I can't get my carb back into the air boot!

[Fatherof2]

Hi Guys,

Not my first time rebuilding a carb, but it is the first time I could not get the carb back in the bike after a rebuild!

In fact, I am so frustrated that I took the airbox boot out of the air box and also removed the carb again. I still could not get the boot onto the carb with both out of the bike!

I have tried lubricant. The boot almost seems too small. The boot is not cracked or brittle. It is not terribly soft, but it is a bit pliable.

Thoughts?

Thanks All!

[DannoXYZ]

Originally Posted by Fatherof2

I took the airbox boot out of the air box and also removed the carb again. I still could not get the boot onto the carb with both out of the bike!

Not sure how this is impossible... Make sure spring-clamps have been rolled off end of boot where they go over carbs. And also verify tubes aren't folded over inwards. Other than that, I can't image what could possibly be wrong.

Post some close-up photos of these boots, straight-on, from side and at 45-degree angle.




You maybe trying to do too much at once on bike. Break it up into separate stages:

1. shove carbs back in

2. insert left rubber manifold back onto head. Pay attention to orientation, it's marked which end faces head and which end faces carbs. Tighten clamp (right manifold should've stayed clamped to head)

3. Spray little silicone lube onto rubber manifolds. Shove carbs into manifolds, you should feel satisfying >clunk< as they slide into position

4. tighten clamps holding carbs to manifolds

5. squirt little silicone onto airbox boots that go over carbs.

6. gently slide and wiggle airbox boots over carbs. Might want to look from underneath with flashlight to verify boots haven't overlapped carbs and folded inwards. If so, reach in with long screwdriver and pry out folded-in section

7. roll spring-clamps over on airbox boots.

[ducatiman]

adding to above.....try blowing with an electric hairdryer to soften the rubber

[DannoXYZ]

If you've got stiff shrunken boots, it's possible to restore them to original pliable condition like new with this procedure: https://www.ninjette.org/forums/show...72&postcount=5

I just did this with rubber-manifolds on my 36-yr old VFR750. Getting those carbs into V between cylinders is impossible if they're not soft & rubbery!

[Fatherof2]

Thanks Danno!

Appreciate your input.

I am no stranger to removing, rebuilding and installing carbs.

I do think these boots must have shrunk a tad and certainly lost some pliability. I will try to recondition them and see what comes of that.

Thanks again.

[Fatherof2]

I have the airbox boots soaking in a combo of rubbing alcohol and wintergreen oil.

It is really working! One of the boots is now like rubber. The other one is getting there. I just ordered more wintergreen oil to add to the mix and hopefully make that one like rubber too.