New to me '83 (engine that is!)

Classic Goldwings

Help Support Classic Goldwings:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

mcgovern61

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2009
Messages
10,967
Reaction score
230
Location
Kingsport, Tennessee
My Bike Models
Former '82 GL1100 "The Slug"
Well,I have finally started the process of swapping out by poor old '81 diesel engine for a '83 engine that I got over a year ago. I have spent some time replacing parts on it, o-rings, timing belts, covers, seals, tstat, set the valves, compression tests etc..... and now it is time for the swap. I will add a few pics of the engine in it's before stage.
 

Attachments

  • DSC01286.JPG
    DSC01286.JPG
    105.8 KB · Views: 514
  • DSC01287a.jpg
    DSC01287a.jpg
    105.1 KB · Views: 500
  • DSC01288a.jpg
    DSC01288a.jpg
    102.7 KB · Views: 504
  • DSC01292a.jpg
    DSC01292a.jpg
    116.8 KB · Views: 501
Well, the engine is painted and have done the following; timing belts, adjusted the valves, water pump and tstat o-rings, new tstat, cooling tube o-rings, valve cover gaskets, timing cover gaskets, various o-rings, tach drive seal, shifter seal, oil filter and the missing washer.
 

Attachments

  • '83 repainted 3.JPG
    '83 repainted 3.JPG
    33 KB · Views: 491
  • '83 repainted 2.JPG
    '83 repainted 2.JPG
    36.2 KB · Views: 487
  • '83 repainted.JPG
    '83 repainted.JPG
    34.4 KB · Views: 489
joedrum":1v0mrync said:
thats a fine looking motor gerry. seems like youve adressed a lot of stuff have you looked into the clutch maybe looks geat :music: :clapping:

No, not yet. The paint looks so good, I did not want to disturb anything else! :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy:
 
mcgovern61":3qayx421 said:
joedrum":3qayx421 said:
thats a fine looking motor gerry. seems like youve adressed a lot of stuff have you looked into the clutch maybe looks geat :music: :clapping:

No, not yet. The paint looks so good, I did not want to disturb anything else! :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy:

Paint don't win races, chrome won't get you home...etc....
Looking Good Mate :music:
 
Now that's a purdy engine!!! :clapping: :clapping: :clapping:
Good luck with the swap. Since the engine isn't gonna sound like a Detroit anymore, you may find yourself trying to re-start it every time you stop, it'll be so quiet!!! :smilie_happy: :mrgreen:
 
Well ,after some west coast travel, I finally got a chance to do some more work. When I first got my '82 given to me, it was in really bad shape and the engine was seized. In the process of trying to free it up, we were pushing the bike down hill with the plugs out and banging it into gear. Couldn't free the engine because(as I found out later) it was blown big time! However, in the process of popping it into gear, I bent the drive shaft ever so slightly. When moving real slow in first gear I could feel a little thump-thump.

Well, the '83 engine shipped with a complete swing arm and shaft, so I pulled the shaft and swapped them. The '82 shaft was bent and the universal was showing some real wear. The '83 universal is real tight like new bearings! I decided to paint the '82 final drive while it was out.

I did some carb work, floats were out of adjustment and the float pins were not sealing. All of that has been adjusted and corrected. The carbs were left on the garage floor with a full tank and the petcock left open for two days and no more leaks! (Maybe my gas mileage will finally be normal!)

Today my 12 year old daughter and I popped the '83 engine into the frame. (She worked the jack and spotted all of the bolts for me plus all of the initial tightening of the bolts!)

I finally found out about the neutral wire and harness being different. I had to cut off the connecter and wire in the old connector form the '81 engine. Hooked up the battery and spun the engine, everything works!

Next, I have some more wiring changes (stator wires) and then onto installing the carbs! BTW, I moved the gas tank back as far as the petcock which allowed the engine to slip right in without the spark advancer catching on the tank!
 

Attachments

  • 82 final drive.JPG
    82 final drive.JPG
    28.4 KB · Views: 446
  • '83 in frame.JPG
    '83 in frame.JPG
    40.1 KB · Views: 447
The '83 transplant is finished! YAAA! :yahoo:

Well, I have got to tell ya, this engine is unbelievable, quiet, smooth, sweet and powerful! I started it up and it just ran like it was never out of a bike. Checked for leaks and everything was good except for known exhaust leaks because my pipes are bad. I got it warmed up and decided to sync the carbs while it was hot and they dialed in real good. I lowered the idle all the way to 650 before it would stall. I finally set it at 950 and left it there.

Took it out on the road and could not believe how powerfull (and quiet, and smooth, did I mention it was quiet and smooth?) I feel like this was the first ride I ever had on a real GL1100 Goldwing! I also now am quite positive that the '81 engine was much worse than I ever imagined. When I say it ran like a diesel, I can really say that this engine proves that one was really bad.

I really like the gearing too. Took it out on the highway and she was doing 80 in third gear. Pinned the speedometer long before 5th gear! After coming down to 70, the rpms were at 4000 in 5th as opposed to 5200 at 70 on the '81 engine. (Nice....)

Here are some pics:
 

Attachments

  • '83 completed.JPG
    '83 completed.JPG
    33.6 KB · Views: 222
  • '83 from front.JPG
    '83 from front.JPG
    33.4 KB · Views: 223
  • '83 finished.JPG
    '83 finished.JPG
    34.2 KB · Views: 223
isnt that frist ride after a long pit stop just great when thiings live up to the effort put in im happy for you, i knew you would like the gearing change ithink the 83 wing was the first touring wing where honda had all the ducks line up towards touring.

im glad you were able to handle everthing without your number one daughter help but if i remenber right you got some new help from another daughter so congrats to her great job team Mcgovern :clapping: :good: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo:
 

Latest posts

Top