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Float Bowl Drain Screws - O-ring or Gasket?

  • Thread starter Thread starter WingMan71
  • Start date Start date
W

WingMan71

Guest
All,

I completed the carb disassembly on my '83 GS650GL last night. Everything is ready to be dipped.

Thankfully, everything came out pretty easy compared to some other members' experience I've read, even the pilot screws.

I ordered and received my o-rings for the rebuild from CycleOrings.com.

One Question:

What I found under the float bowl drain screws looked like a cross between an o-ring and a gasket. It was definitely rubber, but it was crushed flat into the shape of a gasket, but not a nice flat gasket. Mangled actually!

The stuff I got from CycleOrings.com had a bag of 4 o-rings labeled "Drain", so I presumed that these are for the float bowl drain screw. They fit over the drain screws, but they don't look to have a large enough OD or cross section to seal properly. Plus, it's really rare to see an o-ring used in an application in which the o-ring is not in an enclosed, confined, or recessed area to retain it properly. If you just keep tightening the drain screws, these o-rings will just split at some point.

On top of that, the parts fiche lists the part on the drain screw as a "gasket", part number 13246-44080, not an "o-ring".

So, what's right here? Are these o-rings the correct part, or do I need to order the "gaskets" from Honda?

Thanks for any advice.
 
Last edited:
Use Robert's O rings. They are correct if you have the 32 BS carbs. Drain plugs rarely leak anyway.

Why would you buy parts from Honda for a Suzuki?
 
tkent02 said:
Why would you buy parts from Honda for a Suzuki?
Click to expand...

Duh! That made me laugh! :D

My restoration project just before this one was an '81 Honda CB650C.

My brain is still stuck on that one, I guess.

...
 
tkent02 said:
Got pics?
Click to expand...

Yup.

Here she is as she arrived. Hadn't even started on her yet. In storage since 1999!

1983SuzukiGS650GL-L-side_zpsd38213d4.jpg


Here she is just before carb removal.

IMG_3337_zps33470011.jpg


Still have a way to go, including lots of polishing.
 
Good to know. Not a big Honda fan. Is that the same engine as a 500/550 only punched out to 650, or is it a whole new engine?
Does it have 8 or 16 valves?
 
tkent02 said:
Good to know. Not a big Honda fan. Is that the same engine as a 500/550 only punched out to 650, or is it a whole new engine?
Does it have 8 or 16 valves?
Click to expand...

8 valves, SOHC. Different engine.

Honda didn't go to the DOHC engine until the 750.

...
 
So to answer your question, the Rober Barr o-rings will work just fine. They squish down to fill in the cutaway in the drain bowl. You have to be careful not to over-tighten them, though, because if you do you'll mangle the o-ring and cause a leak. (Ask me how I know. :P)

I've often thought a thick rubber gasket would be a better fit for these drain bowl screws, but chances are something like that would cost a lot more than bog-standard o-rings.
 
Call me different...

Call me different...

I use black nylon washers on these drain screws.

The O-rings are correct but tend to tear, as noted above.
 
... and one more answer to the same question:

Some carbs come with a hard fiber washer on there as a gasket, and some carbs come with drain screws that have a ringland turned into them to accommodate an O-ring. I've seen plenty of exploded diagrams that show both, and apparently it's up to you to guess which you need.

I found such a diagram, but I'm having a little trouble getting it uploaded. Anyway, one example is the '79 GS850. Its exploded diagram shows both styles.

Someday I'll come up with a nice macro photo of the two screw types side by side. If you use an O-ring on a drain screw that isn't shaped for one, it'll just squish the O-ring into mush. And probably leak :eek:

So the answer is: If the O-ring squishes into bits, you needed a washer instead. How's that for definitive?
 
WingMan71 said:
8 valves, SOHC. Different engine.

Honda didn't go to the DOHC engine until the 750.

...
Click to expand...

Seem to remember that 650 engine was an enlarged 500. Not exactly a powerhouse. In other words, a Honda.:-\\\
 
Upon further review, I think that what I'm seeing on the exploded diagram are the drain screw / washer and the screw/washer for securing the float bowl to the carb body.

Still, I know there are some that take O-rings and some that take washers. I'd suggest looking up your bike's exploded diagrams.
 
Just to give another possible solution- copper washer. It's not so expensive, durable and seals perfectly when squeezed- tested on my bike :-)

Certainly it's rather an upgrade as in mass production this would impact the Suzuki's profit ;-)
 
The proper seal is still available from Suzuki. They call it an O-ring, but it's been flat on all the carbs I've worked on.

Part# 13246-44080
Desc GASKET -SU
 
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