Need a maintenance advice

[Miki]

Hi everybody !
I would like an advice about 4000 mile  (6000km) mainetenance:

The manual indicates to perform also the following activities:

1. Inspect valve clearance; adjust if necessary
2. Lubricate rear suspension linkage and swing arm bearings

I've looked in Clymer mainetenance book, and it seems preety tedious to perform these activities:
The valve clearance test requires to remove the cylinder head cover and to replace O-ring seals of the bolt holes in the cylinder head cover.
The gasket on the breather cover should be replaced as well.
In addition, there is a chance that the rubber gasket arround the perimeter of the cylinder head cover, should be replaced as well (this also requires to apply some special bond).

In order to perform the 2nd task (lubrication of swing arm bearing) it is necessary to remove them and the shock linkage. This task also seems not trivial and time consuming.

I'll be glad if someone with experience in these activities advise me whether they are essential every 4000 miles, and if they are complicated to perform - as I suspect.

Many many thanks
Miki

[Miki]

On yet another think: Forgot to mention - I have a GS model 2001

Miki

[Kerry]

Miki,

"Just say 'No!' "

If you're a perfectionist, it's not a bad idea to do most of the complete "check" every 4,000 miles.  But don't replace all those gaskets and O-rings unless you have a reason to.

My bike has 30,000 miles on it, and I've had the valve cover off ... what ... 3 times?  The first time around, I ordered replacement O-rings, just like my manual said.  They're still in the package.  Still using my OEM breather cover gasket and valve cover gasket, too.

Oh, and thanks for the reminder.  I have YET to lubricate the swing arm bearing.  Guess I really should by now....

Kerry

[wasabi_peas]

Not sure if I'm a good resource :lol:  but I'm doing the valve clearance check (and adjust now).

At the advice of others on the board, from looking at the condition of my gaskets, and from my hypothesis on how bomber those seals need to be made, I'm not planning on replacing the O-rings or valve cover gasket.  For some reason, I'm replacing the breather cover gasket, but the reason seems arbitrary to me now.  Oh yeah, the sealer used by the last wrench seems stuck to it, and I figured I'd get a better seal by replacing.  For the sake of my sanity next time I check, I'll probably not goop it together.

I'll let the board know if my engine squirts oil everywhere afterward. :dunno:

MORE IMPORTANTLY: I'm impatient, and it's sunny out now.  And I'm still waiting on the replacement shims on order from BikeBandit (apparently they order from Suzuki as well; I figured they'd be in stock.)  So if you jump in, check the forecast and wait for a rainy month.  Or you'll be going crazy with your engine open, watching the others ride by.....

You can do it!

[Miki]

Thanks guys. very helpful info. I'll try to leave old o-rings and gaskets as well....

[Kerry]

I'm impatient, and it's sunny out now.  And I'm still waiting on the replacement shims on order from BikeBandit

Put it back together and ride!

It should only take 45 mins to an hour to reassemble the bike, and when the shims come in you'll get to have one more practice run at the disassembly / reassembly process.  Which will make it go even FASTER the next time around.

[Guccisport]

speaking of disassemble, reassemble: do you have to remove the airbox and carbs when checking the valve clearance?  it seems like that wouldn't be necessary, but in the how-to page here it shows marc removing both.
i've been thinking about doing the valves myself, but am just as impatient as wasabi peas, so i want to know what i'm getting into here.  thanks. :mrgreen:

[Kerry]

speaking of disassemble, reassemble: do you have to remove the airbox and carbs when checking the valve clearance?

NO.

You MAY need to detach the choke and throttle cables to get sufficient clearance to pull the valve cover, but leave the carbs and airbox in place!

[Richard UK]

When re-using gaskets or o-rings, make sure the mating surfaces are really spotlessly clean.  A very light smear of grease on each surface will also help to stick them down and bed them in nicely.

[Turkina]

I know I'm going to check my valves at 4k... going to make sure the tick tick tick sound my bike makes is not due to any maladjusted parts.  And one of these days, the rear swingarm is going to come off    The stock Suzuki bearing grease is pretty poor from all the parts I've disassembeled so far.  I probably should get moly grease but I've got a big tub of lithium bearing grease I use for all those rotating parts  Too bad bikes don't come with sealed bearings and grease nipples so we don't have to think of these things!