How do I change Oil Seal on Suzuki GS500? - Page 2

BoomerFTW · 05-26-2011, 08:04 PM

Originally Posted by MB2

You sir, might reconsider working on your own bike alone with these questions ...if you took time to try and figure it out your self before asking them anyways.

I'll explain what's up when I get out of the doctors.

EDIT: Don't take my comment the wrong way, but I feel it's important to have a strong understanding of the bike overall before attempting repairs without a mentor. It seems apparent we are acting as your mentor, so I suggest using caution working on your bike...as doing the wrong things can endanger you.

The metal rod sticking out is for your clutch, that cover you pulled has a spring deal that pushes the rod in when you pull your clutch cable.

The gunk in your pictures is normal, in fact mine was worse when I pulled mine the first time - way worse.

Your chain appears as if it may be dry, whens the last time you lubed it? If you don't know and you've been riding it a decent amount, lube that sucker up.

And lastly, the oil in your pictures doesn't look all that bad. Whens the last time you changed your oil? Making sure your oil level is decent is something you should check every couple times you ride. Just because you are low on oil doesn't mean that 'leak' is how you lost it, especially if you don't know when the last oil change was. From the images you've shown, I wouldn't stress any leak problems. I would change the oil and then start paying attention to see what happens. If you're not leaving oil stains where you park, you are probably fine.

I've been leaving oil stains in my garage for 2 months now.

So there was far more gunk in there at first, the pics are from after I cleaned it out at first. Oh and I decided to try your suggestion and get everything put back together, oiled up, gased up and see if she leaks. That being said I think you were right about the gas line being the source of my leak and me just thinking it was oil.
I was checking my oil regularly and I have changed it out pretty recently (with help from a mentor as you would call it) but I didn't have any oil left to top it off and I kept putting off buying more because I hadn't checked it once where it had needed it and so every time I thought to check it I was like "well even if it needs a little more, I don't have any so whats the point (terrible excuse I know)" so this carried on for a while but finally I have bought some more and filled it (it even went past the full line on the dipstick a little bit on accident).
Ok so anyways NEW PROBLEM. So I have everything put back together with the new hoses and the gas valve on the tank set to "on" and the gas valve on the bike set to "on" and I can start up my bike just fine, it will idle where it did before and I can even start to ride around the neighborhood for a little while, but then something happens... It starts losing power my RPMs drop lower and lower and then it dies. I roll it back to my garage cause it won't start back up. take tank back off a little bit and check to make sure no air hoses are pinched or anything and then I reattach everything and she starts up just fine and reacts the same way. So I take her out around the block again and the same thing happens.... Go through same process and then get her started again. I pay super close to how she idles and nothin seems irregular. I can rev it all the way near red and it comes back down and idles where it should... I am baffled... Anyone know what it could be?

BoomerFTW · 05-27-2011, 11:49 AM

still having the problem, will work in prime, but in on it will only run for a little while.

strangerin · 05-27-2011, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by BoomerFTW

I can start up my bike just fine, it will idle where it did before and I can even start to ride around the neighborhood for a little while, but then something happens... It starts losing power my RPMs drop lower and lower and then it dies. I roll it back to my garage cause it won't start back up. take tank back off a little bit and check to make sure no air hoses are pinched or anything and then I reattach everything and she starts up just fine and reacts the same way. So I take her out around the block again and the same thing happens.... Go through same process and then get her started again. I pay super close to how she idles and nothin seems irregular. I can rev it all the way near red and it comes back down and idles where it should... I am baffled... Anyone know what it could be?

Don't worry about ole whats-his-name, "mentoring" is what this subforum is about.
Yeah, seems like that shift shaft would be almost wet if bike were leaving a puddle overnite.

I'll bet the bike does same thing if u just let it sit for hr or 2?
Thinking fueling problem(lack of)- check by immediately draining float bowls when "she" dies. Not it - Then check for steady stream when u disconnect fuel line.

BoomerFTW · 05-27-2011, 07:00 PM

How do you drain fuel bowls?

BoomerFTW · 05-27-2011, 08:21 PM

I found this: http://www.ehow.com/how_7331586_remo...uki-gs500.html Should I attempt to remove it and check the float bowls myself? Or just drain them...
Does that sound right to you guys? Seems like a lot of disconnecting...

BoomerFTW · 05-27-2011, 08:37 PM

Also once I have it drained and reattach everything what is the best way to go about getting the fuel going through the bike again?

2manytoys · 05-27-2011, 08:44 PM

Originally Posted by BoomerFTW

Also once I have it drained and reattach everything what is the best way to go about getting the fuel going through the bike again?

Once you turn the fuel on it should self prime.

