Topic: Wintergreen oil_rubber renew test / peanut oil plastic renew test_pics

[kwaggs27]

Well today after soaking my carb boots for 24hrs in a solution of 4oz. Wintergreen Oil and 12oz. of Xylene, my boots were soft and pliable with no swelling. Before soaking I could not squeeze the boots together at all but now they will form to the carb and intake runners and provide air tight sealing. Just my 2 cents, well 3 scents after that minty smell!    Purchased the 8oz. Wintergreen on ebay for $12.00 and $8.00 for a quart of Xylene at Ace Hardware. 

[HondaMan]

Well today after soaking my carb boots for 24hrs in a solution of 4oz. Wintergreen Oil and 12oz. of Xylene, my boots were soft and pliable with no swelling. Before soaking I could not squeeze the boots together at all but now they will form to the carb and intake runners and provide air tight sealing. Just my 2 cents, well 3 scents after that minty smell!    Purchased the 8oz. Wintergreen on ebay for $12.00 and $8.00 for a quart of Xylene at Ace Hardware. 

Thanks, "K": I just got my wintergreen from them yesterday. Got the xylene: going to try it tonight. I have 12 boots that need help.

[ekpent]

Sounds like good ole' Hondaman is makin' a major "Boodie Call"     Let us know.

[the architect]

Be warned:  This smells like Pepto Bismol and will smell up your garage/kitchen/anything for some time to come.  At least it doesn't smell like dirty oil 

[wannabridin]

Hondaman:  please post your results!!  this could be an addendum to your book!!!   

[bistromath]

Just wanted to let you guys know I tried it with 3oz. wintergreen oil and about 1/2 gallon of water. Simmered for about 1.5-2 hours -- I used a camp stove in the back yard -- and then rinsed. They feel more or less like new. They definitely won't be any trouble getting them back on the carbs.

[Halvin]

I followed the same procedure as Kwaggs27 with excellent results.  Used 8oz of wintergreen (probably overkill) to approximately 13oz of Xylol and soaked them for 24 hours.  The boots came out feeling like they would have when new.  They seemed to have expanded as they fit loosely when re-installed onto the carburators.  Before soaking I could not distort them with one hand, afterward they were pliable while retaining the strength required to support the carbs. the pictures show the boots after being removed from the solution, with a clamp so that the expansion can be seen, and re-intalled on the carbs.  Since the solution still smelled wintergreen-ee I put in the side cover rubbers and will remove them later today. 
Halvin

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[mystic_1]

Anyone ever tried this is JUST the Xylene, no wintergreen?  Just curious.

mystic_1

[wannabridin]

I followed the same procedure as Kwaggs27 with excellent results.  Used 8oz of wintergreen (probably overkill) to approximately 13oz of Xylol and soaked them for 24 hours.  The boots came out feeling like they would have when new.  They seemed to have expanded as they fit loosely when re-installed onto the carburators.  Before soaking I could not distort them with one hand, afterward they were pliable while retaining the strength required to support the carbs. the pictures show the boots after being removed from the solution, with a clamp so that the expansion can be seen, and re-intalled on the carbs.  Since the solution still smelled wintergreen-ee I put in the side cover rubbers and will remove them later today. 
Halvin

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have they shrunken down any since you've let them air dry?  could this swelling cause any air leaks when clamped down?

[ekpent]

I read where the active ingredient in wintergreen oil,methyl salicylate,is also an ingredient in Listerine mouth wash. HMMM- Save your gargles,and who has some of that to try   

[cookindaddy]

Ok, I got my Wintergreen oil and I've got my carb boots and of course I have water, heated or not. Do I need the xylene?

[ev0lve]

Ok, I got my Wintergreen oil and I've got my carb boots and of course I have water, heated or not. Do I need the xylene?

Mine didn't. May make the effect last longer though.

Boiled mine for about 30 minutes and it was enough to make them supple again.

[traveler]

This info is absolutely priceless!  Round up all the old hard boots and "restore" them!

my boots were still supple when I got the bike, but one had a tear.  I tried super glue in the gel form.  Let it dry for a couple days, and after reefing and straining to get them on the carb, it still held!

With these boots no longer available, this is truly a God send IMHO.  So don't be afraid to use GEL super glue on torn ones!  I'm going to round up a bunch and restore them, I think.  You cannot get '77-'78 550K boots at all...so this is really a lifesaver for us 550 guys!

~Joe

[fastbroshi]

It's messier, but has anyone ever tried petroleum jelly on carb boots?   I've read it's good at restoring the dark  luster on various plastic bits, maybe it would work in this app.

[Thunder]

I followed the same procedure as Kwaggs27 with excellent results.  Used 8oz of wintergreen (probably overkill) to approximately 13oz of Xylol and soaked them for 24 hours.  The boots came out feeling like they would have when new.  They seemed to have expanded as they fit loosely when re-installed onto the carburators.  Before soaking I could not distort them with one hand, afterward they were pliable while retaining the strength required to support the carbs. the pictures show the boots after being removed from the solution, with a clamp so that the expansion can be seen, and re-intalled on the carbs.  Since the solution still smelled wintergreen-ee I put in the side cover rubbers and will remove them later today. 
Halvin

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Had the same prob with the swelling, 'cept i left mine in for waaaay too long and they swelled to about 1.5 times the size along with distorting.
THEY COME RIGHT , with a bit of time (mine took 3 weeks), they shrink back to original size n shape, but remain supple

[Halvin]

Wannabridin,
My carb boots did not look like they were swollen but fit loosely on the carbs.  Since they were pliable it was easy to put the clamps back on them.  Given their soft state and only the slight difference between their former fit I don't believe there will be any problems with air leaks.  Besides, there are comments on this string that indicate that they return to their original dimensions within a short period of time (weeks).  I put my side cover rubbers in the same solution and left them 36 hours (forgot to take them out until 2:00am).  They came out supple and looking like new.
Halvin

[cookindaddy]

I got my wintergreen oil locally in the Toronto area at a drug store. I had to go to 2, the first didn't have it. Funny that the pharmacists didn't know what it was for. It wasn't expensive, about $5 for a little bottle (100ml). 100% methyl salicylate - a topical analgesic - for temporary relief of neuralgia, rheumatic pain and muscular aches.

