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Flaking intake boots

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
  • Start date Start date
A

Anonymous

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I just pulled the carbs on my 1980 GS850GL (boy, was that easier than pulling the carbs on my 1981 GS550L). The black rubber (?plastic) is peeling off the metal flange that seats against the intake manifold, but the rubber otherwise looks good. Is this acceptable?

Thanks.
 
If the boots are not leaking and are not hard they should be OK. Ihave seen boots do this and they wre still OK.
 
If the rubber is pulling away from the metal THEY NEED to be replaced
 
The rubber is flaking off the metal flange where the bolts go through. The rubber is otherwise intact and pliable with no cracking.
 
Why did you take of the carbs in the first place? Was the bike not running well enough? If budget allowes I would replace them, I believe they are about $25 each.
 
I figured it was time to clean the carbs. Found it to hesitate a bit when cold, but ran great when warm.

Looks like I'll replace them.
 
Don't forget to replace the o-rings too! And good wrenching to you. :D
 
I've got the same thing on mine....the rubber has just started flaking, but there are no cracks.

I suppose I'll have to replace them.....?
 
YOU WILL NEED TO REPLACE THE BOOTS AND O RINGS BEHIND THEM.

the rubber may look like it is still attached but there are little leaks you can't see and no matter how much silicone you glob on them it will not help.

been there done that.


-ryan
 
Got the o-rings. Will need to get new intake boots. Besides the dealer where can I get them?
 
I just noticed exactly the same thing on my 850.There appeared to be a little crack around the outside of the bolt hole. I stuck my fingernail in it and flaked a little piece of the coating off. But there are no cracks or flaking down where the boot attaches to the flange. The bike was running fine the last time I rode it. I would not have known there was flaking if I did not have the tank off for another reason. I am not going to replace the boots as long as the bike is running well. You can test it from time to time by spraying the boots while it's running.

If you determine at some point the boots are actually leaking, then they do have to be replaced. They have a serious effect on the way the bike runs.
 
dpep said:
I just noticed exactly the same thing on my 850.There appeared to be a little crack around the outside of the bolt hole. I stuck my fingernail in it and flaked a little piece of the coating off. But there are no cracks or flaking down where the boot attaches to the flange. The bike was running fine the last time I rode it. I would not have known there was flaking if I did not have the tank off for another reason. I am not going to replace the boots as long as the bike is running well. You can test it from time to time by spraying the boots while it's running.

If you determine at some point the boots are actually leaking, then they do have to be replaced. They have a serious effect on the way the bike runs.
Click to expand...


Mine only flaked after i took my bike to a mechanic to get the carbs synchronized. I don't think that they are leaking, but I will spray to check in the spring.
 
If the rubber is pulling away from the metal flange at all, then yes, they are leaking. Period. End of story. No matter how hard you wish.

I've also been there, done that.

All kinds of intake boot and o-ring goodness:
http://bwringer.com/gs/intakeorings.html
 
My original boots are 'flakey' as you describe. They're okay and don't leak air though. I'm not sure what flakes off, it's almost like a paint of sorts...
 
Seems we might need to clarify...

The flaking we're talking about -- are we talking about the thin coating of rubber on the sides of the metal flanges? Almost like a thin layer of paint? This seems to be leftover rubber from the manufacturing process, and will not hurt anything if it comes off.

If you're talking about the main body of the rubber pulling away from the flange, then yes, this is very harmful.

I was picturing #2, but I think we may have actually been talking about scenario #1.
 
i have come up with a good alternative to the rubbers inlets...mine went bad and new ones are 70 dollar for the set , i said ok ill order them but they needed to match them and i threw them out so instead of bringing in my carbs i just said screw it i made it work a different way, i took the aluminum spacers and had them drilled out to slide on the mouth of the carbs, i used a o ring in the grove on the carb openings and slid on the aluminum spacers , it is now sealed.....near the back of the spacers there is a couple screws tapped through the spacers and they push on the carbs openings holding it all together....no more rubber boots!....looks better too
 
Flaky Intake Boots

Flaky Intake Boots

Interesting approach there bboxer - just have to watch for vibration problems in the carbs, and potential vacuum leaks. The actual stock boots are occasionally found on eBay, but I bought mine at bikebandit.com for around $25 apiece which isn't too bad.

Vince
 
yeah mines a twin so i needed two they wanted $35 a piece not too bad.....i just have to watch to make sure the screws do not come loose, i have used thread locker and tightend them down hopfully it works if not then i guess im bringing the carbs to the store to order boots.......were you saying i might have carb troubles because the vibration let through to them now?
 
bwringer said:
Seems we might need to clarify...

The flaking we're talking about -- are we talking about the thin coating of rubber on the sides of the metal flanges? Almost like a thin layer of paint? This seems to be leftover rubber from the manufacturing process, and will not hurt anything if it comes off.

If you're talking about the main body of the rubber pulling away from the flange, then yes, this is very harmful.

I was picturing #2, but I think we may have actually been talking about scenario #1.
Click to expand...

My very early reply on this assumed this is what he was talking about. Flaking on the aluminum ears of the leftover rubber is nothing to worry about, obviously.
 
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