BoomerFTW · 05-27-2011, 08:49 PM

For the life of me I could not find a decent picture for which ones were the drain screws on the carbs, I see a lot of screws but none of them look like they drain fuel through the drain hose....

MB2 · 05-27-2011, 10:42 PM

Originally Posted by strangerin

Don't worry about ole whats-his-name, "mentoring" is what this subforum is about.

If you are referring to my advice...

I'm not sure what your background is, but if you've ever worked in the service department of 'vehicle' related scene you probably would agree that having someone to double check your work IN PERSON could be the difference between a safe repair and one that got the job done. A non-safe repair can risk your life on a motorize vehicle, period. I'm just looking out for someone who obviously (no offense, we all start somewhere - and I fully encourage learning to work on your own stuff) has limited experience in this area.

Back to the issue, you probably hooked up the fuel lines wrong on the petcock. Double check that. DO NOT touch the carbs until you check that, as unless you messed with them earlier they shouldn't be your problem area...you already said you were tinkering with the fuel lines, so check what you KNOW has changed since the last time it was in KNOWN working order.

If you don't already own one, pick up a service manual for your bike.

Forums are full of bad and good advice, you'll have to pick the good advice for yourself...follow your gut. And let Darwin's law do its thing.

BoomerFTW · 05-28-2011, 08:50 PM

Originally Posted by MB2

If you are referring to my advice...

I'm not sure what your background is, but if you've ever worked in the service department of 'vehicle' related scene you probably would agree that having someone to double check your work IN PERSON could be the difference between a safe repair and one that got the job done. A non-safe repair can risk your life on a motorize vehicle, period. I'm just looking out for someone who obviously (no offense, we all start somewhere - and I fully encourage learning to work on your own stuff) has limited experience in this area.

Back to the issue, you probably hooked up the fuel lines wrong on the petcock. Double check that. DO NOT touch the carbs until you check that, as unless you messed with them earlier they shouldn't be your problem area...you already said you were tinkering with the fuel lines, so check what you KNOW has changed since the last time it was in KNOWN working order.

If you don't already own one, pick up a service manual for your bike.

Forums are full of bad and good advice, you'll have to pick the good advice for yourself...follow your gut. And let Darwin's law do its thing.

So I took off the tank again, squeezed the hoses and made sure there was no gunk in them, cleaned the valve that was on the actual tank, let it dry, and then put it back on, then I reattached everything took it for a spin and... same thing happened... So I took her back to the garage switched the hoses to make sure that I didn't have them on backwards took her for another spin and the same thing happened again..... -_- This is getting really frustrating. Do you think it is worth figuring out how to drain the bowls now cause that seems like the logical next step...

MB2 · 05-29-2011, 01:31 AM

Originally Posted by BoomerFTW

So I took off the tank again, squeezed the hoses and made sure there was no gunk in them, cleaned the valve that was on the actual tank, let it dry, and then put it back on, then I reattached everything took it for a spin and... same thing happened... So I took her back to the garage switched the hoses to make sure that I didn't have them on backwards took her for another spin and the same thing happened again..... -_- This is getting really frustrating. Do you think it is worth figuring out how to drain the bowls now cause that seems like the logical next step...

It's tough to say what the next step is without seeing it to be honest.

Get a book, starting knocking things off the list. Trying to tinker with the carbs may not be a bad idea, however I strongly recommend looking at anything you changed first. If this wasn't an issue until you took things off and worked on your bike, chances are you put something back wrong. Make sure you installed EVERYTHING correctly (it's my understanding the peckcock hoses are easy to confuse, though I don't have one), make sure fuel is the issue for why your bike is dying, etc.

Edit: My intentions were not to say not to take/listen to Strangerin's advice, so as he said...does it do the same thing after it's been running?

adidasguy · 05-29-2011, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by 2manytoys

Once you turn the fuel on it should self prime.

The GS500 does not self prime. The fuel valve is vacuum operated. In fact, there is no OFF (except for the impossible to get at master valve on the tank petcock, only used when removing the tank or disconnecting all the fuel lines).

You have Reserve, Prime and ON. PRIME bypasses the vacuum valve and lets fuel freely run. There is mention of it in the Suzuki manuals, owners manual, Clymers and Haynes.

For GS500 issues, the best source if information would be www.gstwins.com
It is devoted only to the GS500 with hundreds of GS'rs from all over the world.

There aren't as many of us GS500'rs here on this board though there are quite a few in and around Seattle.

BoomerFTW · 05-29-2011, 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by MB2

It's tough to say what the next step is without seeing it to be honest.

