Hey Guys. I thought I'd share with you all my long term project. I think I'm further along enough that it won't seem like this thread is just dragging on forever. :D About 2 years ago my 16 year old son bought his first bike, a 97 GS500e, for $900. Less than a year later the engine seized up and rather than selling it for a couple hundred, I decided to keep it and rebuild it so that his first bike would then become my first bike. :cheers: He has since bought a V-Star 650, and then traded up to a VFR 800 from there. Having no experience myself, this site and the Haynes manual have been invaluable in the process, so a big thanks to all of you for sharing your expertise with newbies like me.
So it's been about a year of working off and on and I finally have the bike, and engine, completely torn down. Turns out it threw a rod and thrashed the crankshaft and case. I've purchased a crankcase and crankshaft from members here, as well as a few other miscellaneous upgrade parts from eBay and amazon. I've started the process of painting and am ready to start reassembling the engine. I'm a referee for Lacrosse in the spring and football in the fall, not to mention a father of 8 kids, so I've had to take a lot of breaks, but I finally feel like I'm making good progress and am getting excited about getting this done.
Here is the bike when my son first bought it:
(http://sites.google.com/site/kreutzergs500erebuild/pics/GS500.jpg)
Here's a shot from the night it died:
(http://sites.google.com/site/kreutzergs500erebuild/pics/IMG_0009.jpg)
Of course, I was out of the state on business when it died, so my amazing wife took our 21 year old daughter (pictured above) and the two of them (both barely over 5ft tall) helped my 17 year old son lift that GS into the back of our Suburban to get it off of the freeway and home to our garage where it still sits. :cool:
the older rear tail plastics always looked better to me...
Do like the color scheme
Thanks Guys.
Sorry guys, have to share my excitement over a small victory. Finally got the crankcase halves put back together! :woohoo: It was a bit of a struggle since I had some trouble using my torque wrench for the first time and accidentally snapped crankcase bolts 2 and 4 when tightening them. After pulling the whole think back apart and drilling/backing out the broken bolts, I cleaned it all back up and started over again, much more carefully this time. Thankfully the crankcase I got on the boards here came with a set of bolts, so I had my originals to replace ones I broke. So exciting to finally be making progress on putting it back together since all I've done up to this point is pull stuff apart.
(http://sites.google.com/site/kreutzergs500erebuild/pics/IMG_0002.jpg)
Quote from: GSRiderDad on January 20, 2015, 03:21:43 PM
Sorry guys, have to share my excitement over a small victory. Finally got the crankcase halves put back together! :woohoo: It was a bit of a struggle since I had some trouble using my torque wrench for the first time and accidentally snapped crankcase bolts 2 and 4 when tightening them. After pulling the whole think back apart and drilling/backing out the broken bolts, I cleaned it all back up and started over again, much more carefully this time. Thankfully the crankcase I got on the boards here came with a set of bolts, so I had my originals to replace ones I broke. So exciting to finally be making progress on putting it back together since all I've done up to this point is pull stuff apart.
(http://sites.google.com/site/kreutzergs500erebuild/pics/IMG_0002.jpg)
I KNOW THIS FEELING ALL TO WELL!
Pro tip, if you have the wiring and cables out of the way on the bike. Putting the cylinder body on and over the pistons. and leaving everything off. and putting the engine back in like that, is the easiest way to get it in there.
Also, if you need a oil pan gasket.. lemme know, I have the one for the pre oil cooler models... Pay for postage and its yours!
Thanks for the tip J_Walker. I'll keep that in mind. I think I'm fine on the gasket. I bought the full gasket kit for the rebuild. Thanks though.
So excited for what came in the mail today! :D
(https://sites.google.com/site/kreutzergs500erebuild/pics/89clipons.jpg)
Nice man,
The OEM clip ons are a great addition to the GS! Totally different feeling than handlebars.