Topic: Why are the carbs and airbox so freaking hard to get off and back on the bike???

[MrHellpop]

Finally got everything back together!!! What made everything go MUCH smoother: taking the bottom half of the airbox off! With only the top half in the frame it's much easier to get the airbox boots onto the carb. A twisting while pushing motion gets those boots on much better than just pushing. Once everything is clamped tight, it's a snap to screw the bottom half of the airbox back on. I salute the Honda engineers for their design prowess, but easy removal/reinstall of the carbs don't win any props in my book 

[Gordon]

because I know what a pain boots are, I have been removing my carbs along with the intake manifold. Sure, its eight nuts and washers, but it sure beats the pain of dealing with the boots.

These bikes don't have an intake manifold.  Which part are you talking about?

[HondaMan]

because I know what a pain boots are, I have been removing my carbs along with the intake manifold. Sure, its eight nuts and washers, but it sure beats the pain of dealing with the boots.

These bikes don't have an intake manifold.  Which part are you talking about?

I think he's talking about the 550.... 

[HondaMan]

I think you can find it at most natural foods type stores, maybe pharmacies, or probably your best bet might be aromatherapy type shops.

http://yp.yahoo.com/ypResults.py?stp=y&stx=96296287&city=Lakewood&state=CO&uzip=80226&msa=2080&slt=39.7038&sln=-105.081268&cs=4&qtx=aromatherapy

Thanks, Alan! There's one near here. I think I'll go visit them: I have three 750s in pieces in the back, waiting to become whole again. The boots are in boxes, so I know how that's going to go... 

[tbpmusic]

I think you can find it at most natural foods type stores, maybe pharmacies, or probably your best bet might be aromatherapy type shops.

http://yp.yahoo.com/ypResults.py?stp=y&stx=96296287&city=Lakewood&state=CO&uzip=80226&msa=2080&slt=39.7038&sln=-105.081268&cs=4&qtx=aromatherapy

Thanks, Alan! There's one near here. I think I'll go visit them: I have three 750s in pieces in the back, waiting to become whole again. The boots are in boxes, so I know how that's going to go... 

The wintergreen oil is completely unnecessary, and expensive too.
Try plain ol' Xylol from the hardware store.
Diesel also works, too - this is what an auto-glass buddy uses to soften up winshield gaskets in place before removing..

The part will swell somewhat initially - I soak the rubber in Xylol for a couple of hours, then let it rest for a couple of days. It will regain its initial size and shape, but will be flexible for some time.
Eventually however, it will get hard again - you can only reverse the effects of Time for a short while.

[ev0lve]

+ however many folks have said it. Struggled to get mine back on. Finally stuck the boots under a work light for an hour or so rotating every 15 minutes to get them evenly heated and life became much better at that point.

I wonder if there's enough water in them for a microwave to do anything? Probably not. I suppose you could drop them in a bowl of water and nuke them that way if you can't wait. Hmmm,, probably ought to try that 

[MCRider]

+ however many folks have said it. Struggled to get mine back on. Finally stuck the boots under a work light for an hour or so rotating every 15 minutes to get them evenly heated and life became much better at that point.

I wonder if there's enough water in them for a microwave to do anything? Probably not. I suppose you could drop them in a bowl of water and nuke them that way if you can't wait. Hmmm,, probably ought to try that 

people are saying a heat gun works. They get kinda hot. So a compromise between a heat gun and a work light might be a hair dryer. I keep one of the missus cast offs in the shop. Has helped on things, but I keep forgetting to use it. Helped get the screen out of the oil pump.

[andy750]

You guys are making it hard on yourselves....

A couple of years ago i bought new boots (both engine-carb can carb-airbox) and yes it makes a huge difference. However the biggest difference is lining up the carb-engine rubbers so that they are orientated correctly. When they are they should form a flat straight line so that all you need to do is press the carbs in (with your hands not a 2x4! do you think Honda engineers had a 2x4 lying around the factory  ). Occassionaly if its particularly cold (and in winter in Boston it gets a bit chilly) I might pre-heat with a hairdryer.

The carb-airbox are even easier with new boots and yes only using half-the airbox is the key.

The above should only take less than 5 min otherwise you are not doing it correctly....proper alignment is the key!

cheers
Andy

[ofreen]

Andy is 100% correct.  If someone receives new boots that are as hard as 30+ year old ones, they should return them.  Get new ones, odds are good that when those are too hard in 30 years, you won't care.  In the meantime, make life easy on yourself.  Fresh boots seal better, anyway.

[Hush]

No comparison with old and new carb isolators, I was using a 30 year old set and it was like trying to put your grand kids gumboots on!
A forum member sold me some new ones cheap (thanks again Soos) and the carbs just about fell into place, don't know why I persisited so long with the old ones that also had a leak which ruined my tuning.

[jmckinne]

The most important part of Andy's post is the part about having the correct lineup of the intake boots on the cylinder head. It really isn't necessary to use 2x4 type pressure even with old boots.

1) Make damn sure you have the cylinder side boots set on there correctly. Correct number on each cylinder facing up, etc.

2) Leave the boots on the cylinder head but have the clamps on the cylinder side loose.

3) Press the carbs into place, a few taps with a rubber mallet will do just fine. The boots will "self-align" on the cylinder heads.

4) Tighten all 8 cylinder side boot clamps.

Once you've done that one time the cylinder side boot alignment should be fine and it will be easy next time.

On the airbox side, doing just the top half first is the key, but getting all four airbox rubbers on far enough always pisses me off. If anyone has any great tips on that I'm all ears.

[HondaMan]

I think you can find it at most natural foods type stores, maybe pharmacies, or probably your best bet might be aromatherapy type shops.

http://yp.yahoo.com/ypResults.py?stp=y&stx=96296287&city=Lakewood&state=CO&uzip=80226&msa=2080&slt=39.7038&sln=-105.081268&cs=4&qtx=aromatherapy

Thanks, Alan! There's one near here. I think I'll go visit them: I have three 750s in pieces in the back, waiting to become whole again. The boots are in boxes, so I know how that's going to go... 

The wintergreen oil is completely unnecessary, and expensive too.
Try plain ol' Xylol from the hardware store.
Diesel also works, too - this is what an auto-glass buddy uses to soften up winshield gaskets in place before removing..

The part will swell somewhat initially - I soak the rubber in Xylol for a couple of hours, then let it rest for a couple of days. It will regain its initial size and shape, but will be flexible for some time.
Eventually however, it will get hard again - you can only reverse the effects of Time for a short while.

Well, diesel is cheap (so am I    ), and whatever would be left over can go into my old parts cleaner soaking can, since that's what came in it in "the old days" (diesel + detergent = clean aluminum). Maybe I'll start there, since I'm currently broke and need some more carb body cleaner stuff: kill two birds, as they say...

When I'm rich, I'm still gonna try wintergreen: the idea of a pine-scented 750 in Colorado just has a ring to it. 

[lowmileage]

750 is the easiest one to do.
Just put top part of airbox on first, assemble lower section after its fitted correctly (and be glad you don't have a 350/400f)

PJ

Thanks for the hint.  It's impossible any other way - well, unless you use a sledgehammer.

[76CB5WI]

The 750 is a literal peach to work on after the 550 which can turn
a good day into a bad one..with those clearances..