how hard is it???......

[Frost]

to...
sync the carbs
adjust the valves
rejetting...
and the other "hard" maintainance stuff....

I'm a super newbie...and not very mechanical inclined...will I be able to do this?...with the help of a service manual of course...
also, what kind of special tools do I need...

how long will it take approx. each....

also...i gotta do this at the 4000 miles (6000km) mark right?

thanks for inputs

[JohNLA]

To do the Valves or carbs you need to pull the tank off. If you have all the correct tools it shouldn't take more than a few hours for any of the jobs you listed. Still, I prefer to have another day as back up in case I need new parts.
Happy wrenching

[Frost]

clymer or haynes service manual should be enough for these tasks right?

[GRU]

it's not as hard as you think...i didn't do the valves yet but i did the carbs...when i first starete i had NO clue how to do it....after i pulled the carbs i finaly understood what was said on this site (how to) and finished my carbs....i'm a technician and know a lot about cars, engine rebuilding and other car stuff but this is my first motorcycle....

if i remember right, you bought a new GS so you should be good for now...maybe you can rejett it now (biger jets) but don't even tuch anything else because it's new...

good luck with everything

[Adam R]

Any of those projects will take you at least twice as long as you anticipate unless you get lucky.  Inevitably you will come across some unforseen challenge or obstacle, like a broken bolt, stuck pilot screw, or improper tool.  

But fear not!  Many here at the 'Forum' have been in your shoes!  Good luck, and do an archive search on the forum before undergoing any wrenching.  That along will probably make things easier for you.

Adam

[raven]

Frost,

I followed the walk-throughs on gstwin.com, with a little more info I found when searching around the place. It's useful to have a copy of the Carby schematics handy because they'll help you get the hoses right (I stuffed it up, but Kerry bailed me out when I asked the Forum).

PM me your email address and i'll send you the schematics Kerry sent me.

R.

[Rema1000]

Any of those projects will take you at least twice as long as you anticipate unless you get lucky.

How long have others found it takes to check the valve clearance?  If I need shims, then I might have to order them(?), which could take weeks (it took 6 weeks for my exhaust gaskets to come it at Moto Primo ).  Do most of you just put everything back together and ride while you wait for shims to come in?

I suppose I could order them mail-order; it can't be slower than the shop, even if they come UPS from Japan!

[Adam R]

Sheeeeit dude.  Won't you have snow until April up there in Minnesota?  That's what winter is for.  

I lived in St. Paul for a year, so I feel I'm entitled to kid a little.


Adam

[miket]

Rejetting took me 5 hrs the first time, including cleaning everything and replacing a fuel line that broke. If I had to do it again it would take me 2-3 hrs, I guess. However, like others said, there is always something that goes unexpectedly wrong.

It's not hard, just time consuming. You can see detailed pictures on my web page (shameless plug):
http://www.angelfire.com/mt2/mikesgs500/rejetting

[Kerry]

Yes, either the Haynes or the Clymer manual can step you through any of the tasks that you dare tackle on your own.  I recommend having both manuals -- the photo angles, charts, and techniques tend to complement each other.

I will try to list the tools required for the tasks you listed, but the TIME required will vary wildly with experience.  I can tell you that each of these tasks will go faster the second time around!

sync the carbs

* 10mm socket for removing the side panels
* 12mm socket for unbolting the tank
* Thin (preferably LONG) flat head screwdriver for turning off the tank-mounted petcock
* Pliers for removing fuel hoses, if needed.
* Auxiliary fuel tank, if possible.  (See Coolant Return and Coolant Return -- In Use for one possible idea)
* Good-sized electric fan if possible - to keep the engine cool since you'll be running the engine while the bike's not moving.
* Carb synchronization tool  (See my 2nd thread in the old maintenance thread for links on various models you can make yourself....)
* Phillips head screwdriver for doing the actual adjustment

adjust the valves

* The first 5 tools from above
* 6mm allen wrench for removing the valve cover
* 5mm(?) allen wrench for removing the right-side engine cover
* 19mm wrench for rotating the engine
* Set of feeler gauges for measuring the valve clearance.  The thinnest blade I've seen is about .04 mm thick.  If the sets you look at don't go that low, don't buy until you can find one that DOES.
* IF THE CLEARANCE IS LESS THAN .03 MM you will need...
-- Some method of compressing the valve spring (For examples, see the Motion Pro Tool or one possible Homemade Equivalent.  Some folks use a regular open-ended wrench of a particular size -- which I would need to look up.)
-- Tiny flat head screwdriver (or similar) for removing the shim, and a micrometer or a set of calipers -- accurate to .001" -- to measure the shim thickness.  (See Shim Removal and Measurement info from the Haynes manual.)

rejetting...

* The first 4 tools from above
* 10mm open-end wrench (or 2) for unhooking & reattaching the throttle cable at the carburetor end
* Medium Phillips head screwdriver for loosening the airbox, removing the carburetors, and taking off the float bowls
* Flat head screwdrivers (1 medium, 1 small) for removing & installing the jets
* Possibly others I can't think of....

and the other "hard" maintainance stuff....

* Hmmm ... it's hard to list the needed tools without knowing the task.  I guess we'll have to reconvene as you tackle each new job.


Whew!  Gotta go recover....  Sprite, anyone?  Milk maybe?  

EDIT: Changed links from sisna.com to bbburma.net

[pantablo]

It is a good idea to make friends with someone who is mechanically inclined and have them help you. the manual(s) alone won't be enough...

Imagine-"remove bolt" and you cant get it off...then what? I've found that if you go into a job knowing absolutely nothing (mechanically) the manual(s) may leave you high and dry.

[Frost]

how often do i have to
sync the carbs
readjust valves
rejet?

[Kerry]

how often do i have to
sync the carbs

As often as they go out of synch.
Seriously, you may only need to synch them once or twice during the whole time you own the bike.  I would say to synch them up as part of your rejet, and then forget about it for many thousands of miles.  If you notice a "rough idle" sometime in the future, check it again.

readjust valves

The book says to do this every 4,000 miles.  Rather, it says to check the valve clearance that often.  You should NOT need to actually swap shims anywhere near that often.

rejet?

This is a one-time deal, assuming that you get the performance you're looking for the first time around.

[luke1645]

hey rema what part of minnesota do you live in. i'm in north st. paul and i know there are other riders on this board that would be willing to help if you absoutly cant figure it out  

[Rema1000]

I live by Fat Lorenzo's/5-8 Club (Crosstown & Cedar).
I was wondering if any local shops stock the Suzuki shims.  I've had some long lead-times with Moto Primo, so was thinking of trying Midwest Cycle, or else just mail-order direct.  
I suspect I'll need at-least one shim, since the previous owner didn't check clearance in more than 10kmi.

I've got 0.037mm and 0.074mm feelers, so should be OK there.  
I don't have a micrometer.  The best I see in catalogs is 0.0001", or about 0.02mm accuracy.

BTW, neither car, nor the snowblower would start this morning !@#$.  
It was the coldest night in 5 years, so I guess that's to be expected.

[JohNLA]

If your valves are tighter than .37 you will not be able to get the clearance. The ideal solution is to find a feeler gauge that has smaller feelers. If such an item exsists. If you are like me and can't find one. Then buy a extra amall shim to free up space to get the feeler gauge in there to get a proper measurement.
I found a micrometer at Home Depot.