Where to order parts from? Please help!

[tudorv]

Hi everyone,

Been to the mechanic with my newly purchased GZ and the diagnosis hit me like a hammer. It seems I need some major work on the engine. I live in Romania and buying engine parts here is difficult. So I ask you guys, where could I order this stuff online that would ship internationally?
Here's what I need:
- Bottom end piston rebuild kit (crankshaft, rod, bearings, etc)
- Gearbox bearings (don't know which ones or how they're called, but will find out)
- some other not-so-urgent stuff

I want new parts (not necessarily OEM), so ebay isn't much of an option. Please help me find an online store that has these!

Thank you!

[jonathan180iq]

http://www.ronayers.com/Fiche/TypeID/26 ... odel/GZ250 (http://www.ronayers.com/Fiche/TypeID/26/Type/Motorcycle/MakeID/2/Make/Suzuki/YearID/47/Year/2006/ModelID/7858/Model/GZ250)

They're the best for price and service. You can search the fiche parts list and order specific pieces.

However, how much do you trust your mechanic? What symptoms has the bike been having? How many miles are on the bike now? If you and/or the previous owner was good with regular maintenance, then a complete rebuild sounds a little extreme? Did the bearing spin or something?

[Water Warrior 2]

Is the bike rideable now? What does it do that your mechanic thinks it needs a rebuild. Did he do a compression test?

[tudorv]

The compression is fine. It's not a top rebuild he's talking about, but a bottom one - crankshaft assembly. She is rideable.. but the engine doesn't sound right.. there's some (barely noticeable) knocking sounds and while riding there's a constant noise which I suspect is coming from those gearbox bearings.
I'm kind of depressed by this whole thing. He said it's not really worth buying separate parts and rebuilding, and that i'd be better off buying a used engine altogether. Dunno about that. I'm going to see another mechanic to get a second opinion.
Don't really trust this guy (but the noises are there, and that's a fact) as I told him to adjust my valves, which he did, but he also messed around with the mixture in the carb and now my bike just revvs by itself, and the idle is erratic - now it's high, now it's low/. Dunno what the hell he did. Feels like the engine has an air leak, but i know that can't be, because he didn't take down the carb.

I'm just lost with this bike. :(

[Water Warrior 2]

Sounds like you need a second opinion for sure. Check for vacuum leaks on both the intake and discharge sides of the carb. Also check for the little plug that should be at the end of the airbox drain tube. Does the airbox itself seal properly? It must be airtight with no extra openings that are sometimes found.
Have you done an oil and filter change yet? I would do that soon and before you get your 2nd opinion. Also get the second opinion shop to recheck the valves but only after they hear it running to hopefully determine if it needs futher investigation.. With the valve adjust confirmed you then need to tackle the carb issue.
Here's hoping the bike just needs a bunch of TLC but if not a used engine is a cheaper option than a rebuild.
Keep us updated please.

[tudorv]

I also did the oil and filter change, and cleaned out the air filter. I checked to see if he sealed it back into the airbox and it looks ok there. I'll check again.
As for the engine rebuild versus used engine, normally you would be right, but how the heck would I have a whole engine shipped to Romania. I'm guessing that's got to be expensive. I'll weigh the options and will post an update after the second opinion check.

Thanks for your help!

[jonathan180iq]

If he "fooled around with the mixture" in the carb, while doing a valve adjustment, I'll bet money he removed the tank. In doing so you have to pull vacuum lines and there are only so many things on the carb he can play with without pulling it apart, even if he left it on the bike. Vacuum leaks are so simple and common on these bikes, don't rule that out. The up and down idle is indicative of that.

Punch the throttle. If the Revs hang a little before falling back down, you're mixture is lean and you certainly have a leak. If the revs drop down quickly and too low, then you are rich. (You're going to be lean.)

For example, if he pulled the top off the carb, and wanted to fiddle with the needle, he could have ripped the little rubber diaphragm thats in there or even not set the little seal properly when he screwed the top back on... (Come to think of it, the bike searching for idle and trying to solve itself is a symptom of this. Personal experience here.)

Is there anyway you can get us a sound bite of a video clip of your bike running?

Did you have these noises and knocking sounds before you took it in? Does it "CLUNK" or does it "TICK"?

[tudorv]

YES! The revs definitely hang a while before dropping, or sometimes they don't drop ar all. I have no idea what he did on the carb as I was not near the bike at all times. He said after pulling the spark plug that it was running lean because it was white-ish. So he will "fix" it for me. He did take down the tank.
I'll record a sound clip tomorrow. It used to be loud ticking and some clunking, now the ticking is gone since he adjusted the valves.

[jonathan180iq]

So you're getting an occasional clunking and no more ticking? Clunking is a concern, but we need to hear it to know what it's coming from. See if you can isolate where the sound is coming from. (with a "clunk", I assume you can FEEL it, right?)

Pictures will help us a great deal. Get us some of both sides of the carb and we can at least verify the vacuum hose connections and routing. There are two little ones that come off the tank and they are often forgotten when putting the tank back on. If you aren't scared to get your hands dirty, we can walk you through a lot before you have to take it to a shop.

I would say at least hang with us until we determine what the hell is wrong with the bike before you make a commitment like a rebuild. If it's easier though, a second opinion in the meantime would be good. Wish you weren't on the other side of the planet.

[raul10141964]

check the starter clutch
my was making noise like Bottom end before the starter clutch explode

[Water Warrior 2]

check the starter clutch
my was making noise like Bottom end before the starter clutch explode
Good catch Raul. It might be the problem if the bike is 10 or 11 years old.