I'm sure the old girl CB750K has muscular aches after 30 years! She'll like it. The wintergreen smells nice.

When I got home and smelled it, I realized that I already had this chemical for treating rubber parts in tape machines and record players. I've used it for about 40 years to renew those little rubber tires on drive wheels.

The industrial product is interesting. I knew it was hazardous. The older one (must be 20 years old) has 1,1,1 Trichloroethane and Methyl Salicylate (wintergreen oil) listed as the active ingredients. The newer one, bought maybe two years ago list dimethylbenzene along with the methyl salicylate as active ingredients. Two years ago I paid about $7 for Rubber Renue from MG Chemicals at an industrial electronics parts place.

You use it differently in that you don't soak the parts in it. You just put a bit on a Q tip and rub it over the edge of the rubber wheel and let it dry. Works wonderfully.

I haven't tried the wintergreen for my carb boots, but that's next.

[AshimotoK0]

Had a look at the inlet rubber I treated six months ago ( with my own 'brew' and not Wintergreen)and still nice and supple so my 'magic brew' appears to have worked. Don't know about the Americans site's brew using Wintergreen

Mine was this:

    
Re: Wintergreen oil_rubber renew test / peanut oil plastic renew test_pics
« Reply #47 on: February 19, 2010, 05:26:53 am »
   
I tested a 750 K0 inlet rubber by soaking  in Tri-Aryl phosphate ester (Reofos 50) at 70 degrees Centigrade (it is a plasticizer for Nitrile Rubber / PVC ). It softened up Ok - that was about 4 months ago. Will have to check its pliability again. It is still in the boot (trunk to non- 'Limeys'  Grin) of my car ! This plasticizer is flame retardant too.

[Joel]

Has anyone tried an Armor All soak for the rubber carb boots?

[HondaMan]

Hondaman:  please post your results!!  this could be an addendum to your book!!!   

Results: EXCELLENT. I had some original 1971 hoses that were so hard theey felt like aluminum (been stored 27 years since I took them off my bike). It took 5 days of soaking: now they are like brand new, and it removed the "signature" creases that were found around the spigots at the head, to boot. Then I took the air horns from the airbox and soaked them 2 days (similar condition to start with, and very shrunken in diameter). When I took them out, they were larger OD than the new ones I have from Honda. About 3 days later, they shrunk to be the exact same OD as these brand new ones, and are slightly MORE flexible than these new ones. Once installed into the airbox, they are a perfect seal again.

I now have soaked 5 complete sets of hoses and 3 sets of air horns, will next be reviving a K7 set (since some of these are no longer available, and I'm building a fancy cafe' for someone). I completely recommend it! If you have a set that needs soaking, I could probably drop them into this can for a week for you for a few bucks: some of the "stuff" soaks into the rubber and some apparently evaporates, even through the plastic lid of the can, so I have used up 2/3 of the "stuff". I can get more, but would need to charge something to cost those costs...

Maybe, $10 to soak your old ones for you? Plus Priority Mail shipping in their Flat Rate box, that would be $20 overall cost for some good hoses!

[mystic_1]

Mark if you build up a small stockpile of them you could start an exchange service.  Don't ship out the reconditioned boots until you receive four old boots in good condition, of course. 

mystic_1

[fmctm1sw]

What was the final verdict on the proportions of xylene and wintergreen oil? 

[HondaMan]

What was the final verdict on the proportions of xylene and wintergreen oil? 

I started at 50/50 mix. As the liquid slowly disappeared, I added more xylol to where it might be 25/75 if you presume equal amounts were being "used" by the rubber. It now takes considerably longer to soak the rubber with 75% xylol, though. I think I need more wintergreen, time to make a new "batch". I still have 3 more sets of hoses to go. It also doesn't smell as good in the garage, now. 

I think the xylol by itself would probably work, but it sure worked faster with the extra wintergreen in it.

[cookindaddy]

Hondaman: I gather from your postings that you are not heating the mix. It has been said by others and I can confirm with my experience that heating the mix, not quite to boiling, but warm, speeds the process considerably. Also with the heated mix, I used much less wintergreen (say 10-20%) and got good results in about 1/2 hour and then left the parts outside for a day or two before judging the final degree of softening. If it wasn't enough, I repeated the treatment. I used the BBQ and an old pot to hold the mix and the parts.

[mystic_1]

I dunno about heating up Xylene, sounds risky.  I used the water + wintergreen + heat method, 200F for 15-20 minutes.  Worked a treat.

Based on other threads here the active ingredient is the methyl salicyate.  This is the active ingredient in commercially sold rubber treatments.

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=29707.msg361349#msg361349

The xylene, or water + heat, just acts as a carrier imho and allows the methyl salicyate to penetrate the rubber, but I'm no chemist.

With the water + wintergreen + heat method you could do a whole bunch of sets in one weekend.  Faster than soaking for a week but much more labor intensive than xylene + wintergreen + time.

mystic_1