GT750 Engine Progress

[Olafskii]

Last winter I completely disassembled the 1972 Water Buffalo engine to try and find the reason for the coolant in the gearcase. (there turned out to be 3 sources--blown head gasket, leaking water pump seal and broken bypass tube)

I sent the cases and cylinder block for vapor blasting and crankshaft for rebuilding. I got everything back in March but by the time I got all the new seals, and o-rings it was riding season.  So the re-assembly is carrying on now--per the photos below to date. 

Olaf

[Dennis]

Engine looks great.

Its great to see progress photos.  Keeps people checking in with the forum.

With riding season over, shop projects begin again in earnest. 

Peace & Grease, Dennis

[Olafskii]

During re-assembly this weekend, I turned by attention to the old water pump.  The guy who worked on this water pump appears to have owned 4 tools:


• a hammer,
  
• vice grips,
  
• a Crescent wrench, and
  
• a crowbar.

It apparently did not occur to him that leaking coolant meant a leaking mechanical seal.  See the photo.  A mechanical seal face and the carbon ring should be mirror smooth; on this pump the seal faces were worse than anything I've seen from the worst slurry pumps.

On disassembly the putzmeister used his crowbar to get the impeller off--and succeeded in cracking the impeller boss. (the correct tools would have been a small puller a wee bit of heat) For re-installation, the pump cartridge had been hammered around into the not quite correct orientation with a crowbar.  Not getting the orientation right, the 'mechanic' appears to have used his hammer to bang the pump cartridge into the engine casing.  Still no joy so he shortened the pump cartridge with his crowbar--or, maybe he had a coarse file.  With the pump cartridge too short, the o-rings don't properly engage the lands machined onto the engine casing so he reached for the RTV.  Result, a bodged cartridge, a mullered bearing, and a wrecked mechanical seal.    It's a good thing that Suzuki still lists the pump cartridge assembly in their catalog (it aint cheap), and I found a NOS impeller from a guy in the UK for a decent price.

Olaf[/list][/list]

[Sr.X]

Thankful for internet searches.

[Olafskii]

The next batch of progress photos

Starter clutch and water pump drive gear in, starter in, oil pump in, pistons, cylinder barrels.

[Olafskii]

These are the final engine photos.  Thereafter it's on to the exhaust system and frame.
 
Alternator static checks complete and good.  On the ignition side: Condensers checked (160-200 nF).  Points checked and adjusted (Point gap: .014"-.016".  Points open 3.4mm BTDC for center cylinder, 3.6mm for left and right).  No durn camshafts needed on these motors.


SRIS tubes connected (the anti-smoke system), thermostat checked (185 degrees F open), temperature sensor checked, temperature switch checked (it wasn't working so a new one ordered).  New vinyl sleeving on alternator and ignition wires, new spade connectors applied to wire ends (Mecca Electronics has the correct open barrel crimp connectors that work with the 1970's Hitachi unlatched plugs that Suzuki used).