My GSX1100EX, 1170, gasket, cam, clutch, carb questions

[BigPhil]

Hello all.

I bought a 81EX 2 years ago. 75,000km and 14 previous owners... It was a bit tatty but ok. I sorted a few bits out, like leaking fork seals and the totally worn out drivetrain, MOT'd it and rode it around all summer. 

The clutch has a welded basket. I replaced some of the ultra HD springs with originals as I had "tennis elbow" from riding enduros. 

There's a bodged manual cam chain tensioner.

Original carbs but individual (and probably dirty) filters. 

The oil that came out of it when I dropped the sump when I bought it was clean and there were very few bits of metal stuck to the drain plug.

Standard, original exhaust! 

Standard carbs. Don't know about the jetting but the bloke I bought the bike from said he'd cleaned them throughly as the bike had stood for a while and they'd gummed up. "A few years ago"

Just pulled the head and barrels. It's an 1170! Which is nice. 75mm bore and the cylinders look new.

The problems/questions

1. It's been weeping oil from somewhere I think between the cases at the front. How are the cases sealed. I rebuilt a couple of these in my "yoof" but that was, well 32 years ago... Shit, 32 years... but I digress. I can't remember how they are sealed. 

2. The head gasket had just started to weep a bit too. I'll just replace this. Bolts all seemed ok.

3. The engine is flat as a pancake until about 5k rpm and then it takes off. But the top end seems a bit lacking too. Any ideas here? Jetting I spose? Or the iffy filters.

4. The clutch lets-go in 4th at about 7000 rpm and then if I back off a bit seems to "catch" again. (The central basket is new, plates were all in tolerance, i'm running synthetic oil)

5. There are slotted sprocket on the cams. This isn't standard is it?

6. How can I tell if the cams are standard, aside from measure the lobes I can't find my bloody calipers.

I'm going to split the cases and do a complete rebuild. I'll get the cases, barrel and head vapour or soda blasted and painted black, if I can afford it :-)

What are the best gaskets for an 1170? And where to get them? 

I don't have a huge budget but i'm interested in new carbs. RS Flatsides? I read about "slingshot carbs" being the dogs... and cheaper...

Oh and a pipe. OFC I'd love a RaceFit legend but that's WAY out of my budget. I used to have a Harris on my bikes back in the 80s. They always split on the hanger, but they looked ace and sounded fantastic.

Er, that's it :-)

 

[et1170]

I`ve had no problems with cometic head gaskets on my 1170 kat with nitrous too. 

 

[Gammaboy]

Best head gasket for an 1170 is the Suzuki gasket for a EFE.

Cases are sealed with a thin smear of casebond/yamabond/threebond grey

Edited November 16, 2015 by Gammaboy

[BigPhil]

Cheers for the replies! 

Phil

[et1170]

vance and hines street exhausts are still available and look pretty good. they do appear second hand every now and then.

 

[BigPhil]

A Very ratty one came with the bike. Too rough to use but I'm not a fan of the looks. I prefer the look of something like the Harris or the Racefit end can. 

[KATANAMANGLER]

 

 

The problems/questions

 

It's been weeping oil from somewhere I think between the cases at the front. How are the cases sealed. I rebuilt a couple of these in my "yoof" but that was, well 32 years ago... Shit, 32 years... but I digress. I can't remember how they are sealed. 

If the O rings on the front 2  head nuts with the oil feed have perished the ETs leak oil down the front. It looks like its coming from the crank case seam but its often the o-rings. The oil travels down through the fins around the cam tunnel and the forward tilt of the block means it collects down there.

 

The engine is flat as a pancake until about 5k rpm and then it takes off. But the top end seems a bit lacking too. Any ideas here? Jetting I spose? Or the iffy filters.

If the jetting on the carbs are standard ( somewhere around 122 ish) and and you have pod filters ( more air) it will be way too lean.( No top end)  If the needle is in the original centre position then the transition to main jet ( WOT) will be lean too. This affects 1/8 throttle up to WOT. It should be raised to richen the needle circuit to compensate for the open inlets caused by the lack of airbox. Check all of the settings against standard. Perhaps someone has taken the trick carbs off and chucked standard ones on to sell it. It seems unlikely based on the the rest of the set up that they would have been that way, if indeed the jetting is standard.

 

The clutch lets-go in 4th at about 7000 rpm and then if I back off a bit seems to "catch" again. (The central basket is new, plates were all in tolerance, i'm running synthetic oil)

I run mine on straight mineral. Some synthetics cause the clutch to slip horribly ( I found this out the hard way) Thoroughly clean the clutch fibre plates with brake cleaner and then leave them to soak in straight mineral oil until you come to use them again. Check that they are OEM plates ( there is no substitute)

 

1. There are slotted sprocket on the cams. This isn't standard is it?

No that is not standard. Chances are the timing has been dialled in.This could mean they are trick cams but could just as easily be standard cams that have been dialled in to a custom setting. Put a picture up of the cam shafts with detail of the markings and we'll soon see if they are standard or not.

How can I tell if the cams are standard, aside from measure the lobes I can't find my bloody calipers.

As above what are the markings on the shafts,

What are the best gaskets for an 1170? And where to get them? 

here

I don't have a huge budget but i'm interested in new carbs. RS Flatsides? I read about "slingshot carbs" being the dogs... and cheaper...

RS are expensive £800 over here £500 in the US. If you use slingshot carbs you will require patience and a working knowledge of setting carbs up and or a friendly dyno man to get them set up. They are not plug and play

 

Oh and a pipe. OFC I'd love a RaceFit legend but that's WAY out of my budget. I used to have a Harris on my bikes back in the 80s. They always split on the hanger, but they looked ace and sounded fantastic.

If you want the max from the engine and you are running an open intake you need to look at an open pipe too. The other direction is to put the airbox back in and go in the other direction. The standard pipes where designed to work with the restriction of an air-box.

 

Er, that's it :-)

 

 

 

My 2 pence worth is embedded in the list above.

[BigPhil]

Thanks for the time you put into replying above! MUCH appreciated. I have taken photos of the cams and I'll post them here. Once again, MUCH apprecited.

Phil 

[BigPhil]

Here are some photos of the cams! The lobes are a tiny bit worn, serviceable but not more. (imo)