GS550 carb intake boot question...

[OhioEric]

pulled the carbs ..... one of the rubber boots between the engine block and the carbs broke off of the flange that is bolted to the block. Are they 1 piece or two(metal flange/rubber boot) ? is this repairable or is it kaput? New or ebay on replacement? What does that allen bolt on there actually do????

Thanks for your reply...just trying to figure this thing out...

[Nessism]

One piece. You need new boots. Allen screw on bottom is to hook up vacuum fitting so you can vacuum sync the carbs.

I've got a few good spare boots for the CV equiped 550's - 1980 - 1983. Send me PM if interested.

[MelodicMetalGod]

If you need them

I've got a pair of used boots from my bike. If you're interested, let me know via PM.

Best of luck!

[Bizcocho]

I repaired mine. Permatex Black Rubber Sealant was recommended by their technical rep. It's working well so far. It's easier to find if you remeber it's in an orange tube.

[Nessism]

I repaired mine. Permatex Black Rubber Sealant was recommended by their technical rep. It's working well so far.

Reminds me of putting a band aid on a knife wound.:shock:

[OhioEric]

...look for a PM. :-D

[Bizcocho]

Reminds me of putting a band aid on a knife wound.:shock:

OUCH! That didn't feel good. Here I thought I was being very clever and economical. The part seems like new. I promise to confess if it breaks. I'm betting it's good for the life of the bike.

[OhioEric]

OUCH! That didn't feel good. Here I thought I was being very clever and economical. The part seems like new. I promise to confess if it breaks. I'm betting it's good for the life of the bike.

Rut Roh.

....Looks like i have to try this and then give a full report !

(what the hell, i ain't riding for 4 months - I'll give it a go...perhaps we will all learn a new trick)

By the way, these things are few and far between on Ebay...

[Bizcocho]

Good Luck! I suggest a thorough sanding/roughing of both parts. Let me know how it goes.

[hampshirehog]

I repaired mine. Permatex Black Rubber Sealant was recommended by their technical rep. It's working well so far. It's easier to find if you remeber it's in an orange tube.

I've repaired them in the past with what I presume is a similar product over here in the UK. Can't remember what it was called though but I think it was for sealing double glazing! Lasted ages until I had enough cash to replace them properly. I also used it to seal the airbox to carb rubbers and it worked again ( 25 years ago and I was dead broke at the time - I daren't mention the other things I've done due to lack of readies to keep bikes running)

I've also tried electrical tape and araldite- both work as a 'get you home' but no further.

Wally

[Nessism]

There was member here this last year that posted photos of his 550 with holes through a couple of the pistons. Combined wisdom here at GSR is that the bike was running lean (possiably due to drawing false air into the intake system) which led to detonation...which led to the holes. Do you really want to smear sealer on thoes cracked intake boots when the consiquence of failure is so extreeme?

[hampshirehog]

Nessism is dead right - there is a risk of not getting the seal right and running weak. And running weak, and it could be a whole lot weak, is a risky thing to do - not just holes in your pistons but seizing and so on.

And I reckon it's riskier than you might think: I would have assumed that if you can seal any splits and observe your success at tickover then you're in the clear; at wider throttle openings I would have thought that the 'suck' in the inlet rubber would seal the rubber tighter when viewed from the outside. However, I have seen the reverse - when you wind open the throttle the rubber opens - as if something is blowing instead of sucking inside the inlet - yet air still gets sucked in through the hole. This doesn't happen all the time but I have seen it on several bikes - bikes otherwise well set up. What causes this is beyond my limited brain - when I studied Bernoulli's Principle at school they told me the reverse should have happened. Anyway, whatever is happening (any physicists out there?) this effect means that you can run weaker with a wider throttle opening which is when you're probably least likely to know it.

As I said, I only did it 'cos I was broke. I'm not broke now but I am a mean old Scrooge. Would I do it again?

Wally

[Nessism]

Link below is the thread about holes in the pistons. Not good.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=110880

[OhioEric]

Link below is the thread about holes in the pistons. Not good.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=110880

that thread is an interesting read....i'm gonna have to read that a couple of times...

[TheCafeKid]

yeah i just read the whole thing...Definately food for thought. I know i havent had detonation, but i also know that i was riding (not much at all however because i knew) while my bike was lean due to jetting and intake leaks. Makes me wonder. I think im still ok.