Airbox Pains

[Fizzyhair]

I just bought a GS650GL for ?60 ($80) and Ive finaly got it running!
However I have a bit of brown smoke from the left side exhaust. I think it's due to air getting into the seals where the airbox meets the carbs. The issue is that despite my best efforts the air box just won't sit forward enough to allow my to tighten the clips properly. It's about 10mm. If I wedge a block of wood behind the box it's fine but if I remove the wood it'll pop off the carbs again!

I'd rather not put K&N styles on it as the closest Dyno to me is 100 miles away.

Am I missing something. Is there a way to assemble it in a better order?

The main problem is that the airbox is right up against the frame and I just don't see where I'm supposed to get this extra 10mm from!

Many thanks in advance

 

[bighamms]

Not sure if this will be of help, but I had a very similar problem on my 81 gs450s. Fiddled it for a good few hours before realizing that the airbox was connected to the rear inner fender (the plastic one), which the POS had mounted to high. Once I set the fender free, everything else fell in to place.
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[Nessism]

Sounds like you need new rubber airbox boots, they tend to shrink with age.

You might have better luck by pulling the carbs out of the rubber pipes in the front so they will move backwards, and then shove the airbox forward until the rubber boots are fully seated and then tighten the clamps. Next, shove the carbs into the boots at the engine - hopefully, the clamps will hold and the boots won't slip off the back side.

Good luck

 

[Fizzyhair]

Thanks guys! I agree that the boots have almost definitley shrunk. I'd tried the method of undoing carbs etc but just no luck lol. Where can I precure said boots? Or am I asking the impossible?