Well guys, I know it's been a while but I hit the 1000 mile mark and pulled the top cover today and it doesn't look good.
To recap, 1987 milage unknown, I bought the bike from a friend last winter and he reported a blown head gasket. Upon disassembly the head gasket was fine but the wonderful plug under the top cover had sprung a leak while he was riding and he ran it out of oil. Inspection showed significant camshaft journal wear almost like someone had superheated the aluminum and smeared it (yes, smeared) with a screwdriver.
I cleaned and sanded the journals to clean it up. I didn't sand it smooth so the JB would have something to cilng to. I deposited a light coat of JB on the journal surfaces, wrapped the camshaft in teflon tape and bolted it together. I let it cure at room temperature for 72 hours and unbolted. The resulting suface was smooth and did not chip or run over. I tested with plastiguage and it showed just under the wear limit.
I ran 20W-50 for 200 miles and changed the oil and found no metal shavings ferrous or non-ferrous. Filter showed no deposites either.
I continued running 20W50 because of the wear indication.
I started noticing a knocking at about 600 miles and checked and reset the valve adjustments hoping it had just backed off on it's own. The knock came back within 150 miles.
I removed the top cover today at 1000 miles and the JBweld that had been holding up the cam shaft has turned brown and soft. It has disappeared from the grooves that existed and there is very little remaining. What little remains is much softer than the cured JB that was there when I first reassembled. There is also wear on the rocker arms (thus the knocking) that I have to attribute to the camshaft running in groove beyond it's wear limit.
Good news is the wife is just as much in love with the bike as I am and won't even concider trading it in after all the paint and polishing. Think the rides on the back helped too. Bad news is Uncle Sam has other plans for me here shortly so I won't get to look for a new head,top cover, and camshaft till next fall. Quick check online and I'm looking at around 1000 all said and done. A little nervous about what I might end up with if I go E-bay.
Sincere thank you, to Old Fellar, Big V, and all that helped me along last winter. It has been a great first bike and fun to learn on. I don't plan on letting it go. I'll try to get my teenager to help me post picks tommorrow so you all can have it for your records. The before picks should still be on here somewhere. If not I'll dig them up.

You might take a look at these:
 
both companies have very good feedback on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/04-suzuki-LS650-SAVAGE-LS-650-ENGINE-MOTOR-219...


Price: US $565.00 Buy It Now

04 suzuki ls650 savage,  this auction is for the engine/ motor - complete running & driving engine- only 2,000 miles !! - carb, alternator & starter are not included, we will be posting videos soon of this running & driving bike, bur right now there is snow and ice, so it will be a little while !!  we are parting out a complete machine. please make sure you know what your buying, as it never fails i get folks who bid before READING the description.all parts are guaranteed as I say, buy with confidence, we never sell junk.  if you would like to see any parts on ebay, email or call. we are selling off a huge inventory of new & used parts, we have parts & bikes from 1966-2007. email any requests or call 217-674-3793

if you like to find out how to save  even more $$ on your purchases give us a call or email about our new discount program !! phone & email are below for any questions

if you have 0 feedbacks and you dont email or call me first, your bid will be cancelled, if you would like to pay with a credit card call 217-674-3793, we auction items once and if it doesent sell , we list in our store at a 20% higher price than auction listing price to cover fees., dont wait, this is as cheap as you will see it !!

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http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Suzuki-Savage-LS650-ENGINE-MOTOR-TRANNY-VIDEOS...

US $649.95 Buy It Now

This came off a well running, 2001 Suzuki Savage LS650 with only 6,999 known miles on it.  Please scroll down and watch the videos of the bike running, parts working, etc. Also, please scroll down and review the pictures of the part. All items are used and contain normal wear unless otherwise stated. Most items come with mounting hardware when available, but is absolutely not guaranteed. All items sold as is without warranty, refunds or exchanges. Please be sure to review the posted pictures, terms and conditions at the bottom of the page before bidding or buying. All Ohio customers and in store pickups will be charged Ohio sales tax, currently 6.00% Other items are available for sale for this bike in our ebay store.

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Please understand this and do not bid unless you are able to contact us with problems or concerns.

Major flaws other than normal wear: none known

PINWALL PRODUCT ITEM #: 1636-04-112     LBVH

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I would machine it and fit a right sized needle bearing in the thing. Those can survive with nearly no oil.
Cool.
Srinath.

Sorry, but not surprised. Bummer, Gunner. You must have done a pretty danged good job to get that many miles. Just think aout how many times that thing spun, with the cam chain pulling down on one end. I know its a pain to have to handle the fix, but you really did a heckuva thing. My hat is off to you. Ill bet the folks at JB Weld would be surprised you were able to repair the bearing surfaces well enough to make it last that long.
1,000 miles at an average speed of 30 MPH = 33.3 hours. Real world average speed, including start up, warm up & all the idling at lights & such is, I suspect, a good bit lower than 30, if a bike stays in town. So, if a bike is run around town & hits 45 MPH, tops & is on 30 MPH streets a lot, then the average is gonna be  pretty low.

IDK your riding style/ shift points, but why dont you stop & think about it a while & guess at the operating speeds/rpm & time at those speeds & see if you can get a rough estimate as to number of engine revolutions over the 1,000 miles. That, X  .5 = Camshaft revolutions. Ill bet youll be surprised at just how good a job you must have done, for it to hold together that long.

Oooo OK the inner one, with the 1/2 washer - Plain bearing could be an idea there, they come in 2 halves.
I would at this point say though its prolly harder than my comment suggested, I have been dealing wiht GS500's too long, they only got outer bearings.
Cool.
Srinath.

smokin_blue wrote on 01/19/10 at 18:17:12:

can anybody whip out a caliper and measure those bearing sizes?

Look up a vdub line boring jig.  I wished I took a close look at it 30 years ago.

I like your concept, could be done as 3 stepped bushings mounted on a bar.  Right before the step would be a adjustable cutter.  1st part of the step bushing would serve as a guide.  End bearing most likely would need to be a sepparate cutter with the other 2 acting as guides.

Vers - exactly what I was thinking. Cam boring though.
You have a VW ... I have a 1835 fitted 69 convertible.
Cool.
Srinath.