Kawasaki GT550 info please
William Ball
I've just acquired by winter rebuild project - an '82 Kawasaki GT550 in
need of a bit of surgery. I've owned Z900 & Z1Rs in the past and know my
way round these motors, but I'm just starting to pick up info on the 550.
No doubt I'll be wanting more specific info later - but for starters:
Is the GT550 motor (shaft drive) basically the same motor as the other
Kawasaki 550 motors (like GPZ) i.e.are parts (except final transmission)
interchangeable?
Can you get into the cam chain tensioner mechanism (for replacement of the
slippers) without lifting the barrels? The manual I've looked at shows
replacement as part of a total engine strip, but it's not clear if you can
get at the lower mounts just from the head.
The bike has got air suspension back and front. Is this standard? What's
the pressure required, and can you set it through a garage air line - or
will that detonate the bike.
The engine and all cycle components (forks, footrest mounts, rack etc) are
all black. Was this standard for an 82 bike, as a newer 550 I saw had
polished engine covers, forks etc - or was this one modified. Assuming
black is the standard colour for the engine, it seems to have rubbed off in
places. Any suggestions on the best paint to match the original satin
finish.
The original paint on the tank and side panels is long gone - but it was
red. I've got a (poor) picture of what I beleive to be a GT550 tank in
blue. This has 2 thick horizontal stripes in what look like silver and
dark blue. Were the '82 colours in red basically the same (horizontal
stripes), or was it different? I'm not going for a concours restoration
here - just a rebuild and a serious tidy-up, but it may as well look
roughly as it should.
Thanks
WIllie
Stuart Tomlinson
In article <01bcbc3c$6adf25c0$040000c0@kauai>, William Ball
<wil...@indexsystems.co.uk> writes
>I've just acquired by winter rebuild project - an '82 Kawasaki GT550 in
>need of a bit of surgery. I've owned Z900 & Z1Rs in the past and know my
>way round these motors, but I'm just starting to pick up info on the 550.
>No doubt I'll be wanting more specific info later - but for starters:
>
>Is the GT550 motor (shaft drive) basically the same motor as the other
>Kawasaki 550 motors (like GPZ) i.e.are parts (except final transmission)
>interchangeable?
>
tuning. Most parts are interchangable.
>slippers) without lifting the barrels? The manual I've looked at shows
>replacement as part of a total engine strip, but it's not clear if you can
>get at the lower mounts just from the head.
>
>The bike has got air suspension back and front. Is this standard? What's
>the pressure required, and can you set it through a garage air line - or
>will that detonate the bike.
>
best replaced. I can't remember the front fork pressure, I used a
bicycle pump over an air line to save my fork seals.
>all black. Was this standard for an 82 bike, as a newer 550 I saw had
>polished engine covers, forks etc - or was this one modified. Assuming
>black is the standard colour for the engine, it seems to have rubbed off in
>places. Any suggestions on the best paint to match the original satin
>finish.
>
black (I think) try Pot black, made by Hammerite, or for a spray finish
try satin PJ1
>The original paint on the tank and side panels is long gone - but it was
>red. I've got a (poor) picture of what I beleive to be a GT550 tank in
>blue. This has 2 thick horizontal stripes in what look like silver and
>dark blue. Were the '82 colours in red basically the same (horizontal
>stripes), or was it different? I'm not going for a concours restoration
>here - just a rebuild and a serious tidy-up, but it may as well look
>roughly as it should.
>Thanks
>WIllie
Rgds
Stuart
__________________________________________________________
Stu Tomlinson
"Friends help you Move. Real Friends help you move Bodies"
"I Still miss my ex-wife.....BUT, My aim is improving! "
internet:http://www.dcs.napier.ac.uk/~bsc5070
Kawasaki Z1 Classic Fuel Injection (z1000G) "Sanity"
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Matthew Cull
In article <01bcbc41$fbaac460$cbbcdec2@kauai>, William Ball
<wil...@indexsystems.co.uk> writes
>Don't think my last message worked! I've just got hold of my winter's
Willie? You were given the right name.
--
Matt - Bremen.
