valve seals

[jmpowie]

Has anyone done valve seals on a 90 gs 500?   My wifes bike smokes when she first starts it up but then clears up as soon as it warms up.   I am planining to fix it I just wanted to know how much of a pain it it to fix.  thanks

[Mandres]

It's not terribly difficult, but you're going to need the right kind of valve spring compressor.  I think there's a post in the FAQ section about a homemade one.  It would also be a good idea to change the head o-rings and gasket while you've got the head off.  Removing the head is kind of a pain in the ass because of the tight quarters.  It's also tricky to remove the head from the cylinder without disturbing the gasket between the cylinder and the block.  Some clamping pressure on the cylinder would help secure it. 

Drop me an e-mail or PM if you have any questions, I'm happy to help.

-M

[lilspider]

I just finished doing the same to my '96.  It went pretty smoothly.  My Clymer guide walked me through it every step of the way.  The valve compreesion tool is around $135, but you can make one, "M" said in his reply.  My only problems were that I only had two hands, an extra pair would have helped greatly.  Good luck, drop me a line if you need any help.

lilspider

[jmpowie]

thanks for the info