81 GS1100EX Carb part, rubber plug questiion

[retrex]

Hi all, I am cleaning the carbs on my 81 GS1100EX rebuild. I came across something minor that I wanted to throw out there for some quick feedback while I have the carbs off the bike. The rubber passage plugs inside the float bowls next to the mains aren't as tight a fit as on my other 11. They look to be in good shape. They are not cracked or visibly damaged. However they are not as rubbery as my other 11's. I had to replace the float needle o-rings because they were definately too stiff and had cracks. If I turn the carb upside down the plugs will fall out. I know that they are held in place by the float bowl once it is installed, but I don't think I have a hermetic seal. I think gas may seep into the chamber it is suppose to plug. Is this a problem? I have cleaned the carbs on my old 11 half a dozen times or more and the plugs in those carbs are in there tight. The Let me know what you think. Thanks

[Jethro]

Those plugs are intended to keep the flow of gas coming from the deepest part of the bowl- through the main jet. I can't imagine that they need a hermetic seal on them. I even ran without them in once, and didn't notice. I've heard of guys using wood for these, and wood is pretty porous.

[retrex]

Those plugs are intended to keep the flow of gas coming from the deepest part of the bowl- through the main jet. I can't imagine that they need a hermetic seal on them. I even ran without them in once, and didn't notice. I've heard of guys using wood for these, and wood is pretty porous.

Thanks Jethro. I finally got a hold of a carb schematic and it validates what you are saying. It looks like plug is there so that the low speed, or closed throttle, circuit fuel feed comes through the lower main jet. There is a hole connecting the two high/low circuit chambers. In off throttle mode the slide is down and fuel is picked up by the low circuit. It looks like as the throttle opens the fuel is diverted to the main buy suction. Even if the plug wasn't there the only effect would be that the carb would be running a little rich. I'll stick with the ones I have in the carbs. New ones cost 2.54 a piece and I don't want to wait on shipping. Thanks again.

[Jethro]

The plug is there mainly to avoid changing the mixture when the bike is leaning. By pulling off the deepest part of the bowls, the relative pressure doesn't change as much when the bike leans from side to side. The pilot circuit is pretty sensitive to float heights.

[rphillips]

I can't imagine why my "80" GS 1000 E was different, but I failed to reinstall those little plugs one time while rejetting. The bike would start & idol fine, rev & everything, till you started to take off, at that point it would die deader than 4 o'clock. Back off the throttle & it would idol & pur like a kitten, try to take off & dead again. Found the plugs on the bench, reinstalled them, & all was fine.