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Is there a trick to getting my carbs back into my new intake boots?

  • Thread starter Thread starter bille
  • Start date Start date
B

bille

Guest
1982 GS1100GL

I cleaned my carbs and bought new intake boots. But now I can't get the carbs into the new intake boots, no matter how hard I try. If I get one carb in another pops out, even if I tighten down the clamps.

If I remove the intake boot and put it directly onto the carb I can get it on, but it doesn't look like there is clearance enough to screw the boots onto the intake if I install them on the carbs first...

Any ideas what I can do?
 
I have wd40, would that hurt the rubber intake boots if I try spraying that on them to slip the carbs into the boots?
 
What I have found works the best for me is to put the boots on the motor with the screws really loose. In enough to keep the O-rings from falling out but loose enough to "wiggle" the boots around. Then pop the carbs in and tighten the boot screws as much as you can. You want them to not move when you remove the carbs to fully tighten the boot screws.

If you split a rack of carbs and remove the intake boots, there is enough movement in all the screws that you can actually be so far out of alignment that the carbs will do exactly what you are describing. The boots are either way wider or narrower than the rack.

Hope this helps...
Don
 
What I do is install the carbs with a ratchet strap.
I get them lined up, all at the same amount, then place a ratchet strap around the back of them, and clear up and around the engine.. take up the slack and have the "ratchet" part on one side , away from anything . go a few clicks at a time, and they will go in very easily, I usually "help" them all the way in just at the last moment by wiggling up down to and fro. works like a dream.
 
The above procedure is what I used on my 82 1100g, (pretty much the same bike as yours). I hold the carbs in one hand, and put my other on the front of the motor or frame so I don't push the bike off of the center stand and simply push them in. It does take some effort but nothing vein popping or anything. Mine "pop" in pretty nice once the boots and carbs are all spaced the same by using the above procedure ahead of time.
 
Something is definitely 'wrong', if it takes that much effort with new boots.

Even with 'not-so-new' boots on my bikes, there is a bit of effort, for sure, but none of them requires more than hand power.

A little lubrication will not hurt, whether it's WD 40, engine oil, Vaseline, whatever.

.
 
Motor oil did the trick, they went right in. Thanks everyone!
 
I don't know if it is the same with the 1100 carbs, but the 650 definitely requires proper orientation of the boots to the airbox so they are at the correct angle to accept the carbs.

Check to see if there is a little tab on your boots. IIRC, that goes at the 12 o'clock position. A little eyeball test should see the booties angling down a bit from the airbox to the head. If they are at different angles (one up, one down etc) , you'll have a hard time getting the carbs to sit in the boots.

I use a little bit of silicone spray to help the carbs slide into place. As others mentioned, a ratchet strap is quite useful too, when dealing with the reduced space around the 650 carbs.
 
The ratchet strap method works, but do it gently, see that things are lined up, and proceed a few clicks at a time. I find it easier because it puts steady and controllable pressure on fairly evenly, giving time to push or pull the individual boots as needed.
 
I gotta agree with Steve on this one. If you have to use ratchet straps somethings definitely wrong. A little motor oil or WD-40 is all it takes for me. Maybe the clamps aren't loosened enough to allow the rubber to expand around the carbs?
 
For me, the ratchet strap is really more about getting even pressure on all of the carbs, and freeing up a hand to manipulate the other boots. By using the strap, you can pull the carbs far enough into one set of boots that you get just enough extra space to line them up. With new boots, I have found no need for the ratchet strap.
 
BigD_83 said:
For me, the ratchet strap is really more about getting even pressure on all of the carbs, and freeing up a hand to manipulate the other boots. By using the strap, you can pull the carbs far enough into one set of boots that you get just enough extra space to line them up. With new boots, I have found no need for the ratchet strap.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure I have the stock OE boots on my 60k mi and 40 year old bike and WD-40 squeezed it right on. Maybe I got lucky.
 
81GS850 said:
I'm pretty sure I have the stock OE boots on my 60k mi and 40 year old bike and WD-40 squeezed it right on. Maybe I got lucky.
Click to expand...

Even with the old boots the carbs went on...um, okay... but not as slick as new, pliable rubber. There just isn't any extra space on the 650.
 
BigD_83 said:
There just isn't any extra space on the 650.
Click to expand...
I was going to reply with a simple "and even less space on a 550", but thought about it again.

I don't think I have seen ANY chain-driven GS that has any 'extra' room for carb removal/installation.

Certainly not nearly as much as my 850s.

.
 
Steve said:
I was going to reply with a simple "and even less space on a 550", but thought about it again.

I don't think I have seen ANY chain-driven GS that has any 'extra' room for carb removal/installation.

Certainly not nearly as much as my 850s.

.
Click to expand...

Funny you should say that.

I've been doing some work on my 550esd, and I've found that by removing the battery box, I can create oodles of space for carb removal and insertion. However, the siamesed carbs do present an additional feature that can cause them to hook up on the dual carb boot. I gather the frame design must be quite different from the earlier 550s, though.
 
A little late to this party, but I find I can get much better leverage installing the carbs if I sit on the bike and push on both sides. Get one side in, then keep pressure on while doing the other. Wiggle them up and down a little. I've never needed to lube them, even when I had old, hard boots. I can see how that would make it easier though.
 
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