Engine colour

[Rockninja]

Good afternoon everyone

I just have a couple of questions I am sure you guys can help me with 

First of all This weekend I am striping my 1980 GSX 400F engine down and plan to have it all powder coated, this being the first question what do people think to having the engine powder coated? I ask this as every post I have read seem to go for rattle can spraying or brush on. My thoughts were that powder coat will last a lot longer and have a better finish.

The second question is what ral code do I need for the colour?

 

Cheers for any advice you can give me 

[wraith]

Power coating is ok on side covers but the heat from a running engine on the head/barrels and cam cover could burn it off.

Use the high temperature engine paint 

Silver or black?

Unless you're anal about it being 100% standard and original and apart from people from the SOC you will not know. I would not worry about the ral code.

[Blubber]

Welcome to OSS, 

Please introduce your self in the general section... Helps to take away our fear of talking to strangers.. Chuck in a few virtual beers to get the mouths moving 

 

Oooohhhhh and..." Rtfr " is read the fucking rules....in case anyone mentions that 

[wraith]

1 minute ago, Blubber said:

Welcome to OSS, 

Please introduce your self in the general section... Helps to take away our fear of talking to strangers.. Chuck in a few virtual beers to get the mouths moving 

 

Oooohhhhh and..." Rtfr " is read the fucking rules....in case anyone mentions that 

This looks familiar 

[Blubber]

It does.. Right? 

 

Caught me in a polite...Sober...moment. 

 

Won't be long 

[Rockninja]

Thank you Wraith for the comments and for daring to talk to a stranger , So it looks like i will be going down the rattle can route then

 

Cheers Blubber for the heads up, I did think about introducing myself but then forgot about doing that, I shall sort that out right now 

[johnr]

theres a rather interesting gsx400 on evilbay at the moment, its from the 1980s, so aircooled 4 pot engine, but its in a katana style frame making it look like a 550 katana with a small gsx engine. these were sold at the same time as the kat, and in other markets were actually badged as kats, but in the uk they were just gsx400's.

 

Edited August 26, 2018 by johnr

[Rockninja]

From what I can gather from the information I have been given from various sources including suzuki dealers this bike was a pre production bike and parts come from various models some from 1978 onwards and other parts I can get from the 1981 Kat so it makes it some what a fun build.

I have striped the engine this weekend and OMG!!! the internals seem as solid and clean like you would not believe ............. this bike never stops surprising me lol

[johnr]

th early 4 pot gsx400 did have a reputation for having a plastecine cranks, which probably explains why there are so few of them left on the road.

[Rockninja]

Oh really?

Was there an upgrade that people started to do? ........... other than putting a bigger engine in lol

[johnr]

no, suzuki apparently modded things on later models, but there just arent any out there still running.

[Rockninja]

Ah ok typical 

Is there anything I should look out for while I have it stripped down or is it just a case of fingers crossed and hope for the best 

[johnr]

AFAIK, just keep the oil fresh, change the filter every oil change and make sure the strainer is clear. Is the best advice, but that pretty much goes for anything if its in bits already, putting plastigauge over the shells to measure the clearances is probably a good idea right now. But even of the worse happens, there are plenty of mid size Suzuki motors you can drop in.

[Rockninja]

Ok well that all makes sense the strainer was practically blocked and the mesh had started to break off so I have been lucky I think, I doo have a spare one to fit on.

I will have a look at this plastigauge and see what I need to do