Intake Boots and goo

[Anonymous]

I noticed that my 1982 GS850 has some gaping where the rubber intake boots meet the intake manifold. When I put my finger around one of them while the engine is running I can hear air sucking noise. The rubber looks uncracked but I did notice that the ones on my 550 have flanges that actually go up and somewhat around the manifold housing and these appear not to. My question is; anybody ever use sealant or something gooey to seal these up? Anyabody use good ol-fashioned hose clamps around them? The side I am talking about does not have the metal clamp coller thingies.
Thanks for advice through experience on this one.
Mike Newman

[Anonymous]

Mine did, but they were so old it didn't matter. I ordered new ones from bike bandit for about 12 bucks apiece. Before doing that I had tried all sorts of tricks to get them to seal right, but nothing worked all that great.

[Anonymous]

Only new ones will do!

Don't take chances on overheating and perhaps seizing your engine; this is what happens when the engine sucks more air than it should. Replace the intake boots with new ones, and be sure that the o-ring on the cylinder head side is also new.

Suzuki or aftermarket are fine; just make sure they're brand new.

Nick

[Anonymous]

12 bucks wow!

Hey dallyr,

was that 12 bucks a piece for a 1980 gs850? i need all 4 of them for my 80' 850 and the dealer whats 25 a piece! bike bandit shows them for 25 also. where did you find such a low price?

thanks in advance,

Hall

[Anonymous]

Even if it is 25.00 a piece, they last something like 20 years. Well worth the cost to have the OEM replacements. Ask yourself how much your time is worth... How many hours will you spend finding aftermarket plenums of questionable quality. How many hours over the years to get them "right". I'll take the feel and fit of OEM anyday.

Tim

[Anonymous]

Are you talking between the air box and carbs? They are $11.01 each.

http://www.bikebandit.com/partsbandit/showschematic.asp?dept_id=150233

If not, I'm sorry for getting your hopes up.

[Anonymous]

Hmmm....Seems like I can answer my own question. The intake boots that meet the intake manifold? I guess that you are talking between the carbs and the manifold. Yep, $25 apiece.

[Anonymous]

About $25 apiece sounds right

I paid $25 apiece for these boots. They're worth every penny. My ace mechanic replaced them on my GK when I got it 2 1/2 years ago, and before that on two of my four GS850's.

Nick

[jpaul]

I have to agree that 25 bucks each is a fair price for those. As for some kind of sealant, I have been in the adhesive and sealant business for 19 years, and I know of no readily available sealant that would be guaranteed to work in this application. They may be out there, but they will be hard to find, probably expensive, and the experiments to see if they will work are potentially very messy to clean up.

[Anonymous]

Besides, can you imagine the sheer volumn of labor involved in experimenting? You'd be better off getting something that fit right the first time.

P.S. Sorry again for the earlier snafu on which boots you needed.

[Anonymous]

no problem..

thanks for letting me know that 25 is the going price.. it's funny buying a $500 bike and spending 50 on the airfilter, 50 on a airbox thats not beat up, 15 on petcock rebuild, 100 on 4 carb rebuild kits (havent bought) and 100 on these boots... wow!, and i havent even got to the electrical or the oil leak.....

a boy and his toy....

thanks again!

hall

[Anonymous]

It may be a $500 bike when you bought it, but it will be a big paperweight if you neglect those intake boots. You will not like the $800 rebuild (your labor free) if you size the pistons.

The plastic gets old and hard. My 78 1000 has had a boot replacement, not that hard (my carbs come off easier). Use new O rings and no sealant, mabe a little silicone grease to hold the O rings in place. Petrochemicals will accelerate the boot deterioration.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your help Guys

I decided to bite the bullet and took Dallyr and Nic's advice to fix these things right. I am sure I will experience the bennefit in a better and cooler running engine. I will also not have to wonder if my quick fix was actually working. I tried many web sources and a few motorcycle parts shops here in Minneapolis and every source came in with the $25.00 price. There are no aftermarket boots available for this vintage bike..
Thanks alot to Dallyr and Nic for pointing out the importance of these little rubber sleeves.
Mike Newman

[focus frenzy]

I had the very good luck of finding a complete virtualy new set on a bike in the local bone yard. the cost, 20 bucks for all four.
the bike also had a new choke cable that I aquired for ten dollars.

[Anonymous]

New Boots

I put in the new intake boots which are really little individual intake manifolds which have rubber molded to them. The bike runs purrrrrrrrrrrfect! This made a big difference.
Thanks to all that helped me realize that I needed new boots.
Mike Newman