intake boots leaking

[80gs1100]

Hi everybody , I have a 1980 gs1100 with an amazing 80000 miles on it!!! I have just recently stumbled onto a problem that seems to have no reasonable fix. After installing individual pod filters, my intake boots now leak air. What I have tried so far is new intake boots, different size clamps, and even gasket maker, but still they leak air. If anyone could help me out that would be great!!!

[brveagle]

did you replace the orings behind the boots?

[semerm]

jetting?

Are you sure the boots are leaking? If you did not re-jett the bike probably wil not run well.

[Jethro]

did you replace the orings behind the boots?

The 1980 1100's don't have o-rings, just boots directly on the manifolds.

[80gs1100]

The bike does have a dynojet jet kit installed, and the mixture screws have no effect on idle speed or mixture. It will idle fine for about one minute and then the idle speed starts to increase slowly, and usually goes up to about 1500 rpm. The carbs have been fully disassembled and cleaned.

[Billy Ricks]

If adjusting the pilot screws doesn't do anything then there is a problem with that circuit. Either dirty still or possibly missing, damaged, or worn out o-rings on the screws.

[KEITH KRAUSE]

I don't see how installing pods to the carbs effects the manifolds ability to seal. And since you've replaced the manifolds, clamps and tried sealer (which shouldn't be used), I have to think you've installed the wrong manifolds.

[80gs1100]

Actually I think it would effect the boots ability to seal because now the weight of the carbs is not being shared by the airbox and its seals.

[Nerobro]

I've never seen that be a problem on any other bike. (that is going to pods cuasing the boots to leak)

Take the carbs off, get a brass bristle brush. pull one wire out, lock it in a pair of vicegrips. You now have a jet cleaning tool.

When you take the float bowls off, you will see brass tubes that stick down into the float bowls. They're less than 1/8"od. Those are the choke/idle jets. you want to clean those.

More importantly, how did you test that your intake boots were leaking?

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Actually I think it would effect the boots ability to seal because now the weight of the carbs is not being shared by the airbox and its seals.

Then everyone with pods would have his problem.

[Hoomgar]

Dom, are you 100% sure the boots are leaking? Like others have said, it doesn't make sense that they would leak by installing PODs. I would guess that Keith my be right in that possibly they are the wrong size? Are they new or old? The boots that is...

[80gs1100]

You guys are right, It doesn't make sense. I tested them by spraying them with carb cleaner while the engine was running, and sure enough the rpm went right up. Thats what the motorsports dealer told me to do to locate the leak. I might have also miss informed you guys- The mixture screws do have an effect on mixture but will not prevent the rpm from going up.

[Hoomgar]

Man! I am drawing a blank. This is definitely a KK question. My guess though is that if the boots are known good or new and this is happening then they are the wrong size? There are other things too to check that you probably know but I will list them anyway.

1. If you over tighten the screws that hold the boots onto the manifold then they can warp and leak.

2. If your boot clamps are stretched out (like they all do eventually) you need to simply reshape them. I use a pair of lineman pliers and flatten out the flanges at the end and re bend them back further where they should be. You can do this several times before needing new clamps. <-- I suspect this one more than #1 but both should be checked.

3. Some boots have vacuum ports inlets on them just like you have on the manifold itself. Those caps could be leaking?

Other than this I would say it is a circuit problem but the fact that spraying carb cleaner on the boots changes the idle really belies that. That is unless your spray is over spraying and some cleaner and fumes are going into the PODs? If that happened it would alter the idle as well.

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Are all four of your manifolds the same? Same part number? Check against a number source. Some manifolds come in "pairs". That is, they're meant to fit certain cylinders. You can't just install these manifolds in any order.
I've also seen people let the manifold o-ring(s) unseat during installation.
I've also seen people install the carbs wrong into the manifold. Many carbs have a recessed groove that mates with a raised ridge or collar inside the manifold. This mating gives an obvious (to me) "POP", when you pop the carbs in correctly/fully. You should then steady them there and tighten things down before releasing the carbs.

[Jethro]

I'm not sure if this applies to this topic, but I learned a few things about the boots on my 81 and 83 1100E's. There are two different types of boots, basically a left and a right, you need two of each (obviously). Also, the boots need to go on a certain way becasue the manifolds on the engine and the carbs is a different size (slightly). I can't remember the measurements, but I believe the head manifolds are larger than the carbs by a mm or so. Put them in backwards and when you clamp them a little crease can appear that allows air to enter.

I saw Keith talk about the o-rings, so I am guessing we are not talking about a simalier set-up. My 1100E's have no o-rings.