Topic: Carb insulator options

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Rhino,

I'm Service Honda's best friend. You should see the last 3 invoices. $1K+. This doesn't include the unavailable NOS parts from EBay either or the Sparty Style engine rebuild. I'm collecting boxes full of parts for a ground up full restore. I known your pain. Won't get done for a while so I'm spreading it out so it doesn't hurt as bad.

Obnoxshuz,

I think there is an EBay guy in Germany that lists aftermarket insulators, Kenoshakid or something similar, but I think they are for the earlier bikes. Still probably cheaper to get Honda brand in the states. Wish the guy with the link had them for the SOHC rather than the DOHC listed! 

[rlarkin70]

I am in the same boat as you. Those $20 or $30 items add up FAST when you are working on a project, let alone something that's $65. If you can afford it, get some new pieces. But if not, what worked for me was using a tire patch kit (like for bicycle tires) to repair over a small crack. Then I wrapped it in black duct tape. The crack was in the flat middle part of the boot, so it was easy to fix. I imagine a crack or tear at one of the sides where it mounts would be a lot tougher. Maybe using some Goop or other rubber repair product would work. The nice thing about that is that it would easily scrape off down the road when you can get some real replacements.

-Ron

[rhinoracer]

Thank for all your replies and ideas. I've been "working" on the bike for two years this November.

When taking off the carbs I chipped one of the head's cooling fins with a prybar so I know it'll be a pain to put them back on. I'll try boiling one to see how that works. If it doesn't I'm thinking of removing material from the boot with a dremel so it slides freely and using O-Rings to seal them. After that, Plan 'C' will be new boots. I'll keep you posted.

[cb750frank]

  I just heated my rubber insulators from my CB750 on the stove for about ten minutes. What a difference. they went right on with no problem. It was like night and day. Don't want to buy new ones yet because I am taking the bike apart this winter.

[sparty]

Well I asked that guy today if he did indeed put the rubber parts in a hot tank, he said yes. I asked if he still used the hot tank he said yes.
 I then told him that someone had posted that  you are not allowed to use them and disposal costs are huge... he laughed and said "Is the guy from California?"

Apparently he said they had banned them there quite a while back, one of the first places. But here they are still in use. I asked him about disposal and he said they are paying  abut 1% of what was mentioned on here.. actually it was less than that even.

Interesting, I forgot to ask him about if he figured it would work on the intake rubbers after talking about the other.

So I guess its a matter of where you live.. I seriouslly doubt that  we are an unenlightened contrie ( spelling is copied verbatim from a previous poster)

Right...I live in Massachusetts.  In Canada anything is possible though it takes 14 months to get bypass or hip replacement surgery. Hey....that process is illegal all over the USA pretty much....at least on the books. If you are living a Jack London novel out in the Yukon you can do anything you want I guess.

Mike,

You have me pissing my pants here.

Art

[mrbreeze]

This thread got me thinking and I do believe I will be adding new intakes to my winter list also. Mine don't leak but they are old and they were not real easy to put on last time (2 years ago). Being 33 years old and through the temp extremes of Wyoming.....I am sold on replacing them. $65 through Service Honda huh?? Any other better deals out there??? Better to buy OEM compared to aftermarket???

[seaweb11]

I put the whole bike in the freezer over night. This cools the carbs thus reducing their size. Intakes slide right on

[mrbreeze]

GTFOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[754]

Ahh Mann.. I think i ground the lip off my intakes and carbs for nothing!!!

 I sure wish I would have found this thread sooner....

[rhinoracer]

I put the whole bike in the freezer over night. This cools the carbs thus reducing their size. Intakes slide right on

 

[TwoTired]

I put the whole bike in the freezer over night. This cools the carbs thus reducing their size. Intakes slide right on

Rubber has a reverse expansion coefficient.  Cooling causes expansion.

[BobbyR]

I put the whole bike in the freezer over night. This cools the carbs thus reducing their size. Intakes slide right on

That has got to be one of the top ten replies I have read on this site.

[rheilman]

So will leaky rubbers going from the airbox to the carbs cause bad running conditions?...

