GS550 Airbox Photo Request

[handyjoe]

Kind of an odd request, but I need it to save my sanity.

I can't get my airbox to seat squarely on all four carbs. The outside two will seat all the way up to the stops no problem, but the two inside ones need lots of persuading, and even then I need to settle for "I think it's on...". I'm about 90% sure it's warped. Can someone take a picture either of the box seating on all four carbs squarely, or with a straightedge sitting across the inside two boots, or something?

Also, if this is the case, do you think I could just heat it up and unwarp it? I'd buy one off ebay, but I don't want to run into the same problem again. The other option would be pods, but as I don't plan on changing the exhaust I don't want to go through the trouble of putting on a Dynojet kit.

Thanks for your help!

[spyug]

Sorry I don't have a picture for you and I don't have the same bike to check but I have experienced similar with my 750. It was a biotch to get sorted too until I learned the magic of the electric paint stripper gun.

I find now getting carbs into the boots and the boots from the airbox on to be a snap with an application of heat from the gun to the boots. Be carefull as these guns get hot enough to burn but they soften up the rubber nicely. A pleable boot is much easier to position and get on. With a little shot of WD40 or silicon spray they will slip right on with a little wiggling.

Heating up the boot with the gun should get it back to its normal unsquished self or you can drop it in some very warm water for the same effect.

Hope this helps a bit.

Good luck,
Spyug

[mike_of_bbg]

Might be able to this evening. Do you have the outer ones turned correctly? Do you have clamps on your inner carbs? Mine only had clamps (airbox side) on the outer two; but if you look at the fiche it calls for four, which means there should be one on each carb. Curl your finger inside each boot and make sure the rubber is flat and not hung up on the face. A little temporary pressure around the center rear of the airbox might help. If you can get the center two to line up you can tighten those clamps down before doing the outers.

[handyjoe]

The boots aren't really a problem. The outer ones are turned correctly (I'm pretty sure if I had them wrong I'd only be able to get the centers on, as opposed to not being able to get the centers on), I'm sure they're not folded over (I'll check again this weekend, as I'm pulling the carbs off again). I can't really add pressure around the center rear of the airbox, as its an odd shape and connects to the air filter housing right there, and the whole system has too much flex to get any leverage.

I can try pulling it off and heating it up, and reforming it a bit. I'll also take a picture of mine and how everything lines up, to see how it compares.

[cowboyup3371]

I'll try taking a picture of mine after I get it back together this weekend.

[Mith]

I had the same problem with the center boots not going on. I ended up buying new ones and haven't had a problem since. I'm sure it's not what you want to hear. The old ones just aren't pliable enough.

[handyjoe]

Boots are new as of last year.

[mike_of_bbg]

Sorry to be late with these; batteries were dead in the cam and the fam had me running around a bit today.

Here's a pic of the top from the side. Not sure how helpful it will be, but if you need another view please let me know and I'll see what I can do.

[mike_of_bbg]

Here's what I could get from the under-side. As you can maybe see the airbox is basically flat between carbs 2 and 3. There's a slight bevel at the outboard carbs, which the boots account for.

[handyjoe]

Thanks! I could never get the airbox to sit like that on the carbs.

I couldn't get any good pictures while it was still on the bike, so I took one with it off (Sorry about the blurriness). Note the gap on number 2 carb boot. This picture was taken after pushing on the box from the inside, so you can see there's still a problem. The problem gets worse once I try to shove the boots over the carbs, and the airbox deforms more.

So, looks like a new box may be in order. I'll heat this one up first to try and bring it back to life, but I'm not that hopeful.