1982 GS 1100G Air box question

[GS2GO]

I am cleaning up the air box on my 1982 GS1100G and I have a few questions...

On the metal half, there are two 3-sided baffles about 1 1/2" x 3 1/2' on the inside bottom, with four holes beneath each to the outside. The baffles have an open side facing each other toward the middle of the box. Are these baffles supposed to be open, or should there be a piece of foam or something to filter air?

Also... when cleaning out the breather tube that runs from the top plastic half through the bottom metal half...I found a wad of foam in the beginning of the tube just before it steps down. Is there supposed to be foam there?

The snorkel is open, and the main air filter protects the incoming air to the top half of the box, so I wouldn't think that it would be necessary to filter the other places...but with all the warnings that I read in the forums about sealing the box correctly, I'm wondering if those places are filtered to restrict air?

[londonboards]

Not exactly sure what bits you are talking about but anyway here are some pics of my GS1100G airbox being dismantled. Might help you:

http://suzukigs1100.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/airbox-dismantling.html

http://suzukigs1100.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/airbox-dismantling-part-2-day-50.html

Not sure about the baffles thing. I haven't looked down the breather tube. I should image it is but really wouldn't make too much difference one way or the other.

Oh and I've owned one of ours from new in 1985 (it was an old stock 1983 model).

Greetings

[GS2GO]

Londonboards:

The last photo down in your "airbox dismantling part 2" shows the baffles that I am referring to. They are the rectangular pieces showing through the large oval hole in the metal box. Both baffles are open on the side facing each other in the middle of the box, where foam could be fitted in. Just wondering if maybe mine is missing that foam, or are they supposed to be empty?

Good for you for holding on to your Dad's bike. A few years back I sold my GS 850G that I bought new in 1982. I wish that I hadn't, now!

[londonboards]

Just had a good look at mine as it's still in pieces in various boxes in the garage.

The baffles do not contain any foam and there is none shown on any parts list. I have had the bike since new and unless someone pulled them out when it went for a dealer service 25 years ago, they was nothing in there in the first place. Looks like those baffles provide an additional aperture to allow the ingress of air, just like the snorkel does.

The insistence on this forum to make sure the air box is correctly sealed (I am hypothesizing now) is not to seal the air box up; that would choke the engine. There needs to be a free flow of air into the air box otherwise we would have oxygen starvation.

The parts that need sealing are the air-filter (to the inside of the air box) and everything downstream of the air filter (rubber boots from air box to carbs and especially boots from carbs to engine). The correct amount of vacuum is created by the restriction that the air filter posses on the free flowing of air into the engine. That is why with no airbox (air filter) the vacuum profile changes and you need to re-jet the carbs to compensate.

Just make sure the air filter fits snuggly against the top of the airbox (bottom half of the air box) and that any perished foam has been replaced. Then make sure air much air as possible can enter the airbox itself.

Greetings

[BassCliff]

Greetings and Salutations!!

Hi,

The main filter element is all that is needed. Everything else should be open to the outside. In addition to the snorkel intake my airbox has a few holes on the bottom too. Sorry I'm late with this "mega-welcome" but here ya go....

If you are here you probably have a 30 year old motorcycle that needs about 20 years worth of maintenance. In the links below you'll find maintenance lists, documentation, wiring diagrams, "how to" guides, vendor links, tips, tricks, and a whole lot of GS goodness. This is your "mega-welcome". Let's get started.

Let me dump a TON of information on you and share some GS lovin'.

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Here is your very own magical, mystical, mythical, mind-expanding "mega-welcome". Please take notice of the "Top 10 Common Issues", "Top 15 Tips For GS Happiness", the Carb Cleanup Series, and the Stator Papers. All of these tasks must be addressed in order to have a safe, reliable machine. This is what NOT to do: Top 10 Newbie Mistakes. Now let me roll out the welcome mat for you...



Please Click Here For Your Mega-Welcome, chock full of tips, suggestions, links to vendors, and other information. Then feel free to visit my little BikeCliff website where I've been collecting the wisdom of this generous community. Don't forget, we like pictures! Not you, your bike!

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Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[GS2GO]

Thanks, BassCliff...

Thanks for confirming that the airbox holes are open. In my searches on the breather tube, I have found posts that claimed foam in the uppermost end of the tube, and some even suggested that a check valve of some kind was in the end. Any thoughts on that?

I also appreciate the welcome, and your wealth of experience and information...

Although my profile shows that I am green as grass, I have been a member here for years. Problem is, months at a time passed until I found time to log in...my username lapsed and I had to resubmit it and my password a few times to get up and running again. Now that I have officially retired, I hope to be here on a more regular basis.