VM22SS Fuel Tube O-Ring???

[TyeGuy]

I vaporblasted and rebuilt my carbs from my 78? GS550 and replaced the gaskets and o-rings from cycleorings.com. The description for the website says Part 'F' (o-rings) fits the fuel tubes; some VM carbs use 12 of these, some use 8, and some don't use any at all. I originally didn?t have any o-rings on the fuel tubes and the bike ran fine, but now that I have them reassembled, I can?t help wonder if they were missing in the first place or not. Can anyone give me some insight on what to do? Please see photos attached.

 

[Nessism]

The circumferential bumps on those fuel tubes act as O-rings.

 

[Big T]

If the fuel T and connectors don't fit tightly into the carb body, soak them in gas for a few hours, or overnight. They swell up in the gas to seal properly

 

[chuck hahn]

I always throw that crap in the trash and replace with metal ones with orings. I would see if Z1 Enterprises has them.

 

[Big T]

Yeah, mine are only 40 years old and still working fine
Your O rings last that long ?

 

[chuck hahn]

Well T..Ive never had a fuel tube be crap from that molded on conglomeration staying stuck in a carb and having the core rip itself out making it absolutely useless. And ive never had to wait a week and half for another piece of crap to arrive to finish up a carb job. Ive never had a oring fail to seal the FIRST time when reinstalling with new orings..where the crap ones your taking a risk when trying to reuse any of them.. So in short, your as rare as a saquatch if yours is 40.

 

[Big T]

Yep, still the same ones that came new with the bike when I bought it

 

[chuck hahn]

Carbs ever been apart? And if so, how many times?? I got a set to rebuild and they were stuck so bad inside the bodies they literally ripped the rubber off the metal base tubes and I had to dig the crap out. I hate them with a deep burning ugly passion.

 

[Big T]

Original Carbs have been apart 4-5 times

I have a few more sets of VMs - just redid a set for a buyer, fuel T and tubes work fine after a good soak in gas

 

[roeme]

Same here.

40-year rubber-T still sealing fine, carbs have been apart 2 times since I own the bike, unknown before that.

 

[Sandy]

Original Carbs have been apart 4-5 times

I have a few more sets of VMs - just redid a set for a buyer, fuel T and tubes work fine after a good soak in gas

Original tees still fine. Last time carbs were apart was 3 - 4 years ago and about 10 before that.

 

[chuck hahn]

The point IS they SHOULD NOT have to be soaked in ANYTHING to friggin do their jobs. That's why they suck left donkey jewels.

 

[Sandy]

Had to soak them once in 40 years. Orings going to last that long .....maybe yes ....maybe no. Replace them if you have to .....otherwise.....

 

[Nessism]

Z1 doesn't sell aftermarket fuel Tee's or fuel transfer tubes for the early GS550 carbs. There does seem to be one aftermarket source for the Tee that sells on ebay but it doesn't seem to be anodized so that's a red flag and there are no fuel transfer tubes regardless.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of soaking the parts to swell the polymer but I've done it more than once without issue. In fact, I fixed a leak on my KZ750 from the low fuel sensor unit this way and it's sealing fine after a couple years now. A new sensor was $80 and soaking the part was free so there you have it.

 

[Sandy]

Z1 doesn't sell aftermarket fuel Tee's or fuel transfer tubes for the early GS550 carbs. There does seem to be one aftermarket source for the Tee that sells on ebay but it doesn't seem to be anodized so that's a red flag and there are no fuel transfer tubes regardless.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of soaking the parts to swell the polymer but I've done it more than once without issue. In fact, I fixed a leak on my KZ750 from the low fuel sensor unit this way and it's sealing fine after a couple years now. A new sensor was $80 and soaking the part was free so there you have it.

Exactly. Mine needed soaking to rejuninate them after the bike sat for several years. That was 2003 and I don't think the aftermarket replacements were even available then. The replacement ones are probably a better idea and if the old ones cause a problem I'll probably get some. But leaking once on a 40 year old bike doesn't mean I'm thinking of it any time soon.

 

[Chuck78]

Z1 used to sell the center tee that can be used on the 550 VM22's, but if you give them that part number now, they incorrectly tell you that it crosses over to the same part number that fits the 750/1000 Z1 KZ1000 etc. it was actually the fuel tee that fit the dual inlet VM28 carbs from some KZ and Z1 models, which used no tubes only two tees between 1&2, and 3&4

I had my customer dig up the invoice for the parts I had him order for his 550, which are installed on it still a year later and running great.

