakur]

When I first started hearing the rattling sound, I knew I was in trouble. So I went to a gas station and tried to 'top up' the oil. Well, it took 2L before my oil stick was at "F". The rattling subsided -- but next day, on the highway, RPM went to 0 and engine wouldn't start.

It's at the repair shop now -- and being a student, I don't think I can afford to spend 2k on fixing it (which is what the mechanic is hoping for).

So I'll probably end up reading the service manual inside out and trying to figure out what's wrong with it myself.

Anyway, this SUCKS.

Thanks,
Thakur

[D-Day]

When I first started hearing the rattling sound, I knew I was in trouble. So I went to a gas station and tried to 'top up' the oil. Well, it took 2L before my oil stick was at "F". The rattling subsided -- but next day, on the highway, RPM went to 0 and engine wouldn't start.

It's at the repair shop now -- and being a student, I don't think I can afford to spend 2k on fixing it (which is what the mechanic is hoping for).

So I'll probably end up reading the service manual inside out and trying to figure out what's wrong with it myself.

Anyway, this SUCKS.

Thanks,
Thakur

It would be much cheaper and simpler to just buy a used motor and install it.

[DMac]

Hey man,
Just wondering where you are in Canada, I might be looking to get rid of my new GS for a good rate because there is a chance I'll be coming into and R6 (long story)..
I'm in Toronto, well right outside.

[The Buddha]

OK you were 2 quarts low and it rattled, and you put oil and it ran OK till the next day, then it dies and doesn't want to start ... OK its somehting else ... I'll almost bet ... You're being vague about the symptoms and what you did to trouble shoot it ... you have run it low on oil ... while it is bad, you fill oil and it dies the next day ... that makes very little sense ... Tell us more, we might help more ...
Cool.
Srinath.

[thakur]

Here are the exact symptoms:

Bike was running great. Go out on a ride one night, shift through the gears and hear this rattling sound. It's EXACTLY the same sound from the link above -- the exact same rattling.

So I freaked out a bit and headed over to a gas station. Bought some 10W-40 motor oil and topped my engine oil up. It took 2 bottles (1L each) to reach the 'F' level on my dipstick.

The oil helped -- the rattling subsided -- but was still noticable around 3-4rpm. Anyway, I reached home and went to bed.

Next day, I get onto the highway -- rattling is still there. I notice that the rattling kept getting louder and louder. On full throttle in the highest gear, I could only reach 120Kmph (75mph) -- when I reached my exit, I pulled in the clutch -- and instead of the rpm going down to 1.5 it went down all the way to 0 and the engine shut down. I pulled over and tried to start the bike -- but I could only hear this single knock -- sounded like a piece of metal hitting a barrier. So I got it towed.

Spoke to the mechanic and he said that 'most probably' my 'piston rod' was bent and I also probably had further damage -- and that the best course of action would be try and find a used engine.

Thanks for the help guys,
Thakur

[Alphamazing]

I've got a used engine out of a '92 GS. Interested? I'm in Texas, so shipping might be a tad much.

[davipu]

it's a valve issue.  search for Kerry's valve video on here, if I remember right it was hosted on the net somewhare or you can get a copy from the man himself for a few bucks.  

plain and simple, you have a shitty mechanic.  you can rebuild the motor for less than 500.  being a student (broke) I'm sure you can fix it yourself for less than that.  but the first thing to do is to check the valves, then change the oil.

[The Buddha]

I'd say your cam chain was loose (sorta unrelated to oil level) and that final donk noise is when it jumped the sprokets, and maybe you have a broken valve ... but I cant be 100% ... rod bending will not do that, and it will not rattle and get worse and worse and then fail ... it will fail in the 2 seconds it takes to say ... oh the rod is bent ...
First off get the bike back from that moron ...
Then start taking it apart, spark plugs first ... if you see shards of metal on them, or one of them looks like its been clobbered ... bingo ... you have a valve broken. GSJack fixed his recently, I tried that on a savage but gave up in favor of one that was good ... In any case your'e going to be able to save it, effort not money ...
Cool.
Srinath.

[Blueknyt]

If you cant find someone you trust to look at it, Get a book and rip the engine down, you certainly cant be any worse off then you are now. not only will you learn something about it but you will have an idea on how to fix it and put it back,   IF you find you can NOT repair it, the engine is already out so you can put another one right into the frame. should be able to find a runner for around 300$ US