Get a book, starting knocking things off the list. Trying to tinker with the carbs may not be a bad idea, however I strongly recommend looking at anything you changed first. If this wasn't an issue until you took things off and worked on your bike, chances are you put something back wrong. Make sure you installed EVERYTHING correctly (it's my understanding the peckcock hoses are easy to confuse, though I don't have one), make sure fuel is the issue for why your bike is dying, etc.

Edit: My intentions were not to say not to take/listen to Strangerin's advice, so as he said...does it do the same thing after it's been running?

So even though I switched the hoses last night to make sure I had not put them on backwards and it died I thought about it on the way home today and realized I hadn't turned the valve on the underside of the tank back to on from when I was switching the hoses! So I did that, rode around for 15 min and everything seems fine again! Sorry for so many noob mistakes and questions but thanks to everything for your recommendations and advice!
(btw the hose layout is counter-intuitive to what appears to be, reserve hose comes out where you point arrow to on the peckcock for normal operation?! Who set that up...)

Buchanloon · 06-15-2011, 01:31 PM

Have been reading the above advice relating to a previous submitters oil leak from his GS500F. Why? because I have started experiencing the same. Unlike BoomerFTW I do have a Haynes GS500F manuel for my 2006 bike & it's VERY useful.
With regards the leak, I've replaced the Clutch Push-Rod & seal, though the leak continues, which makes me think it might be the oil seal behind the front sprocket on the chain which probably levers out ok, though inserting the new seal I'm told involves wrapping the splined shaft with rubber lest the seal get damaged.
The prob. I find with the GS500F though is, behind the front sprocket cover, gunge from the sprocket, oil from the chain & road dirt collects far too easily & no doubt can I think affect the oil seals with grit etc.
Anyway I hope BoomerFTW treated himself to a Haynes Manuel, I've had one for all my b ikes & they're frankly essential.


05-27-2011, 11:49 AM	#22
BoomerFTW Endorsed Joined: Oct 2010 From: Hillsboro, OR I Ride: Suzuki GS500F	still having the problem, will work in prime, but in on it will only run for a little while. __________________ Follow PNW Riders on Facebook and Twitter Last edited by BoomerFTW; 05-27-2011 at 07:00 PM..


05-27-2011, 07:00 PM	#24
BoomerFTW Endorsed Joined: Oct 2010 From: Hillsboro, OR I Ride: Suzuki GS500F	How do you drain fuel bowls? __________________ Follow PNW Riders on Facebook and Twitter


05-27-2011, 08:21 PM	#25
BoomerFTW Endorsed Joined: Oct 2010 From: Hillsboro, OR I Ride: Suzuki GS500F	I found this: http://www.ehow.com/how_7331586_remo...uki-gs500.html Should I attempt to remove it and check the float bowls myself? Or just drain them... Does that sound right to you guys? Seems like a lot of disconnecting... __________________ Follow PNW Riders on Facebook and Twitter Last edited by BoomerFTW; 05-27-2011 at 08:34 PM..


05-27-2011, 08:37 PM	#26
BoomerFTW Endorsed Joined: Oct 2010 From: Hillsboro, OR I Ride: Suzuki GS500F	Also once I have it drained and reattach everything what is the best way to go about getting the fuel going through the bike again? __________________ Follow PNW Riders on Facebook and Twitter


05-27-2011, 08:49 PM	#28
BoomerFTW Endorsed Joined: Oct 2010 From: Hillsboro, OR I Ride: Suzuki GS500F	For the life of me I could not find a decent picture for which ones were the drain screws on the carbs, I see a lot of screws but none of them look like they drain fuel through the drain hose.... __________________ Follow PNW Riders on Facebook and Twitter Last edited by BoomerFTW; 05-27-2011 at 08:52 PM..


06-15-2011, 01:31 PM	#34
Buchanloon Newbie Joined: Jun 2011 From: Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire	Have been reading the above advice relating to a previous submitters oil leak from his GS500F. Why? because I have started experiencing the same. Unlike BoomerFTW I do have a Haynes GS500F manuel for my 2006 bike & it's VERY useful. With regards the leak, I've replaced the Clutch Push-Rod & seal, though the leak continues, which makes me think it might be the oil seal behind the front sprocket on the chain which probably levers out ok, though inserting the new seal I'm told involves wrapping the splined shaft with rubber lest the seal get damaged. The prob. I find with the GS500F though is, behind the front sprocket cover, gunge from the sprocket, oil from the chain & road dirt collects far too easily & no doubt can I think affect the oil seals with grit etc. Anyway I hope BoomerFTW treated himself to a Haynes Manuel, I've had one for all my b ikes & they're frankly essential. __________________ Follow PNW Riders on Facebook and Twitter

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