Topic: Keihin 087A carbs - Is there a trick to getting to the buried fuel line nipples?

[mj1176]

Hey y'all. I finally got around to de-rusting my tank properly and sealing it with POR-15. Worked great, I'm coming up on 96 hours of cure time so I'm just about ready to put gas in it. I went to start removing the fuel filters I had put between the petcock and the carbs to stop the rust, and I realized that the nipples where the fuel lines attach to the carbs are buried down between carbs 1/2 and 3/4 and it seems almost impossible to get my fingers or a tool in there to pinch the cable clamps. Am I missing something obvious?

[carnivorous chicken]

Nope. Always better to attach fuel lines with the carbs off of the bike, but if you didn't remove them it can be done -- it's just a serious PITA.

[mj1176]

Ugh...thats what I was afraid of.

[mj1176]

I might just end up using a connector to add more fuel line onto the existing sections I have on the nipples now... I just don't see how you could get any kind of tool or appendage down in there, carbs on the bike or not.

[Don R]

 I use fingers and long needle nose pliers, cut the old ones off if you need to, just don't gouge the brass fittings.

[mj1176]

I ran up the street and grabbed a couple brass splice connectors in the right size, fitted them to the short lengths of fuel line going to the carb nipples and added the correct lengths to reach the petcock on the other side. Not the prettiest thing in the world but it's better than spending the rest of my night destroying my fingers trying to get those lines on/off the nipple 

[alacrity]

Fingers don't fit - at least not adult male fingers. If you don't have a willing little kid handy... Then...   I have used my very long bent tip needle nose pliers and put a little grease in the end of the hose to help it slip on.  Gotta be gentle - the fitting is very  soft brass

[Deltarider]

After removal of the old lines, the trick is to keep the nipples in position with a screwdriver (from the side or below) or anything so they won't budge up or down, when you push the fuel line over them. Prep the opening of the tube or nipple with some grease or WD-40. Don't bother about those little clamps, they are not needed, there's no way the tubes will come of provided the tubes are the right length. It's not an easy job, but it can be done. On the 4-4 500/550s that originally had oldstyle carbs, fuel lines standard length were 18 and 30 cm with the oldstyle petcock and 17 and 28 cm with the new type petcock. Ideal diameter is Ø 5,5 mm. Guaranteed no kinking!

[ekpent]

 I've done them on 750's and another trick along with a little grease is to heat the end of the new fuel line with a heat gun before sliding them on.

[Scott S]

Fingers don't fit - at least not adult male fingers. If you don't have a willing little kid handy... Then...   I have used my very long bent tip needle nose pliers and put a little grease in the end of the hose to help it slip on.  Gotta be gentle - the fitting is very  soft brass

 That's the same tool and pretty much the same method I use.
 Be sure you route the hose through the hole in the main carb bracket. And use PLENTY of hose.....much easier to cut off what you don't need once the carbs are on the bike than it is to ADD hose!

[mj1176]

Thanks for all the tips, y'all! For now I think the splice connectors will work fine but eventually I'll want to replace the lines and this thread will be helpful 

[seanbarney41]

there is a tool made for this sold at Harbor Freight, comes in a pack of three sizes, very tolerable quality...hose pliers

[754]

Just a thought,  with aircleaners off, can the tees not be tilted back to install the hose, then tilted back into place.?

[mj1176]

I thought about that too but it looks like it doesn't rotate all the way around, just 35 degrees or so of play