Finally got my exhaust on

[blwnbwtie]

What an adventure that was.  Took the stock exhaust of on thursday and broke a bolt in the cylinder head.  Had to send it out to get it drilled and helicoiled.  Got it installed today.  It reminds me a lot of a quad.  Still need to do the jets and air cleaner this weekend.

[b_long_1]

How does the bike run without doing the jets and Air cleaner yet? Are you going to leave it without the lower fairings or are you doing an F to E?

[blwnbwtie]

It seems to run okay with out doing the other stuff yet.  Seems like it might be a little flat off idle but barely noticable, may just be my imagination.  I did take a look at the plugs and they look like it is running really lean, altho not much leaner than it was completely stock.  I am going to put the fairings back on after im done this weekend, i just didnt feel like putting them back on to have to take them off again a few days later.  I also have a 15t front sprocket i am going to put on, but i want to see how much the exhaust, jets and air cleaner help before i put that on.

[GSnoober]

Hey man, could you post some pics of where the lines from the oil cooler enter the engine? I've never seen an F model without the fairings installed, and I'd really like to see where each oil line terminates on the engine. I can see that the right side oil line runs down through a clamp on the frame, but I can't see where it goes after that. A few detailed photos would really be appreciated.

Also, be careful about running the engine much before you rejet the carbs. A lot of people have burned the exhaust valves by running the engine lean, and that is an expensive lesson to learn the hard way.

Just out of curiosity, what did you do with the stock exhaust system? Is it for sale? Lastly, those don't look like the stock handlebars; care to provide any glam shots, or at least some basic details? They look like the SM2 bars, but I can't be sure...

TIA; keep us posted on your progress...

[blwnbwtie]

I will take some pics for you tomorrow.  How long is too long to run the engine the way it is?  I planned on doing the carbs this weekend so i can ride the bike to work for the rest of the week.  I only live 5 miles from work.  Should i do this tomorrow night or can it wait till saturday?  Those bars are the SM2 bars

[yamahonkawazuki]

id say do it as soon as you can. because lean=  hot in many cases. although you said the difference is not really noticeable, ehhh anyhoo, if you gotta wait, jus take it easy till sat, tehn rejet, and flog the f%$k out of her 

[GSnoober]

I will take some pics for you tomorrow.  How long is too long to run the engine the way it is?  I planned on doing the carbs this weekend so i can ride the bike to work for the rest of the week.  I only live 5 miles from work.  Should i do this tomorrow night or can it wait till saturday?  Those bars are the SM2 bars

shaZam!, I didn't think you were going to RIDE that GS anywhere... Just estimate the cost of replacing two burned exhaust valves, factor in all the aggravation of doing the work AND not being able to ride, then decide if it's really worth the risk. Riding a lean engine in 100+ degree weather is too risky for my wallet. Hell, the engine is lean straight from the factory; I can't imagine how bad it must be now, considering the changes you've made. Just FYI, swapping the exhaust system leans out the low-end carburetion even more than it already is when stock, so you might want to ride with partial choke (which will richen the air/fuel mixture), or somehow restrict the airflow into the airbox, though I don't know how RIDEABLE the GS will be under those conditions. You aren't likely to punch a hole in a piston crown unless you get the engine REALLY hot...under the WORST conditions, a super-heated exhaust valve head breaks off, then punches through a super-heated piston crown, and welds itself to the crankshaft, which means you scrap the engine, or rebuild it from the bottom up...

Engine heat is like high blood pressure; you can't see all the bad shaZam! happening because of it, but once things start to break down, the damage can be extensive. You can't unscramble an egg; excessive heat will ruin your oil (unless you're using 100% synthetic), and that alone is reason enough to park the GS until you get the new jetting installed. Cooked oil + lean engine = expensive disaster waiting to happen. Every year or so, a new GSTwinner burns his exhaust valves, then complains about how expensive the repair is, and can't understand why the old-timers don't have much sympathy for him. Your motorcycle = your money = your expense = I wish you the best with this decision, but I sure as hell wouldn't ride that GS under the circumstances...