OT #4. TSTF2. AWA #3.
It only takes two-strokes to get me excited.
DRichX3
GTs eat carb diaphragms.....you can get cheap after-market replacements
from a company called NRP in Manchester (look in M/Cycle News).
Worth giving them a check.
Dan
William Ball
Don't think my last message worked! I've just got hold of my winter's
Z1R (in my younger days) and I knew my way around these bikes - but I'm
short of info on the 550. No doubt I'll be back for some more details once
I get into the thing, but for now, here are a few questions:
Can you get in to change the cam chain tensioner slippers without lifting
the barrels. The manual I've looked at has this as part of a full engine
rebuild - but it's not clear if you can get the tensioners out just from
the head.
The bike's got air suspension back and front. Is this standard? What
pressure do you set it to, and is a garage air-line OK or will that
detonate the bike.
The motor and all of the cycle parts are black. Was this standard in 82,
as I've seen a newer 550 with polished covers, footrest hangers, forks etc
- or was this one non-standard. Assuming the engine covers should be
black, they are rubbed through to the alloy in a few places. Is there an
effective DIY way to get them back to the satin blank in situ? The black
paints I've tried in the past have been either too matt, or they've chipped
off in no time.
The bike has been subject to the nastiest paint job I've ever seen (sort of
textured leather effect and all wrinkly) I beleive it should be red
though. I've got a (poor) picture of what I understand to be a GT550 tank
in blue. It has 2 broad horizontal stripes in what look like silver and
dark blue. Was this similar to the '82 red colour scheme? I'm not
rebuilding a concours winner here!, it's just getting put to rights
mechanically and tidied up, but I would be keen to know what it should look
like for it's year.
Any other info, things to check, do's and dont's for GT550s would be
gratefully apreciated.
Thanks
Willie
Fizzy
William Ball <wil...@indexsystems.co.uk> wrote in article
> The bike's got air suspension back and front. Is this standard? What
> pressure do you set it to, and is a garage air-line OK or will that
> detonate the bike.
Whatever you do DON'T use a garage air line (hey have you just blown a
seal? No it's frost on my moustache) Usually a few strokes of a footpump
by hand are sufficient to restore the performance. The air shocks are
standard.
Eddie
William Ball wrote:
>
--------------------8<-------------------------------------------------
>
> The bike has got air suspension back and front. Is this standard? What's
> will that detonate the bike.
>
Not sure about the rest of it, but if the forks are anything like my
GPz 550's you should inflate them CAREFULLY, probably with the pump off
a pushbike. Mine only need about 11 psi, and that only takes about two
strokes (cue corny joke...)
You also need to be careful what you use to measure the pressure, as a
lot of gauges will let out too much air for the reading to be accurate.
HTH,
Eddie
--
Although we modern persons tend to take our electric lights, radios,
mixers, etc., for granted, hundreds of years ago people did not have
any of these things, which is just as well because there was no place
to plug them in. Then along came the first Electrical Pioneer,
Benjamin Franklin, who flew a kite in a lighting storm and received a
serious electrical shock. This proved that lighting was powered by the
same force as carpets, but it also damaged Franklin's brain so severely
that he started speaking only in incomprehensible maxims, such as "A
penny saved is a penny earned." Eventually he had to be given a job
running the post office.
-- Dave Barry, "What is Electricity?"
Ben Lovejoy
Eddie <ed...@deguello.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>William Ball wrote:
>>
>> The bike has got air suspension back and front. Is this standard? What's
>> the pressure required, and can you set it through a garage air line - or
>> will that detonate the bike.
>Not sure about the rest of it, but if the forks are anything like my
>GPz 550's you should inflate them CAREFULLY, probably with the pump off
>a pushbike. Mine only need about 11 psi, and that only takes about two
>strokes (cue corny joke...)
*From memory*, my GPZ manual says 7-15psi for the front and 15-50 for the
rear. I have them set to 10 and 20 respectively and that seems to work
fine. No idea if the GT550 is the same.
>You also need to be careful what you use to measure the pressure, as a
>lot of gauges will let out too much air for the reading to be accurate.
