Plan on purchasing a 2004 gs500 over the weekend.  My 93 has just under 4,000 miles, 04 has 14,000.  My question is are the engines the same as far as mounting them and will I be able to put my old engine into the 2004 bike?

Yes everything is the same except there is an oil cooler on the 2004 engine I believe that is not exactly needed but some people will suggest that you put it onto your older engine.

mechanical tach on the older, electronic tach on the newer...

Can't switch oil cooler even if you wanted to.

... probably a few more littles, but plenty folks have switched engines among all years... I haven't done it myself, so I don't commit to memory all of the details, but search around on the forum and the engine swap details are plentiful.



- Bboy

To summarize:

1. Oil cooler: can't put it on an engine that didn't have one.

2. Tach: You can use electronic with older engines if you block off the mechanical tach thingy place on the head. Since your bike is newer electricals, your tach is OK. Plug the hole in the old engine.

3. PAIR system: old one probably doesn't have it. Don't need it anyway. Cap off the hoses and take out that valve thingy.

4. Ignition: Swap the ignition rotor and pickup from the new engine into your older engine.

5. Carb boots: New carbs can fit on old carb boots, not the other way around. Suggest you swap the carb boots to keep the right ones with your newer carb set. Replace o-rings when swapping carb boots.

6. You need to use newer carbs with the newer electricals. Otherwise you also have to change the air box as air intake on carbs is different. Newer bike has TPS and other stuff for electricals and timing.

7. Need to swap the neutral sensor. Newer electricals has sensor for 1st and 2nd for timing adjustments.

8. Engine mounts are the same. Exhaust connects the same. Starter connects the same. Oil pressure sensor connects the same. Spark plugs the same. Voltage regulators the same though stator might have different connenctor.

9. Stator: old engine might have 3 barrel connectors rather than a molex 3 pin connector. If so, you need a connector or you have to remove an adapter that is buried in the 93 wiring harness that goes from 3 barrel connectors to a 3 pin molex type connector on the voltage regulator.

14k miles isn't that much if the engine was taken care of. Why swap motors? Lots of work and I don't see many benefits unless the newer motor is crap.

(does he copy/paste this stuff or just remember and type in a mad frenzy of gs academic know how?)

Lol, I'd almost guess he types it out most of the time... as each time the question pops up the format is a little different, and there is a little more or less details.
Heck, with all the engine swap questions, there just needs to be a section in the wiki that describes the overview of what it involves like the above.

Maybe if one is particularly inclined, even a page on common parts compatability between the years.
Adidas is always chiming in on the same parts questions, and completes the thread with various information that ties along... it would just be cool to find it in one place.

- Bboy

parts compatibility would be handy.
The Kawi EX500 forum has that.

Thanks you guys for the quick response.  The reason I thought about swapping engines is because the seller has the top end of the engine torn apart.  His reasoning is that it was leaking fluid so instead of buying a new gasket they made a makeshift one and it was still leaking.  He claims to have everything needed to put the bike back together.  Here is the craigslist link..http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/mcy/3589170431.html
From the sounds of things it seems like swapping engines might not be worth it. 

Here is a picture of my current bike. 

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  very nice

Nice looking '93 there.

A note about the craigslist bike... At best, in pieces like that... its a good parts bike.  No way to know if it runs other than the owner's word, which isn't much these days.  The seller should know this, but make sure you let him know that you know this too... and make the sale accordingly.  I realize as a seller, one should price high and expect to haggle down a little, but $1k isn't even close.

- Bboy

I absolutely plan on lowering his $1,000 selling price.  I was thinking more like $800.  He says he has every part needed to put the bike back together.  If that is the case I think its a good buy considering I bought the 93 for $1,600 which after reading some posts on this site it seems I paid a little too much. 

I have an earlier model motor in my 2005F, let me know if you need any photos or anything. I didn't do the swap but it runs fine

Alright if I do purchase the bike and have any trouble reassembling anything I will be sure to ask you for some help.   

That is one clean '93, wow!

$1600 isn't bad at all.  It just depends on what else you have to put into it after the sale.  On my '04 it needed new tires, brake lines, fuel lines... and some other littles from sitting in a garage for awhile... Carbs were okay... I ended up putting into it the same amount the PO was originally asking, but thats after adding the tires and other work.  About $2100 total, which is right at the market rate so no quams there.  If you didn't have to put more than 2k total into it (without farkles and mods), I wouldn't complain too much about getting a clean, straight running bike to be honest.  I'm sure others may not agree, but you must consider the market in your area too.

- Bboy

Thanks the bike was pretty clean when I bought it.  A local radio station used it for promos years ago.
Only thing we did to get the bike running was go through the carbs and replace petcock.
We also took off all the stickers PO put on the bike and the decals under the clear coat. Repainted the tank, front fender, and wheels.  There is not a single dent or blemish in any of the paint. 
Only put $ into repainting the tank.  How much do you guys think the bike is worth?  '93 just under 4,000 miles.

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