Just doing a routing valve adjustment to find my right cylinder cam bearing cap has a small crack. The one labeled "B"
Bike has just shy of 4500 miles.
What gives? I cant find the bearing on bikebandit anywhere??? The cylinder head fische slide has them separated but no part number???
I have owned well over a dozen bikes & I have never seen a failure like this.
Think it's safe to ride? I was planning a trip to Niagara in a few weeks.
Any help is much appreciated.
Fissel the Missile

http://s884.photobucket.com/albums/ac45/FisselMissile/GS500%20Images/?action=view&current=GS500BearingCap2.jpg

I think they're bolted to the head and then machined for the cams.  That makes each one unique and you can't mix and match without a trip to the machine shop. 

I might be wrong, but that's what I heard.

Is it under warranty?  Cause yikes.

Bike is a 2001, just super low mileage & pampered. So what are my options? New Head? That runs upwards of $750??? Take my chances with a used head from ebay??? What a pice of $hit. Guess I got myself a lemon?

Are you sure it's cracked and not just an imperfection in the casting?

-Jessie

Quote from: BaltimoreGS on April 18, 2010, 08:06:50 AM
Are you sure it's cracked and not just an imperfection in the casting?

-Jessie

What he said, If you can find a lab pipette or a eye dropper with a small opening to disburse a very small drop of dyed liquid (penetrating oil)  onto what looks like the crack. Then see where if migrates into the crack or rolls off. If it rolls off it's just a casting imperfection, if it sucked in, well that's bad.

100% certain it is cracked. Sorriest excuse for a casting I have ever seen. Did you see the link to the pictures? I am an ASE certified heavy diesel tech & Air National Guard Aerospace tech. I can tell the difference. Maybe if I could find someone who was a very able aluminum welder??? We have a couple of guys on base who specialize in alloys. The bigger picture is this really saps any confidence I have in the reliability of the bike. It is obviously a poor casting from the factory.
Sorry if I seem to be ripping on the GS, but I am fairly fed up with it right now.

I'd be pissed too.  That's purely a material and workmanship defect, entirely Suzuki's fault.

With any luck, the rest of the bike is fine, though, whatever consolation that is.  How much would it cost to fix?

A complete used head would be the easiest fix.

-Jessie

Quote from: BaltimoreGS on April 18, 2010, 06:23:56 PM
A complete used head would be the easiest fix.

-Jessie

The idea of putting a used head on a bike with just 4,420 miles on it bothers the hell out of me. It's not something I should have to do.

as much as that sucks, couldn't you just get a new set of bearing caps, and have a machine shop hook you up to get those done? I'd feel cheated if I were you too, but I'd go contact a suzuki dealership, and make sure there's nothing they can do for you ( which might not happen). Never know, you might get a lucky break and get a deal/freebie

What a bummer! Definately DON"T ride it, sooner or later, probably sooner, that cam is going to escape and do major damage.
I agree that the most likely economical fix is a good used head. At least you'll have some spare parts.
One other possibility (and I'm no machinist) would be to see if a machine shop could take a few thou off the bottom of a used bearing cap and then re-machine it to match your head, but I doubt that's feasible.
Certainly the caps are machined together with the heads as a unit and are not available seperately (new), and you can't just swap them off another head.

Quote from: Missile on April 18, 2010, 08:38:34 PM

The idea of putting a used head on a bike with just 4,420 miles on it bothers the hell out of me. It's not something I should have to do.

I know you shouldn't have to do anything but the sad truth is you do have to do something.  A Suzuki dealer isn't going to do anything on a 9 year old bike regardless of how low of miles it has.  You can either part it out, fix it and sell it, or fix it and ride it.  The cheapest and easiest routes to the 2 latter options is a complete used head.  If it's any consolation I also had engine problems out of an '01 with low miles too.  Good luck   

-Jessie

Can you post a picture of the crack, is it in two pieces? Can it be machined and have a new bearing surface put on?

There are some lemons in this line just like every other manufacturer. My bike spun a rod bearing at 6200 miles and 4 months off the show room floor. Problem is Suzuki will look for any reason to wiggle out of any responsibility for anything major. I had to put a salvage motor in my bike after going round and round with Suzuki and the stealership. The dealership didn't turn a wrench on the bike for 10 weeks, then lied about how it happened, how bad the damage was and tried to pass parts off as belonging to the bike that didn't belong to the bike. Long story short these bikes are either really good or they suck. You'll find out if they suck fairly quickly (first 10K). Good thing is parts are readily available and fairly cheap. After that they are great. Oh and I will NEVER buy another brand new Suzuki after the treatment I got from them but I'll ride this one till the wheels fall off. After 20k on the second motor I really like it.
I have the disassembled head of the original motor from my bike. I haven't looked at it for a couple of years but it's been in a large plastic container so I'll bet it still just fine. If you decide to go the new head route I'll back up the "Pay it forward" thread I started over in "for sale" portion of this site and give it to you for what it costs to ship it to you. All I'll ask is if you chose to take it just do something for someone else when the opportunity arises. 

Quote from: lilwoody on April 19, 2010, 09:43:36 PM
If you decide to go the new head route I'll back up the "Pay it forward" thread I started over in "for sale" portion of this site and give it to you for what it costs to ship it to you. All I'll ask is if you chose to take it just do something for someone else when the opportunity arises. 

That is very cool of you   

-Jessie

are you sure it was cracked? or did you crack it when taking them off? if you dont unbolt the caps evenly they break. like two of mine did. and thats bad. i just JB welded them back together. the intake cap is still JB welded good, but the exhaust one broke. I just bolted the two peices back on anyway and it runs fine.  dont know how long it will go though haha

You're kidding....right?

Quote from: lilwoody on April 20, 2010, 09:03:18 PM
You're kidding....right?

What he said!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A testement to JB Weld or.... THE #1 Kludged repair? Time will tell 

I wouldnt be happy with it and I hope if/when the caps do let go its not at high revs/speed and doesnt cause the engine to lock-up and send you skidding down the black-top on your ass.