I think this could be an important message for all people that are running through an engine reassembly for GS models after 1998.
I say this because I found here on the forum some wrong information (also if they seemed logical) and I write this to avoid other people to go into the same mistake.

Models after 1998 (I've a 2005 one) have only ONE pickup coil, while previous ones have 2 pickups.
The timing for the models with 2 pickups must be done aligning the |RT mark on the LEFT pickup, and this cause |LT to be alligned on the right one.
The models with 1 pickup only instead must be done aligning the |RT mark on the single pickup (the right one)!

Here on the forum I read in different threads that in case you've a single pickup it's correct to align the |LT with that pickup, but it's ABSOLUTELY wrong!

I was reassembling my bike from scratch (see here: http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=45697.0) and, since on the Haynes manual there are no reference for models with 1 pickup only (it arrives until 1997 model), I went through the forum until I found some message where people wrote that the right way was what I wrote upper as wrong.
I did it.
The engine won't start.
I checked the spark plugs: they were completely DRY.
So I unmounted and checked the carbs.
Remount them and try again to start the engine: no results.
Then I checked another thing.... Discovering that now I've an engine that try to suck from the exhaust and blows from the carbs 

Luckily this error doesn't compromise the engine, since you simply revert the order of timing, but the valves don't touch the pistons, but anyway is something very very annoying...

I found the original Suzuki manual (until model 1998) and I found, in one of the last addendum for latest model, at the very end of the manual itself, that the rotor has been modified TOO!
Look here:


So, take care guys... Now I've to loose again not less than 3 hours to fix this, don't do the same!

Best regards,
Alex - Milano - Italy

Ooooops!   

Good catch! Thanks for the detailed post with diagrams and everything.

My 02 GS500 has 2 pickup coils same as my 97 had.  The change to 1 pickup came with the 04 F model GSs with electric tach.

01-02 signal generator:

http://www.mrcycles.com/fiche_image_popup.asp?fveh=2102&section=92675&year=2002&make=Suzuki&category=Motorcycles&dc=792&name=SIGNAL+GENERATOR

04-06 signal generator:

http://www.mrcycles.com/fiche_image_popup.asp?fveh=7247&section=300560&year=2004&make=Suzuki&category=Motorcycles&dc=792&name=SIGNAL+GENERATOR

Just checked and see that GenTLe is in Italy.  Could be the change from 2 pickups to 1 pickup was done earlier on EU models?

Quote from: gsJack on March 04, 2009, 07:26:48 AM
Just checked and see that GenTLe is in Italy.  Could be the change from 2 pickups to 1 pickup was done earlier on EU models?

Hi Jack,
I think it's something related to anti-pollution changes Suzuki did in the engine. Maybe in California (for example) it was in 1998, in EU later on...
Effectively, the E-04 model (written in the image I posted) refers to French version.

BTW in case you've a single coil, act in the way I described, regardless of the MY 

Ciao, Alex