 My first thought was that the carbs will just see a little more air, and this could be adjusted out somehow.  But after talking to some folks it seems that if each carb has a different flow it can really mess you up.

My boots are cracked and I think air is getting through....  Cylinder 1 has the worst cracks and it has been cutting in and out lately.  Would a leaky airbox to carb boot cause such a problem? 

Is it worth 65 bucks to get new ones?   


What about replacing the whole setup with pods?  I have heard very mixed reviews about them...  Is it possible to ever get a bike running well with the pods?  Just a matter of re-jetting or is it a bigger pain then that. 

With factory air filters running about 30 bucks and the insulator boots costing 65, it seems the pods and a re-jet might be cheaper?

Any thoughts?

[MRieck]

So will leaky rubbers going from the airbox to the carbs cause bad running conditions?...

 My first thought was that the carbs will just see a little more air, and this could be adjusted out somehow.  But after talking to some folks it seems that if each carb has a different flow it can really mess you up.

My boots are cracked and I think air is getting through....  Cylinder 1 has the worst cracks and it has been cutting in and out lately.  Would a leaky airbox to carb boot cause such a problem? 

Is it worth 65 bucks to get new ones?   


What about replacing the whole setup with pods?  I have heard very mixed reviews about them...  Is it possible to ever get a bike running well with the pods?  Just a matter of re-jetting or is it a bigger pain then that. 

With factory air filters running about 30 bucks and the insulator boots costing 65, it seems the pods and a re-jet might be cheaper?

Any thoughts?

  Yes

[TwoTired]

So will leaky rubbers going from the airbox to the carbs cause bad running conditions?...

Yes

My first thought was that the carbs will just see a little more air, and this could be adjusted out somehow.  But after talking to some folks it seems that if each carb has a different flow it can really mess you up. 

yes

My boots are cracked and I think air is getting through....  Cylinder 1 has the worst cracks and it has been cutting in and out lately.  Would a leaky airbox to carb boot cause such a problem?   

yes

Is it worth 65 bucks to get new ones?   

yes

What about replacing the whole setup with pods?  I have heard very mixed reviews about them...  Is it possible to ever get a bike running well with the pods?  Just a matter of re-jetting or is it a bigger pain then that. 

yes.  If you know what you are doing and have access to a dyno, it's not too much pain.  Dental work is pain free with the proper amount of novacaine.

With factory air filters running about 30 bucks and the insulator boots costing 65, it seems the pods and a re-jet might be cheaper?

Add the cost of the jets (several sizes), and donate your considerable time for free (instead of being out joyriding), or add the cost of dyno rental to that $30 pod filter outlay.

Any thoughts?

Oh, yes, lots.  And there are many threads where I've typed them out for all to read! 

Some of the threads mention that rejetting for pods is fun!  But, not many.

[BobbyR]

So will leaky rubbers going from the airbox to the carbs cause bad running conditions?...

Yes

My first thought was that the carbs will just see a little more air, and this could be adjusted out somehow.  But after talking to some folks it seems that if each carb has a different flow it can really mess you up. 

yes

My boots are cracked and I think air is getting through....  Cylinder 1 has the worst cracks and it has been cutting in and out lately.  Would a leaky airbox to carb boot cause such a problem?   

yes

Is it worth 65 bucks to get new ones?   

yes

What about replacing the whole setup with pods?  I have heard very mixed reviews about them...  Is it possible to ever get a bike running well with the pods?  Just a matter of re-jetting or is it a bigger pain then that. 

yes.  If you know what you are doing and have access to a dyno, it's not too much pain.  Dental work is pain free with the proper amount of novacaine.

With factory air filters running about 30 bucks and the insulator boots costing 65, it seems the pods and a re-jet might be cheaper?

Add the cost of the jets (several sizes), and donate your considerable time for free (instead of being out joyriding), or add the cost of dyno rental to that $30 pod filter outlay.

Any thoughts?

Oh, yes, lots.  And there are many threads where I've typed them out for all to read! 

Some of the threads mention that rejetting for pods is fun!  But, not many.

Yes

If you want to spend your life tinkering to save $65.00, then the answer is no.