Here's a good photo of a damaged exhaust valve:

http://www.stealthram.com/familypics/formula/headdamage/exhaustvalve1.jpg

Another tale of tragedy:

http://www.ratwell.com/technical/Heads.html

In that article, you'll see a photo of a holed piston; the hole was caused by the HOT valve head punching through the HOT piston crown. NOT a pretty sight...

Again, your money, your GS, your engine, your choice... For MY money, I'd park the GS somewhere safe, and not run it again until the new jets are installed. Engine problems are aggravating enough by themselves, but SELF-INFLICTED engine problems are enough to make a grown man cry...

I'm looking forward to seeing the photos of the oil-cooler lines; thanks for doing this for me. Best of luck with your GS, whatever you decide to do...

[yamahonkawazuki]

TBH OP, im inclined to agree with noober here. park it, rejet fiorst then  as larry teh cable guy says, " git-er-done"

[blwnbwtie]

alright you guys twisted my arm, gonna start working on it tomorrow after work.  Hopefully i can get that and check the valves done tomorrow, im really jonesing to ride again.  It sucks driving the truck to work.  With my luck it probably would blow up so im gonna take the safe route.  thanks!

[Mdow]

^ probably a good plan

[The Buddha]

Oddly I am going to contradict everyone here atleast for a short point.
Leaner bikes run better in hotter weather. There is a disadvantage to having it that lean yes, and the heat will damage it yes. However I think it will start with the cylinders and pistons before the exhaust valves.
Why You see hotter motors will lose heat better too. As per Sir Issac Newton it sheds heat proportional to the 4th power of temperature difference. Your valves will dissipate heat quite rapidly and they dont have a tight next door neighbor to clobber if they expand due to temp. Pistons and cyls do have a liking to clobber each other. That is why heat seizing is a common enough problem with running in summer and valve breaking is common at startup. Anyway, rejet it else the cyliner will expand to the piston or your exvaust valve will break and fall off ... 
Cool.
Buddha.

[kml.krk]

the stock engine is lean from the factory! that's true,
BUT in 04+ bikes the case is not that tragic. The main jest if I remember correctly is 130, not 117 nor 122 like in earlier models.

but anyways, your best bet is to rejet before you ride it 

cheers
KaMeL

[The Buddha]

You cannot go just with jet size. The path the fuel has to travel to get to the venturi, the actual vacuum in the venturi etc etc have a huge bearing on it. My guess is, new or old, its 1 size too lean all around. The old GS atleast floats wore high and got richer with age. New GS'es dont.
Cool.
Buddha.

[blwnbwtie]

Got the jets and air cleaner installed today.  Jets are 20/62.5/142.5 straight from the wiki, with a drop in k&n with out the restrictor.  seems to run really good up till about 8k.  from 8k-10k seems a little flat.  Its not really bad but it just seems like it doesnt want to rev any more.  Doesnt fall on its face or bog but just slows down.  All i did was throw in the jets, i didnt touch the air mixture or the needle.  Should i try raising the needle a little bit?  what would this do to the rest of the powerband?  Or should i try changing jets?  I pulled the number 2 plug and it looked pretty white, except for a little bit of black on the porcelain, but it was only on one side of the porcelain.



This is where the oil cooler lines come in to the engine, it was kinda hard to get a pic with the wheel in the way, but it comes in just under the oil filter.

[blwnbwtie]

I just put the restrictor in the k&n to see what would happen, and the it really stumbled at about 8500 so it seems im running to rich.  Maybe i should try going down to 140 mains?

[blwnbwtie]

also all other rpm ranges seem to be fine at all throttle positions, and the hestation at high rpm is at any throttle position.

[blwnbwtie]

stupid question but does the mid-main or the main jet go on the needle jet?  I thought i remember taking out the midmain from the needle jet extention, but looking at a diagram it looks like the main goes on the extention?

edit: nevermind, i found something on the FAQ, looks like i had it right, but the mains are a little to rich, put the stock on back in and left all others.  right now im at 20/62.5/130 with the restrictor in the K&N.  Waiting for some 135 jets so i can try those.

[average]

Question...do the oil cooler lines attach to the block or the pan? I thought they attached to the block but if they attach to the pan that would be a beautiful thing....for me anyways.....

[blwnbwtie]

took a look at the oil cooler lines, they go to the pan