missing welch plug?

[Guest]

Question on carb rebuilding on my '81 GS1000G. On my number one carb, a welch plug is missing. This plug isn't called out in any of the carb rebuild series, and you can see it in this photo. The pencil is pointing to the pilot jet, and if you follow a straight line toward the intake side, you will see a small rubber washer and the welch plug is directly below that. I can't understand why one would be missing (on purpose), but I thought I would ask in case there were a reason.

The bowl gasket will do a decent job of sealing it up, but I made a new one and will install it unless someone can tell me otherwise. Thanks!

[tkent02]

I have a bike with that plug missing on one carb.
Strangely, it has almost no compression on that cylinder. :-(
Where did your plug go? Did the motor eat it?

[fnkvn]

I honestly think it was lost on a previous rebuild. A compression and leakdown test is coming this evening anyway, so we'll see. Based on the condition of the carb internals, the po used brute force and awkwardness to go through these before....

[tkent02]

With hammers?

[fnkvn]

and the jets look like he used a chisel on them too.....

[7981GS]

Without that plug, you would have a MAJOR vacuum leak.

Eric

[tkent02]

And a major fuel leak, mine was blowing CLOUDS of smoke.
It's like having a main jet with a 10mm hole, sucking down fuel as fast as the needle valve lets it in.

[fnkvn]

Without that plug, you would have a MAJOR vacuum leak.

Eric

That's what I thought. The gasket covered the hole, but I am sure it must have leaked. Never heard this bike run, and no way to contact the p.o. for any history.

[7981GS]

Need a plug?

[fnkvn]

Thanks, but I turned one on the lathe. I want to try getting the bike running by the weekend, and I didn't even know where to look for one!