Okay, so I’ve been wrenching on this old Suzuki GS450A. It’s one of those automatic motorcycles, which is kinda weird, but I’m into it. It was a barn find – dusty, not running, the whole deal.
First thing I did was assess the situation. I mean, you gotta see what you’re working with, right? The bike was complete, which was a huge plus, but it had clearly been sitting for years. Tires were shot, battery was deader than a doornail, and the gas tank… well, let’s just say it smelled like varnish.
Getting it Running (Hopefully)
I started with the basics. New battery, obviously. Then I pulled the carbs. Those things were gummed up solid. I mean, seriously, I’ve seen cleaner gunk in a sewer pipe. Took them completely apart, soaked everything in carb cleaner, blew out all the little passages with compressed air. It was a whole afternoon just dedicated to those carbs.
- Drained the old fuel (and I use that term loosely).
- Pulled the petcock and cleaned that out, too. It was full of rust and crud.
- Replaced the fuel lines. They were brittle and cracked.
Next up was the oil change. The old oil looked like molasses. New oil, new filter. Then I checked the spark plugs – they were fouled, so I tossed in a new set.
With all that done, I put a little bit of fresh gas in the tank, held my breath, and hit the starter button. It cranked… and cranked… and cranked. Nothing. Not even a cough.
Troubleshooting Time
Okay, so I had fuel, I had spark (I checked), but it wasn’t firing. This is where things got a little tricky. I started checking the compression. The automatic transmission on these bikes is kinda complicated, and I was worried something was messed up in there, preventing the engine from turning over properly.
I found it! It’s the * starter on this bike is really hard to find.
I spent a few days searching for a replacement, and luckily I was able to get it.
I replaced that little starter, and you know what? She fired right up! Sounded rough at first, but after a few minutes, she smoothed out. That was a good feeling.
What’s Next?
Now that it’s running, the real work begins. I need to go through the brakes, replace the tires, and probably rebuild the forks. The seat’s ripped, so that needs to be recovered. And, of course, there’s the cosmetic stuff – cleaning, polishing, maybe some new paint. It’s a project, for sure, but I’m stoked to get this old automatic back on the road.
This old thing going to be awesome when I get it finished!
