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Fix the leaky carb plugs
I ran some carb cleaner through my 450 thinking I might avoid a reuild. One of the drain plugs started leaking and I realized that it was stripped. The other one started the other day (also stripped), probably because the bike was sitting in Earfor's barn for a year (that's one for the off topic)
I stopped at the local Suzi dealer hoping to get some parts and to price a new carb if available. I gave up on trying to get a set on Ebay that didn't need a rebuild. The service guy suggested permanently filling the drain plugs. Not being able to drain a few ounces without removing the bowl is a small price to pay when compared to buying two new bowls.
I stopped at Advance Auto Parts and picked up Quicksteel steel epoxy putty. It's designed for exposure to gas and sets hard in 15 minutes. I rolled a small amount into a small line, fed that through the plug hole, and then smushed it down on both sides to get it in the threads and seal it well. I worked it flat across the bottom of the bowl (about the size of a nickel) and left a rounded lump on the outside.
Here's the pics:
I wasn't able to get the carbs back on and test, but I did test the plugs by pouring in some gas and letting them sit. The putty dried hard as a rock in 10 minutes and is watertight (or gastight).
Once I get the carbs back on and give it a little time I will update with whether or not they start to leak once being subjected to heat, vibration, and time. This was a great inexpensive fix for a potentially costly problem.
I stopped at the local Suzi dealer hoping to get some parts and to price a new carb if available. I gave up on trying to get a set on Ebay that didn't need a rebuild. The service guy suggested permanently filling the drain plugs. Not being able to drain a few ounces without removing the bowl is a small price to pay when compared to buying two new bowls.
I stopped at Advance Auto Parts and picked up Quicksteel steel epoxy putty. It's designed for exposure to gas and sets hard in 15 minutes. I rolled a small amount into a small line, fed that through the plug hole, and then smushed it down on both sides to get it in the threads and seal it well. I worked it flat across the bottom of the bowl (about the size of a nickel) and left a rounded lump on the outside.
Here's the pics:
I wasn't able to get the carbs back on and test, but I did test the plugs by pouring in some gas and letting them sit. The putty dried hard as a rock in 10 minutes and is watertight (or gastight).
Once I get the carbs back on and give it a little time I will update with whether or not they start to leak once being subjected to heat, vibration, and time. This was a great inexpensive fix for a potentially costly problem.
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