81 GS750 carbs & airbox not friends any more

[ggreenfield]

Hopefully I can write this so that it makes some sense! Recently I pulled the carbs from my gs750, cleaned them and went to reinstall them. The 4 round ports (correct terminology??) from the airbox that mount to the back of the carbs aren't cooperating very well. While I am able to get the outside ports to mount up just fine the 2 inner ports remain stubbornly back farther than the outside 2! So... I pulled the carbs & airbox again and tried to fit them together outside the bike. I had a little more success here but still one of the inner ports refuses to mate up all the way - there is still a gap between the port and the housing. I can't for the life of me figure out a way to make that port snug up tightly as it should be. I *think* it's tight enough that it won't leak any air but not actually tested it yet. Thanks for any ideas.

[mark]

Mine never snug up all the way, but get on there good enough so that the clamps do the job. Good enough I think.

[tfb]

Yep, mine do that too -- on my GS1000, and on the Kat1100 as well. I think it's just years of heat which mean the plastic of the airbox deforms a bit.

What I do is this. With the air filter box removed, I get a sturdy wooden stick (eg. piece of broom handle), push it in through (now open) hole at the rear of the airbox, and push between the intake holes for carbies 2 and 3.

I make sure that the stick is long enough so that it can be propped against the frame cross-member that sits above and behind the battery box.

This will push the rubber boots up to the carbs a lot more closely. You'll find that not much pressure is needed. Then do up the clamps. And finally, of course, remove the stick. Th-th-th-that's all, folks.

[ggreenfield]

OK thanks guys!

tfb - wow that flying banana makes me drool.

[t3rmin]

What I do is this. With the air filter box removed, I get a sturdy wooden stick (eg. piece of broom handle), push it in through (now open) hole at the rear of the airbox, and push between the intake holes for carbies 2 and 3.

I make sure that the stick is long enough so that it can be propped against the frame cross-member that sits above and behind the battery box.

That's exactly what I do, except I use a pry bar that wedges nicely against the crossmember.

The other thing that helps me is spraying silicone lube on the boots, and stretching them before trying to mount the carbs. They'll retain the "stretch" for a little while, hopefully long enough to help in mounting.

But the most helpful thing are the little "tools" I made out of coat hanger. Two 8 inch (or so) lengths with small hooks bent on one end and a 90deg "handle" (for leverage) bent into the other. Cram the carbs on as much as you can, getting on as many boots as possible initially, then slip the special "tools" under the rubber and pull the lip over the carb throat to seat the remaining boots. Use two, one from each side, if necessary.

I'd still rather be rolled around in honey (I have a deathly fear of stickiness) than mount carbs, but using all of these tips can at least make it doable. I've got a stuck float all of the sudden, so I'll be doing it myself soon.

[froldt]

This was a great thread to read, cause I thought I'd messed something up when I tried to reinstall my carbs the first time. I ended up just putting them together and hoping for the best. (It didn't work).

At least I'm not the only one to be jamming broom handles into my airbox!
I suppose it might help if it weren't below freezing when I was trying this, might make the plastic a little more forgiving.