GS550 Coil Pack & Seized Engine

[109Countries]

The more I am digging into the 1980 GS 550L, the more I am convinced that it was a parts bike. It was missing the coil on the left, which I believe run cylinders 2 and 3. I purchased this coil from Eblag, but it appears to have the same plug as the one on the right. The only open plug (the length fits the needed amount for the left coil pack) has two male prongs unfortunately. The coil pack on the right has the same plug and is taking the only female plug with matching wire colors as the new coil pack I just got. I have attached the Eblag listing as well as photos (for future reference when the ad gets taken down). My question is, will this coil pack work? Can I just swap the plug and solder on a new one? It says it is for a 1980 GS 550L and the part numbers match, besides the plug. The white and orange plug has a male end, so it sounds like I will be cutting off the plug and putting in some butt connectors.

 

I turned removed all of the spark plugs and put a little oil in each cylinder before turning over the engine last night. Someone put what I had assumed was ATF in cylinder 2, but it is more likely agricultural/heating diesel. It was very red in color and smelled more like differential fluid. That would make sense, given that I got it from a farmer. It wouldn’t turn over, so I gave it hell. Once it turned over with a loud 'glug', it splattered the red diesel across the garage and landed on the wife’s car. So then I put about 1/2 can of wd40 and carb and choke cleaner in all of the cylinders and slowly rotated the engine for a few minutes. It’s turning much more easily now.  Should I expect to pull the engine, as it seems to have worked itself out? Or could it just have been too full with all of the fluid?

 

On a side note, I do not like the orange wiring on the new coil. Does that just pull out like the Kawasaki? I moved the rubber boot that holds it to the coil, and it looks like it is solidly in there.

Also, does anyone have a write-up for how to do the 650 head swap? I just saw that there is a junk yard a couple of hours away, and two people live in my area in this group. Someone bought a new engine for $50, so if that is the case, then I can get the parts easily. Is that pretty easy to do?

Thank you in advance.

https://www.Eblag.com/itm/SUZUKI-GS550-IGNITION-COIL-330TR12-TOIC18/202493071743?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

[Gixer1460]

Coils are pretty universal. With suzuki's  the orange/white  is common to both and is ignition power. The other odd colours  go to 1/4 and 2/3 coils - i'd cut the plugs off and re-terminate with either new plugs or insulated spade connectors. The spark leads look like they may be covered in heatshrink ? But strong possibility they will be bonded into the coil so not removable!

[109Countries]

So is there a way to verify whether they are removable, without royally screwing the pooch and bricking the coil? The whole wire is covered in color matched heat shrink, so I take it to be OEM

[Poldark]

The forums at The GS Resources has good info on building the 550 with the 650 top end.  Top end from chain drive 650 is best, but they were only made for two years.  Shaft drive 650 top end will work but you can't use its cams.  Earlier 550 engine cases will require "hogging out" to fit the larger bore sleeves.  Your 1980, I'm not sure.  81 and 82 550 cases should be a best bet.  Cruzin Image sells overbore pistons for the 650 at a good price: 700 and 740 (with larger bore head gasket)  Again, go read up on The GS Resources. 

[109Countries]

So does that take a machine shop to bore the cylinder? I will have to look this up once I get to my computer. Could you do the 1mm over piston? I’m looking for something I can do in the garage. Thanks for sharing this site

[Gixer1460]

You seem to want to run before you can walk!

We like ambition but get the basics down and working first - tearing down and building up stuff and most electrical things can be done in a shed / garage . . . . . . . boring cylinders / machine work (good quality) cannot unless you are a machinist with a fully equipped workshop !

Edited June 17, 2020 by Gixer1460

[109Countries]

Thank you for your advice. I will continue looking for the writeups in the GSR. From the couple of threads I saw, it says stick with the 550 cams. First things first, I need to get this thing running, and will go from there. I tried to pull the wire out of the new coil, and it will not budge. The heat shrink moved away, but that wire is solidly in there... I saw no way to disconnect the coil either. Thoughts? 

[Gixer1460]

If its bonded in, why do you want to remove it? If you want to use different leads then you'll be buying coils as well!

[109Countries]

6 minutes ago, Gixer1460 said:

If its bonded in, why do you want to remove it? If you want to use different leads then you'll be buying coils as well!

I think that the bright orange leads look gay. Like Henry Ford said, I want black. 

[Gixer1460]

1 hour ago, 109Countries said:

I think that the bright orange leads look gay. Like Henry Ford said, I want black. 

So cut the bloody heat shrink tube off - just slit down its length and it comes off - DOH!

[109Countries]

Perhaps I was unclear. The wire under the heat shrink is orange. The heat shrink is orange. It’s all orange

Edited June 17, 2020 by 109Countries

[Swiss Toni]

Coils with bonded in leads can be removed, if done carefully. I did mine on a Powerscreen because the leads had failed. Bit of a fiddle, but I wouldn't bother just to change the colour! Remove the surpressor cap, remove the orange heat shrink, and slip some black heat shrink over the cable then. 

Edited June 17, 2020 by Swiss Toni

[109Countries]

Brilliant. Why didn’t I think of that?