[jonathan180iq]

This is Raul's starter clutch thread:

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=6273&hilit=starter+clutch (http://gz250bike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=6273&hilit=starter+clutch)

[tudorv]

First of all.. thank you. All of you for taking the time to help me out. Second, I did make a video of the bike running and a couple of stills. The problem is that the idle sounds ok in the video (dunno about the clunking). The engine was cold and the idle speed was set quite low (because i keep fiddling with the knob while riding).
The true idling nightmare starts when the engine is hot during riding. That's when it revs and doesn't return to idle. I was unable to show that in the video because I couldn't take her out for a spin (brrr.. really cold rain).
So here are the pics and the video. Tell me what you think of the sound.

[youtube:70lxoc1r]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpYwg5ruXvk[/youtube:70lxoc1r]

[mrlmd1]

The idle speed should be set with the engine warmed up - set to 1300rpm. Then you do not touch it, and especially not while riding. Your idle speed is set too low
.
I don't hear the clunking you are talking about, maybe someone else does.

[Water Warrior 2]

I may be wrong but here goes. Get the carb issue sorted out first. You need to be able to idle the engine in a warm condition at the proper speed to help diagnos the noise. At a very low idle speed most motorcycle engines sound quite sick because of the backlash in all the gears, shafts and clutch parts not running at a proper speed. Likely the cam chain makes more noise too. Also at lower idle speeds the oiling system may not be adequate to provide oil pressure for all the upper parts.
Just throwing this out for food for thought that may help others to expand upon.

[tudorv]

Today I fixed my idling issue. It wasn't an air leak, although it really sounded like one. The "mechanic" messed up my mixture in the carb.
The pilot screw was almost completely seated. I turned it out 2 1/2 rotations and what do you know? It runs smooth and even.
Now I still have to have someone look at my clunking noises. But at least the bike runs fine. :)

Thanks guys! I'll post an update after the check-up.

[Water Warrior 2]

When does the clunking noise occur? Engine hot, engine cold. Low RPM or higher? Does the clunking occur only when the bike is ridden or stationary and running?

[tudorv]

It is a barely noticeable constant clunking. More noticeable at idle or low rpm, and a bit louder when it's cold. And it's not the valves. I fixed that. I'll know more on Monday when I see this other guy.

[Water Warrior 2]

Let us know after the 2nd opinion.

Air cooled engines do generate a lot of noise somtimes with nothing wrong. Hopefully this is a bike that likes to be loud mechanically.

[tudorv]

Made a surprising find riding today. It seems 80% of the engine noise I was complaining about goes away when I pull the clutch. What do you guys make of that? If i hold the clutch I have a really smooth running engine. As soon as I release it, we're back to clonking..

[Water Warrior 2]

Need a clarification please. Is the clunk only when riding the bike or is it present whether you are riding or stationary.

[tudorv]

It's present all the time. I usually listen to it while stationary that's why I didn't catch this earlier. So basically whenever I pull the clutch (riding or stationary / in gear on in neutral) the clunking goes away...

[jonathan180iq]

I haven't forgotten about you. It's been a busy weekend.

I'm very glad you got the idle issue sorted. That was step #1.
I am still curious as to what's going on with the clunking. You say it stops making that noise when you pull in the clutch. So when the clutch is disengaged, there has to be some interference.... This is good news because you know that the engine isn't in need of an immediate rebuild, like the prior bonehead mechanic suggested.

I read that you said that this clunking is barely noticeable when you are both riding along and sitting still.
You need to figure out if it also happens when you put the bike in NEUTRAL. I feel, on the fingers crossed side, like we are looking at your clutch being out adjustment or maybe your shifter has some malady that's causing it to semi-engage when it shouldn't. The good news is it's not your engine. It's going to lie somewhere with the clutch/shifter/starter assembly.

That's why I would like to see what happens when you physically put the bike in NEUTRAL.
(The guts of the bike are not my area of expertise. I'm just brainstorming. Hopefully one of those boys is paying attention to this thread)



Check the service manual for how to properly adjust your clutch: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2158 (http://gz250bike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2158)

BadBob had a thread a long time ago about replacing the clutch, should it come to that: viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1568&hilit=clutch (http://gz250bike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1568&hilit=clutch)

I'm a work and have to run. Keep us posted.

[rynr]

I know what clucking you're talking about. When you pull the clutch it goes away. I noticed this in my bike, but my clutch will be repaired soon (springs, plates). Clutch damage is one opinion.

It could be crankshaft, When you pull the clutch it makes disassembly clutch from crankshaft and then it works quieter without a load.

It doesn't sound so bad in your bike. I'd go with good oil, valve clearance or maybe clutch replace (if doesn't work well). As always i recommend motul 300V - propably the best oil and GZ needs only 1.3 litre.

I've got an engine with broken valve, piston and head, but it's part doner for my GZ. Look at parts for Suzuki GN 250 - it's the same engine.

TRW (Lucas) makes great clutches for GZ. I heard many times that they're better than EBC. You can buy complete set around 60 euros.

GZ 250 is not popular in Europe and sometimes it's hard to find parts at reasonable price

[tudorv]

Thanks for everyone's help! I've left the clunking alone for now. The bike runs fine. A second mechanic looked at it and said it was clutch wear, but that it wasn't an urgent matter. If it gets any worse I'll take it in to have it replaced. But for now I'm just enjoying putting miles on it. :)

[rynr]

if you will ever need any bearings it's better to look for them by producer. For example both KOYO steering wheel bearings costs 100 euro by suzuki dealer, but in bearings store you can buy exactly the same KOYO bearings (just without "S" package) for 40-50 euro.