Carb installation issues.

[Fatherof2]

Hi Gang,

I could not install my carbs because the boots on the air box side had turned to hard plastic. I soaked them in rubbing alcohol and wintergreen oil. That worked great and they are now very pliable.

The issue is that when I put the carbs back in, it's almost like the boots are too short now. I can seat the carb very well into the airbox side boots, but I can't seat the carbs into the boots between the head and carbs. Its like the boots are too short in length. And of course, if I seat the carbs well into the boots between the head and carbs, then I can't do the same with the airbox side boots. Again, it's like the boots are too short. I need them to extend further.

So, am I missing something, or did I shrink the boots? Should I just buy new airbox boots? I have the airbox pushed forward as far as it will go I think.

Appreciate any input!

[thedrewski86]

How short? Like 1/8"-1/4"? I have had the feeling that the boots are on the short side and resolved it by fitting the carb to the head boots securely then fitting the airbox boots by finagling my hand into the airbox and pushing the boots onto the carb throats from the inside. It was very difficult to fit my hand in there, but I got there in the end. After you slip those rubbers in and around the carb bodies, you can bolt the airbox in.

If they in fact shrunk... bummer. I can't help there. A photo may help.

[Fatherof2]

Thanks Drew............I will give that a try. I will try putting my hand inside the air box and pushing forward to see if that helps. I feel like I need another 1/4 inch for a good seal.

[thedrewski86]

They're finicky, I'm not gonna lie. Do you still have the spring clamps on the air box boots? There should be two per boot. I wound up replacing them for hose clamps on a particularly "short" set of boots just to hold them onto the carb bodies, wound up working just fine.

[Fatherof2]

I like the hose clamp idea. The springs offer very little in the way of a tight seal.

Is it tricky getting hose clamps in there? Seems like it would be.

[thedrewski86]

No not really, just slip them on the boot before you try to make the connect to the carbs. You want an air-tight seal there, but don't wrench the heck out of the clamp; it's easy to distort that rubber. A smear of grease between the rubber and clamp help things tighten uniformly.

[Fatherof2]

Nice!

I will try it tomorrow.

Thank you.

[DannoXYZ]

Don't try to do both ends at once. The wiggling from other end will cause other side to pop off.

1. put carbs onto manifolds on head first. Tighten hose clamps

2. slide airbox boots onto other end. Aim some strong lights underneath so you can see the action. Helps to spray some silicone oil/grease around edges (don't use petroleum grease on rubber). Reach from underneath with long flat screwdriver and unfold edge of boots where they get hung up and tangled with edge of carb-inlet.

I find it's easier to have spring clamps unrolled off edge of runner-boots to make it easier to slide onto carbs. Then roll them back on once boots are positioned on carbs.

[Fatherof2]

Good stuff Danno.........will do!