Take it apart, clean it, replace consumables, and put it back together. If only everything went this smoothly.
It’s been a bit since we last checked in with YouTube channel Restoration of Everything, but we think you’ll be glad that we did when you check out this Suzuki RG50 Gamma engine restoration video. For those unfamiliar, this channel restores a bunch of vehicles—mostly bikes, but some cars and other vehicles as well. The channel is based in Sri Lanka, so there are a fair number of small-displacement machines to enjoy, in particular.
The Suzuki RG50 Gamma is the water-cooled evolution of the stalwart, two-stroke RG50 that Suzuki first introduced in the late 1970s. In the beginning, the RG50 started life as a standard machine, but later grew into a teeny-tiny sportbike from Suzuki, and that’s the engine you’ll see here.
What’s particularly cool to me about this engine, apart from the fact that it’s tiny and adorable, is that it’s relatively simple, straightforward, and easy to understand. If you’re someone who’s interested in learning more about engines, but may be intimidated by the intricacies of, say, a Ducati 749 Testastretta engine, then something like this is the perfect way to wrap your head around what you’re seeing (and maybe working on).
It’s certainly not in the worst condition—just showing its age, more than anything. With a bit of TLC, as well as replacement of consumable parts (gaskets, bearings, anything rubber, spark plug, etc.), chances seem excellent that it will be in good running order with relatively little drama.
As always, taking it apart is the first order of business. That way, you can better gauge the condition of what you’re working with—see what needs replacing, what needs cleaning, and so on. Some things are obvious from the outside, such as the fact that the engine cases need a repaint, and all the hardware needs surface rust removed. Once inside, you can see that it doesn’t seem to be in bad shape, but really just needs a rebuild.
To refinish the cases, RoE masks off the places he doesn’t want sand to go, and then sandblasts the outside before giving everything a nice, fresh respray. We don’t get a good look at the cylinder head before he bores it out, but that’s clearly the choice he’s made—so of course, a new piston and ring set is also in order.
At the end of the video, we get to see and hear it run with no exhaust—and it sounds strong and healthy. There’s also an accompanying timelapse video of the full restoration of this Suzuki RG50 Gamma that just went up on this channel, if you want to see the finished project.