VM22SS Fuel Tube O-Ring???

[Guest]

I vaporblasted and rebuilt my carbs from my 78’ GS550 and replaced the gaskets and o-rings fromcycleorings.com. The description for the website says Part 'F' (o-rings) fits the fuel tubes; some VM carbs use 12 of these, some use 8, and some don't use any at all. I originally didn’t have any o-rings on the fuel tubes and the bike ran fine, but now that I have them reassembled, I can’t help wonder if they were missing in the first place or not. Can anyone give me some insight on what to do? Please see photos attached.GSphoto.jpg

[Nessism]

The circumferential bumps on those fuel tubes act as O-rings.

[Big T]

If the fuel T and connectors don't fit tightly into the carb body, soak them in gas for a few hours, or overnight. They swell up in the gas to seal properly

[chuck hahn]

I always throw that crap in the trash and replace with metal ones with orings. I would see if Z1 Enterprises has them.

[Big T]

Yeah, mine are only 40 years old and still working fine
Your O rings last that long ?

[chuck hahn]

Well T..Ive never had a fuel tube be crap from that molded on conglomeration staying stuck in a carb and having the core rip itself out making it absolutely useless. And ive never had to wait a week and half for another piece of crap to arrive to finish up a carb job. Ive never had a oring fail to seal the FIRST time when reinstalling with new orings..where the crap ones your taking a risk when trying to reuse any of them.. So in short, your as rare as a saquatch if yours is 40.

[Big T]

Yep, still the same ones that came new with the bike when I bought it

[chuck hahn]

Carbs ever been apart? And if so, how many times?? I got a set to rebuild and they were stuck so bad inside the bodies they literally ripped the rubber off the metal base tubes and I had to dig the crap out. I hate them with a deep burning ugly passion.

[Big T]

Original Carbs have been apart 4-5 times

I have a few more sets of VMs - just redid a set for a buyer, fuel T and tubes work fine after a good soak in gas

[roeme]

Same here.

40-year rubber-T still sealing fine, carbs have been apart 2 times since I own the bike, unknown before that.

[Sandy]

Original Carbs have been apart 4-5 times

I have a few more sets of VMs - just redid a set for a buyer, fuel T and tubes work fine after a good soak in gas

Original tees still fine. Last time carbs were apart was 3 - 4 years ago and about 10 before that.

[chuck hahn]

The point IS they SHOULD NOT have to be soaked in ANYTHING to friggin do their jobs. That's why they suck left donkey jewels.

[Sandy]

Had to soak them once in 40 years. Orings going to last that long .....maybe yes ....maybe no. Replace them if you have to .....otherwise.....

[Nessism]

Z1 doesn't sell aftermarket fuel Tee's or fuel transfer tubes for the early GS550 carbs. There does seem to be one aftermarket source for the Tee that sells on ebay but it doesn't seem to be anodized so that's a red flag and there are no fuel transfer tubes regardless.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of soaking the parts to swell the polymer but I've done it more than once without issue. In fact, I fixed a leak on my KZ750 from the low fuel sensor unit this way and it's sealing fine after a couple years now. A new sensor was $80 and soaking the part was free so there you have it.

[Sandy]

Z1 doesn't sell aftermarket fuel Tee's or fuel transfer tubes for the early GS550 carbs. There does seem to be one aftermarket source for the Tee that sells on ebay but it doesn't seem to be anodized so that's a red flag and there are no fuel transfer tubes regardless.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of soaking the parts to swell the polymer but I've done it more than once without issue. In fact, I fixed a leak on my KZ750 from the low fuel sensor unit this way and it's sealing fine after a couple years now. A new sensor was $80 and soaking the part was free so there you have it.

Exactly. Mine needed soaking to rejuninate them after the bike sat for several years. That was 2003 and I don't think the aftermarket replacements were even available then. The replacement ones are probably a better idea and if the old ones cause a problem I'll probably get some. But leaking once on a 40 year old bike doesn't mean I'm thinking of it any time soon.