This time around I had to use the ebay seller who has exact fits. Z1 still I believe has the fuel tubes that fit, but why don't try and bother arguing with their sales support staff, they are always right despite the units purchased over a year ago fitting the 550 vm22's and the part number they supposedly cross over to not fitting either application which I referenced their use for.



Also, soaking the rubber coated tees and couplers in gas to make them swell and seal is a hack job last ditch effort to finish the job without getting the correct parts, in my opinion. If they need gas to seal, what do you do when you put your bike in storage for the winter? Pull the whole rack and soak it in gas and reinstall before ever turning the petcock or engine on? Or dismantle the carbs every spring to soak these to prevent a leak?


I also have had one a week ago rip apart when removing it from the carb during a vm22 rebuild. and all of the old used spares I have here also have numerous cracks in them. This is a poor judgment call to use the original pieces unless they are the replaceable o-ring type. I strongly caution against this move, as it is a compromise, and too much is involved to dismantle the carbs to replace one it springs a leak or starts seeping fuel all over the outsides of the carb bodies.

Do it right, do it once.

 

[Sandy]

Z1 used to sell the center tee that can be used on the 550 VM22's, but if you give them that part number now, they incorrectly tell you that it crosses over to the same part number that fits the 750/1000 Z1 KZ1000 etc. it was actually the fuel tee that fit the dual inlet VM28 carbs from some KZ and Z1 models, which used no tubes only two tees between 1&2, and 3&4

I had my customer dig up the invoice for the parts I had him order for his 550, which are installed on it still a year later and running great.

This time around I had to use the ebay seller who has exact fits. Z1 still I believe has the fuel tubes that fit, but why don't try and bother arguing with their sales support staff, they are always right despite the units purchased over a year ago fitting the 550 vm22's and the part number they supposedly cross over to not fitting either application which I referenced their use for.



Also, soaking the rubber coated tees and couplers in gas to make them swell and seal is a hack job last ditch effort to finish the job without getting the correct parts, in my opinion. If they need gas to seal, what do you do when you put your bike in storage for the winter? Pull the whole rack and soak it in gas and reinstall before ever turning the petcock or engine on? Or dismantle the carbs every spring to soak these to prevent a leak?


I also have had one a week ago rip apart when removing it from the carb during a vm22 rebuild. and all of the old used spares I have here also have numerous cracks in them. This is a poor judgment call to use the original pieces unless they are the replaceable o-ring type. I strongly caution against this move, as it is a compromise, and too much is involved to dismantle the carbs to replace one it springs a leak or starts seeping fuel all over the outsides of the carb bodies.

Do it right, do it once.

If they ever fail again I'll replace them but 1 fix in 40 years and no problems for the last 15 years is a hack job??? ...really. I think that's pretty good actually. Change them if you want but maybe I'll wait another 10 years or so.

 

[Big T]

Same here Sandy.

Chuck78, my 78 sits for about 4 months in the winter (unless I Polar Bear it). No leaks then. The Ts have to sit empty for many months to shrink
Quick and simple fix, not sure why you think it's a hack job. It's not like I'm going to flip the bike I bought brand new 39 years ago.

 

[Chuck78]

I should also add that the tee that had the bonded rubber sealing layer rip off and remain inside the carb was on a 9,000 mile 78GS550 that has been garage kept it's entire life... but in an Ohio climate (cold winters). I don't think I would trust any of them now if such a low mileage well kept example had this type of failure, and had very visible cracking in all of the other portions of the tees and fuel tube couplers. ESPECIALLY with all the bull$#!+ Ethanol garbage gas that these things are being subjected to now in the modern political/impractical age. Ethanol is well known to destroy old o-rings and seals that were made without having to test the affects of Ethanol exposure... Ethanol nowadays in gas could be the certain death of these things. I for one do not want to be responsible for fuel dripping down on a hot engine and possibly onto a hot exhaust...
I'd strongly suggest always replacing those parts with the aluminum versions with replaceable modern o-rings, as the modern o-rings are far more likely to hold up to Ethanol without a doubt.

 

[Chuck78]

FYI for future reference, the ebay seller who has these listed in great quantities is gunsbluemoon out of Belgrade, Montana.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Suzuki-Carb-Fuel-Tee-Nipple-Alum-GS550-13685-47040-77-79/282842101784

https://www.ebay.com/itm/282842101784