bought gs500, the head looks weird?

[MongMan]

Hey guys i bought a non running gs500f used, its got 9k miles on the odometer, from inspecting the motor i noticed the head looks melted or something, anyone seen anything like this before? The only thing the seller told me was that it ran rough. The head doesn't look uniform or doesn't look normal to me, any ideas?

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[prmas]

It looks as though it has been VERY hot. When alloy changes colour like that it usually loses its hardness. Check the head stud nuts for tightness. If it runs OK at the moment I would just leave it for now but expect problems with damaged valve stem seals (smoking or oil consumption), piston rings that have lost tension (low compression/smoking/oil consumption) or loose valve seats (unexplained tapping noises) in the future. 

Macka

[Joolstacho]

Well, I wouldn't panic about it too soon. If any melting had gone on you would have a dropped valve or three, (pulling the rocker cover off and turning it over will show you this), the valve seats would have dropped out... In other words it would have been a catastrophic engine failure way before any alloy melted.
I reckon it could be just a nasty 'friday arvo' casting. (Rough 'n ready 'I just wanna get home for the weekend' casting).
I'd pull the head off and check it all out if it's not running.

[radodrill]

looks more like imperfect casting than melting.  Casting inherently results in a rough surface finish.

[sledge]

Its just a poor casting and another example of Suzukis quality control.....or lack of it 

Aluminium alloys start to melt at about 850 degF whereas oil starts to boil at about 550degF.

If the cylinder ever got that hot you would know about it well before things started to drip.

[Funderb]

the head itself looks fine.
I'll put money on the fact that you'll need a new cylinder head gasket. And probably need the head and jugs surfaced too.

Everything else looks like mediocre QC on the casting and corrosion from neglect. And some oil leaks.

[sledge]

I'll put money on the fact that you'll need a new cylinder head gasket. And probably need the head and jugs surfaced too.

At 9k??
I would suspect the head bolts first.

Its more likely that they were not checked/torqued down at the 1k and 6k services.......that assumes it actually was serviced at 1k and 6k.

[The Buddha]

Well, I wouldn't panic about it too soon. If any melting had gone on you would have a dropped valve or three, (pulling the rocker cover off and turning it over will show you this), the valve seats would have dropped out... In other words it would have been a catastrophic engine failure way before any alloy melted.

Correct.

BTW there is a healthy coating of engine paint on the stupid thing that seems to have in this case ... been exceptionally sloppily laid.
Makes you wonder what else they screwed up ... but you see the head that is slapped on this bike may have no other common parts with the division/date and time of crappy job.

Cool.
Buddha.

[MongMan]

Thanks guys for the help! Comparing the cylinder head to the cylinder block, the cylinder block is perfect, its just the cylinder head that looks this way. I haven't tried to do anything to it (starting/compression) as i got scared when i saw the head and wanted to ask you guys first.
I did not take pictures of the valve cover gasket but you might be able to see a bit of it in the pictures, it looks like there is silicone or gasket sealer on there which means it would have been opened and maybe leaking, either that or the original gasket is melting? (lol @ me and things melting) its a 2004 gs500f. I have an extra cylinder head, do you guys think i should swap it? or the majority think its just cosmetics? Here are a few more pictures:

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[robfriedenberger]

I think people do this when the valve clearances are done, every gs500 I've looked at had the rtv on it like that. I've also seen a few that looked like that the owner said it was like that from day one it scared me off though. I looked at about 10 gs500f's before i found mine, so either the suzuki dealer in the area is doing it wrong or every one uses rtv

[sledge]

How much is a new gasket in the US?.....going off UK prices I guess its at least $25

Its not a cheap part and some people would rather slap sealant on an old one and hope it holds rather than pay for a new one 

[The Buddha]

How much is a new gasket in the US?.....going off UK prices I guess its at least $25

Its not a cheap part and some people would rather slap sealant on an old one and hope it holds rather than pay for a new one 

20-30 bones ... but the sealant isn't always needed, the people put sealant cos that's what they think they should do.
I glue it to the valve cover, I think the original was siliconed to the head wasn't it ?

Cool.
Buddha.