Float Bowl Drain Screws - O-ring or Gasket?

[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.

[tkent02]

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?

[WingMan71]

Why would you buy parts from Honda for a Suzuki?

Duh! That made me laugh!

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

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

...

[tkent02]

Got pics?

[WingMan71]

Got pics?

Yup.

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



Here she is just before carb removal.



Still have a way to go, including lots of polishing.

[tkent02]

No I meant pics of the CB650?

[WingMan71]

No I meant pics of the CB650?

Yup...



***

[tkent02]

Oh, it's an L too!

[WingMan71]

Oh, it's an L too!

Yup, the Honda CB "Customs" were the Suzuki "L" equivalent back in those days.

The standard Honda CB's were like the standard "G" Suzuki models.

***

[tkent02]

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?

[WingMan71]

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?

8 valves, SOHC. Different engine.

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

...

[terrylee]

Beautiful bike, nice job! terrylee

[tkent02]

+1, looks brand new.

[eil]

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.

[bwringer]

Call me different...

I use black nylon washers on these drain screws.

The O-rings are correct but tend to tear, as noted above.