Air filter advice needed

[Tzian]

I have a GS550L 1980, when i got her years ago she had pod air filters on her, wrapped in electrical tape (i guess to try and restrict the air flow somewhat :O

Well as time went on it got wet and fell off, and she ran terrible.

Fast forward to her coming out of storage (long story) and i bought a stock air filter set up.

I have one major issue with it, the rubber boots that go from the carbs to the plastic box don't seem to reach, your supposed to get them to go inside and make a seal but if i try to get one lip inside their hole the darn things pull off the back of the carbs

Really feeling like i am headbutting a brick wall, if you put a balancer on the carb it says that their is a leak at intake manifold, which i am wondering to be the fact that i cannot seal these to each other.

Has been suggested that i just put K&N pods on her, but afaik that would require rejetting and tuning which i have no clue about, and i have also read that doing so is a nightmare to ever get them to run right which would not be a great thing for a newbie like me

Any advice greatly appreciated


Thanks



Edit: Found these, it says no rejetting required, are they any good? http://www.knfilters.com/search/product.aspx?prod=RC-2314

 

[Rob S.]

Those say "off road".

When I installed pods on my Suzi, I had to use tape to cover up more than three quarters of them to get the bike to run properly until I could get it jetted. It ran fine that way (more than two months), but I obviously wasn't getting the benefit of increased air intake.

I paid to have it jetted on a dynamometer. The results were great - no loses anywhere in the rev range, only gains.

 

[Tzian]

That's what i think they did before, taped it up to get it to run right which as you say defeats the object of using the pods.

I cannot afford to send her to get it done on a dynamometer, so i am wondering what my options are, is there a chart or something that tells you which jets to use with that engine/carb/exhaust etc set up?

 

[cowboyup3371]

You'll be fine with the stock air box. Buy new boots for both sides airbox to carb and carb to engine (they are still available). Attach the carbs to the airbox side first, tighten, and then insert to the engine side. Make sure you get new orings for the engine side from www.cycleorings.com when you get new orings for your carbs.



You are taking care of your carbs right?

 

[Tzian]

So you think that the boots have just shrunk or something?

cos they are just too darn short to fit and cannot get the plastic air box to move any further forward

Engine side is all fine with new O rings already
Carbs have been cleaned out, other than that haven't done anything to them as i said newbie to it all here and was working on the completely obviously not right first


Edit: just looked on place where i can usually get parts for her and none of the rubber boots, so its either going to be difficult or stupidly expensive

Also how do you stop them sliding off of the carbs as there is no ridge for the jubilee clips to actually hold them too, its perfectly smooth and the slightest movement or over tightening of the jubilee clips and off they come

 

[eil]

On my 850GL, the air box hangs down from the frame. I found that in order to get the air box boots to seat on the carbs, I really have to lever the air box forward with a piece of wood. Don't know why.

If your boots are not fully pliable all the way around, you need new ones. Yes, they are expensive. But it's a one-off cost and you'll potentially solve several issues at once.

 

[Nessism]

Yeah, the boots shrink with age. New boots are a thing of beauty. New clamps too, since they stretch.

If you attach the airbox boots to the carbs, and secure the band clamps, prior to installing the carbs into the boots on the head, it simplifies the installation. Works for me anyway.

 

[jsandidge]

If you attach the airbox boots to the carbs, and secure the band clamps, prior to installing the carbs into the boots on the head, it simplifies the installation. Works for me anyway.

Never thought to try it that way. I'll have to try that next time the carbs come off.