I don't know much at all about vehicle repairs. I just apparantly blew a head gasket on my new gs500 at 230 miles. Do any of you know how a head gasket would blow? The dealers are saying that I was not following the break in procedure and was running the engine at too high in the RPM range and putting too much work on the new engine. I have never had the bike over 5500 rpms(manual states keep it under 5500), maybe 6000 once or twice cuz I missed the shift trying to learn how to ride the thing. I dont race the bike down the street or anything. I just want to know if I could have somehow blown the head gasket or if the bike may have just been assembled wrong or something. And what really causes a blown head gasket on a bike? Hopefully the bike will be good as new when I get it back Tuesday right.
The dealer is trying to put the blame on you so he doesn't have to pay out on a warranty repair. A headgasket should not fail at 230 mi., regardless of how the engine was run. It was obviously defective and should be fully covered under warranty. Don't pay a single dime; if they won't help you contact Suzuki USA directly.
-M
No way could it have blown from over revving it during the break in... that's total crap... the head gasket isn't a part that needs to be 'broken in'. The break in period is to break in moving engine parts that make contact with other parts; ie piston rings and bearings. The only way I can see that a head gasket would blow in 230 miles would be 1) head bolts not torqued down properly, 2) faulty head gasket, or 3) faulty head mating surfaces. In any case, it's not your fault.
They are screwing you, don't take that crap from them.
On a good note it is being fixed under warranty, but when the guy told be that he said "I called Suzuki and they said that they would fix it this time" in a tone that basically said "your lucky they fixed it this time and you're screwed if it happens again because it was your fault". I think they were screwing with me because they knew I have never owned a bike. Good to know that it isn't my fault though. Maybe I should contact Suzuki about the issue regardless. Will my bike be as good as new when I get it back if it is being fixed properly or am I going to have more issues further on down the road?
BTW my bike has been in repair 14 days if I get it back Tuesday as planned. My state llemon law says that if a bike is in repair for 30 days within the 1st year of ownership you can receive a new bike. I will have owned the bike for 22 days on tuesday and it has been in repair for 14. I love how dealerships start to screw you as soon as you sign on the line but they are reallly nice up until they get your cash. :mad:
yea, screw them. When the gasket blew how bad was the oil leak? Did the engine run for any length of time with low oil pressure? If so I'd want a new bike, no telling what kind of wear and tear the engine sustained.
-M
It started with an oil leak, wasn't bad. Dip stick was still in between the lines of normal. I had to ride it down there (about 20 miles) I added a tiny bit to make sure it didn't leak out too much. I figured it was the same oil leak they had fixed the 2nd day I had the bike.The bike leaked about 1/2 the way there a little bit but at about the 1/2 way point, it seemed to me that it had stopped leaking and by the time I arrived at the dealership most of the oil had blown off my shoe. So it never lost a substantial ammount of oil.
Also, the dealership told me that after having the new head gasket put on, I will have to start my break in period(600 miles) over from the beginning again. Is this true? Maybe I should take the bike to a different dealership to get it fixed if I ever have it long enough to ride.
that makes no sence, sure you should take it easy for liek a 100 miles or so to set it in but not start over, contact Suzuki USA and get this shaZam! strate. there is no need for them to be hasleing you this way, and has made you want to sell and go to honda as this has been repeated more than 2 with the service and under breath threats ect...
Quote from: 06GSowner on July 08, 2006, 02:31:16 PM
Also, the dealership told me that after having the new head gasket put on, I will have to start my break in period(600 miles) over from the beginning again. Is this true? Maybe I should take the bike to a different dealership to get it fixed if I ever have it long enough to ride.
It depends on whether or not they replaced the base gasket too. If they did, and they properly de-glazed the cylinders before re-installing them, then yes you should start the break-in cycle over. I seriously doubt that's what happened though. The most likely answer is that the guy you spoke to is talking out of his ass.
FYI: check this link for some information about breaking in an engine: http://www.ntnoa.org/enginebreakin.htm
-M