GSX1100 welded crank question

[TonyGee]

Ive read the 1982 on GSX1100 engines had their cranks welded at the factory, ive not had my 83 engine in bits so dont know for sure,  can anyone verify this ? 

[clivegto]

If you take the clutch out you can see if the crank is welded or not 

[TonyGee]

53 minutes ago, clivegto said:

If you take the clutch out you can see if the crank is welded or not 

cheers clive, dont really want to start stripping things off just to check yet, but might at some stage.  by all accounts and with more research it looks like they are welded but not right across the crank, not welded on the left end but the rest is !!!!!     

[spondonturbo]

efe engines had some welding to the crank but not enough for big hp. The earlier GSX motors did not as far as I know.

[TonyGee]

4 minutes ago, spondonturbo said:

efe engines had some welding to the crank but not enough for big hp. The earlier GSX motors did not as far as I know.

I found a thread about a guy who stripped his engine for the first time and found 3/4 of it welded !!!!   theirs a few saying they are and a few saying they are not  

[rodneya]

My 83 GSx1100E crank is welded.

 

[TonyGee]

1 hour ago, rodneya said:

My 83 GSx1100E crank is welded.

 

Is that from the factory though ?

[rodneya]

1 hour ago, TonyGee said:

Is that from the factory though ?

Pretty sure it was. The clutch and left cover were covered in blue silicone from being off before. But everything else looked like it had never been touched before.

 

[Arttu]

All the EFE engines had factory welded cranks and some of the earlier E models had too. I don't know (or recall) the exact point when the E models started to have welded cranks but it's somewhere around '82. Maybe at the same time when they switched to bigger taper on the flywheel.

The factory welded cranks are good for some power if they are otherwise in good shape. For example my stock '83 E engine was running fine for quite long time at 200hp power. But if you are looking for some serious power and want it to be reliable too it's better to get the crank checked and built by someone who knows these cranks. The factory tolerances are too loose for serious use.

[spondonturbo]

Maybe they started on the U702 motors which would have been 83 I think.  My kat turbo project is using one of these and I cant remember if the crank had any welding or not. it is fully welded now though 

[TonyGee]

so what ive read it looks like 83 on and maybe some 82 engines where welded at the factory ???  but theirs only one way to know for sure.   cheers lads