i am replacing the head, and cams on my 2002 gs 500. the head i believe is coming off of a 1992. i am unsure of how to set the timing if anyone could walk me through the steps or maybe post a video that would be great thank you
I don't know if your timing rotor is a single-tooth or multi-
But here is the procedure for the earlier single-tooth models.
set_timing.pdf (http://www.familyjones.org/paul/set_timing.pdf)
There are videos. (FIY: 2001-2002 is still a double pickup with a single bump on the rotor as in 1989-2000)
The Haynes manual, Clymer and Suzuki service manuals walk you through the process.
You need the 19mm wrench to turn the engine (clockwise). One caution: the diagrams show to engine head horizontal. Really it is ay about a 15* angle. Your brain plays tricks when aligning the #1 timing arrow. It must be pointing correctly at the head- which is at an angle. Your brain will try to make you point the arrow forward and level like the diagrams show (because the diagrams have the head shown incorrectly as perfectly level). That can get you one link off. Not enough to make the engine run wrong, but not run at its peak. A 10* error in timing is not a death blow to an engine, but not the best for performance.
And check the timing AFTER things tightened up. It can shift a link it appears when the cam chain tensioned is tightened.
Note where top dead center really is.
But really, the manual is really good at giving instructions. That's what I follow. My preference is Haynes or Suzuki.
Someone probably knows links to videos or other tutorials.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/gs500signalgenerators.jpg)