Reisntalling Carbs

[Cooked]

Attempting to reinstalling carbs. Have a 82 GS650E.

I searched some posts and found that may be some "tricks" with certain model GSs in reinstalling the carbs. Figured I would give a shout and see if anyone can offer some advise.

1. I put the engine side on first (as it was the side that would go on).
2. In attempting the air box side I was able to get the two outter ones on... but the two center ones are laughing at me. (air box is loose but was not removed from the bike)
3. I did grease them (orginally) but going to throw another layer on. The clamps are either completely off or extremely loose.
4. (Next time around I am going to warm up the air box with a heat gun)

Am I on the right track? Perhaps more time and aggravation is required?

Thanks.

[hoyterb]

Try warming the rubber boots with a hair dryer.

[Cooked]

oops... I meant to say rubber boots on the air box

thank you... that is what I meant to say when I said air box... I meant the rubber boots... warming the air box will probably get me no where even faster! lol

Thanks!

[Dave8338]

Have you got the boots from the airbox to the carbs aligned correctly? If so, I've found it easiest to start with the boots at the top of the carbs first. Get them just barely started and then grab the rack firmly (no pun intended) and put your weight into it, pushing in and down at the same time. I also use silicone spray to lube them up, it seems to work the best for me.

[Cooked]

Aligned correctly? Ummmm... maybe. Are there alignment tabs? (If I remember everything is smooth and round... right?)

According to your advice here... I was on the right road (as for starting with the top first... I was able to get to that point... it was the rest that was fighting me).

I was wondering if there was a way to "stretch" the boots slightly before droppping the carbs in... inserting a cone shape of some sort.

Going to give another tire today (with just warming up the boots).

Have you got the boots from the airbox to the carbs aligned correctly? If so, I've found it easiest to start with the boots at the top of the carbs first. Get them just barely started and then grab the rack firmly (no pun intended) and put your weight into it, pushing in and down at the same time. I also use silicone spray to lube them up, it seems to work the best for me.

[lord1234]

also a little silicone lube will help you greatly

[jbs80106]

similar story for me...

took several tries and 2 pairs of hands...me squeezing the airbox bit and the carbs together while shouting at the wife to tighten up the hose clamps. After several tries manage to get the inner ones on enough. I'm sure its a black art and once we do it a few 5-6 times you figure out the best way. Otherwise for me it was a session of trial and error. Would recommend 2 pairs of hands though. Mine would slip back out before I could get the hose clamp secured.

[relic-rider]

Oooh, I had some choice words to say to my airbox the first time around putting the carbs back on myself. I was even hotter when the carbs leaked again and had to come off again. This time I had my buddy do one side and me the other. Much easier, but still not great. I used a little grease, but if the boot is not on fully, it will slip off when tightening the clamp. I think the Japanese have good quality bikes, but these carb and airbox setups were designed to fit in a minimum of space, and no thought was put into ease of service. My 750 carbs are much easier to get in than these bastage 550 carbs.

[chuckycheese]

Carbs

If you find it to be terribly difficult, it's not your imagination. I asked a couple of bike mechanics in my town (who work on old Japster bikes) what the trick is to getting them back on. They smiled at each other and one of them said "There ain't one!".8-[

[Cooked]

My latest attempt failed... (warm up and silcone spray). I will say I have to wonder about having a second set of hands (as noted here)... My son is two... wonder if he would able to help soon?

I'm still wondering if a slight stretch would help... although I have no idea what could be used... or if this would cause unwanted leaks in the future.

With the latest round of posts... I am getting a warm fuzzy feeling about my carb reinstall... lol

The good news is that I know it can be done...

Thanks again everyone. I will try again soon...

~ Russ

[khardrunner14]

Beware of lubing the air box side though. I greased mine, then had to wipe it off and spray it with carb cleaner. The boots kept slipping off when I tightend the clamps. Lube the crap out of the block side, since they have a locking seal.

Make sure you unbolt the airbox so you can wiggle it into position. I prefer two pairs of hands once you get the boots onto the carbs.

[Norseman]

Warming the Boots

Certainly are a pain to get on the bike, to be sure. However, I personally lube the intake boots very lightly, but I would not heat them up. You need the firmness of the rubber to manipulate them on. When you warm the boots, the rubber gets too pliable and you loose the advantage.

Also, never lube the airbox boots; they will slip off if you do. I'm not familiar with the E, but on my GS650GL, I simply put a little WD on my finger and wipe the inside of the intake boots, hook up the throttle cable, slide the carb bank in straight over the boots, hook up the choke cable, position all my hoses, get on the bike so I'm straddling, push the carbs down over the airbox boots so the bank is tilting up, then grab the #1 and #4 carb bodies and pull back while pushing down the front. The intake throats will slide down over the intake boots. Because you have the carb body tilted down on the air side, the carb intake throats will catch the bottoms of the intake boots. Keep pushing down until the top of the intake boots slip up over the throats. Now lean forward and push into the intake boots.

Now you have the air boots halfway down the air boots. Pull up the carb bank in the rear and the carb bank is aligned with boots on front air box. Now you clamp the intake boots. Go back and, I hate to say this, wrestle with the air box boots. The problem on this side is you don't have the grooves like the intake side to snap into. The outer carbs are not so bad; it's #2 and #3 carbs that give the most trouble because of flex in front air box. I make sure all the boots are aligned, then I get #1 and #4 on and clamped. Then I use a wood stick to apply forward leverage as close as possible to the air passage between filter box and front airbox and push forward while looking underneath to ensure the rubber isn't caught on the carb throats. Now I just keep at it until the boots are on #2 and #3 and clamp then down.

Once you have done it a couple of times, you will get the process down. I have had the carbs out and back on 5 times in the past two days - takes me about 20 minutes now :?.

I added about an inch to my cam cover to airbox breather hose so I don't have to keep taking it of and on. I also always have the tank off.

Anyway, that's my method and works for me.

Norseman

[lecturn_2000]

Yes, warming the rubber intake cones is definately helpful. (I faced the same problem with a 750 Honda). If I recall, I also used some kind of blunt tool to direct the edges of the rubber pieces into correct alignment while pushing on the carbs in that limited space. I used a heat gun and got the rubber good and flexible (don't melt anything!). Probably when these things were new, they were quite flexible and the job was fairly easy.

[gustovh]

I have done it so often in the past couple years Suzie Q, it only takes about 30 to connect the carbs to the air box, I found that starting by inserting at the bottom and riseing up easier, I can watch the boots that way.
V

[Red Rocket GS1100]

Just boil'em

That's what I did to get them back in. I just put the boots in fairly hot water. That turned'em into putty. Easy enough from there. I start with the insides and then do the outies. Clamp it all when it's cool.