Including a standard tyre gauge. The volumes of air are so small that
taking a reading from the front forks with a tyre gauge can empty it. :-)
Kawasaki used to sell a cheap plastic air-suspension gauge made for the
job. I found an old one for three quid. Otherwise you're looking at a
workshop gauge which doesn't cost three quid.
Ben
--
Ben Lovejoy, GPZ400R |
Email: b...@lovejoy.demon.co.uk |
Web : www.lovejoy.demon.co.uk/elam/ |
Mr. J.S. Greystrong
In article <B044A003...@lovejoy.demon.co.uk>, b...@lovejoy.demon.co.uk (Ben Lovejoy) writes:
>Eddie <ed...@deguello.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>William Ball wrote:
>>>
>>> The bike has got air suspension back and front. Is this standard? What's
>>> the pressure required, and can you set it through a garage air line - or
>>> will that detonate the bike.
>
>>Not sure about the rest of it, but if the forks are anything like my
>>GPz 550's you should inflate them CAREFULLY, probably with the pump off
>>a pushbike. Mine only need about 11 psi, and that only takes about two
>>strokes (cue corny joke...)
>
>*From memory*, my GPZ manual says 7-15psi for the front and 15-50 for the
>rear. I have them set to 10 and 20 respectively and that seems to work
>fine. No idea if the GT550 is the same.
Sounds about right. The rear shocks will eventually expire though losing
all springing as well. I've now got Hagons which don't need air hence the
reason why I can't remember the exact figures.
>Kawasaki used to sell a cheap plastic air-suspension gauge made for the
>job. I found an old one for three quid. Otherwise you're looking at a
>workshop gauge which doesn't cost three quid.
M&P sell a pump/gauge thingy for just this job. It's about a tenner I
think.
John
DRichX3
>
>Including a standard tyre gauge. The volumes of air are so small that
>taking a reading from the front forks with a tyre gauge can empty it. :-)
>
>Kawasaki used to sell a cheap plastic air-suspension gauge made for the
>job. I found an old one for three quid. Otherwise you're looking at a
>workshop gauge which doesn't cost three quid.
I used to dispatch a GT550. Don't worry about the pressure, just pump 'em
up with a push-bike pump. You'll have a job popping the seals on the rear
shocks with one of those. Just give it five pumps, have a bounce on the
seat, and keep going until they're firm enough for you. Whatever you
decide, they'll gradually leak anyway. Air shocks last forever, but I had
to pump em up every Monday (a bit too firm, so they'd be right Tues and Wed).
Dan :o)-
Ian Sandell
:
>In article <B044A003...@lovejoy.demon.co.uk>,
>b...@lovejoy.demon.co.uk (Ben Lovejoy) writes:
>
>>
>>Including a standard tyre gauge. The volumes of air are so small that
>>taking a reading from the front forks with a tyre gauge can empty it. :-)
>>
>>Kawasaki used to sell a cheap plastic air-suspension gauge made for the
>>job. I found an old one for three quid. Otherwise you're looking at a
>>workshop gauge which doesn't cost three quid.
I use a bicycle pump and tyre gauge. I try say 6 strokes, measure with
gauge then exhaust all the air. Once I find the correct number of
strokes, I repeat it 2 or 3 times (ie pump, measure, exhaust) to check
repeatability then use that number of strokes.
Ian
Ben Lovejoy
dri...@aol.com (DRichX3) wrote:
>>Kawasaki used to sell a cheap plastic air-suspension gauge made for the
>>job. I found an old one for three quid. Otherwise you're looking at a
>>workshop gauge which doesn't cost three quid.
> I used to dispatch a GT550. Don't worry about the pressure, just pump 'em
>up with a push-bike pump. You'll have a job popping the seals on the rear
>shocks with one of those.
That's reassuring to know, anyway. Though I find measuring the pressure
easier than trying to do it by feel except when actually riding it.
>Whatever you
>decide, they'll gradually leak anyway. Air shocks last forever, but I had
>to pump em up every Monday
Mine aren't that bad, but the front in particular need topping up about
once a month.