Topic: CB350F carb part question; gasket goop use

[Vfrman]

Have my 1973 350F’s carbs busted down all the way. Wasnt quite as traumatic as I feared. I’m sure getting it back on & tuned will be trickier.

So despite extreme caution, I tore one of the black rubber straps (what are they called?) while sliding it over a ball joint. The other ones might tear when reinstalling. Does anyone know where I can buy a new set  vs getting the whole assembly from Honda- if available?  Just how critical are these parts?  I cant quite make out what purpose they serve.

So a previous owner had the tops and bowls off these carbs before, and reassembled with gasket (top) and o-ring (bowl), but also added some gasket sealant from a tube. Is that a common practice?  Some of the stuff had squished over edge into the bowl and was likely a source of contamination clogging jets/needle/etc.

Thanks

[HondaMan]

Yeah, those poor things have become quite stiff and dry these 50 years later. That's why they self-destruct when passing over the little ball joints.

They are effectively dust-covers to protect from grit getting inside the little ball joints in operation, causing wear issues with the ball linkage over time.

[bryanj]

If you find somewhere that sells post it on here cos nobody else has found anywhere

[ozm29c]

Vfrman,
I am sure that the information in this link will be of great help to you in finding the elusive CB350F Carburettor dust seals;
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,193163.msg2258011.html#msg2258011
Cheers
John W.

[Oddjob]

I'm sure if someone bought a lot of these the cost for each would drop markedly, it's the postage that drives the cost up. Maybe someone has a relative in Japan who can buy say 40, contact the seller and see if he'll drop the price for a bulk order, ship them to the USA via the cheapest means and then divide the total cost by 40 to see what each one costs, little mark up on top to pay for the effort involved and then ship to to whoever wants them. I've done a few of these in the past, latest one was for the clutch basket damping rubbers for the 500/550. Very difficult to find anyone making those and the seller wouldn't post out of Europe so I had a mate buy them for me and post them onwards.

[Vfrman]

Yeah, those poor things have become quite stiff and dry these 50 years later. That's why they self-destruct when passing over the little ball joints.

They are effectively dust-covers to protect from grit getting inside the little ball joints in operation, causing wear issues with the ball linkage over time.

If thats that (dust cover) is their only function I’m sure ppl have “McGyver’d” an alternate solution.
I do have 2 that came off in tact. I wonder if this could be fabricated by 3D printer?  I doubt it…since the material is rubber/flexible.

I’m thinking of a sleeve made of appropriate diameter heat shrink tubing slid over the part with the socket where the ball joint inserts and just poking a hole to slip the ball thru. Will experiment

[Vfrman]

What about “gasket goop” use with gaskets and o-rings under the top and bowl covers?  Is it common practice to use that stuff?  Im guessing previous owner did it cause he reused the original gaskets/orings and he wanted an extra layer of sealing OR he found out they leaked.

I hope the o-rings for the bowl cover I have coming from NurseJulie are all thats required for a good seal for the bowls. The top cover sees no fluid action so why he did that at all I dont know

[Oddjob]

You may find you need to glue the float bowl orings into place, a lot of people have to do this in order to get them to stay in place. Some use grease, some use a light glue. It's because the exact size specified by Honda isn't available without getting them specially manufactured and that means ordering at least 500 as a rule. TBH the same goes for almost all the carb orings, they are such odd sizes they need to be specially made to order so sellers substitute rings that are close but not exact, same goes for the tappet covers and the intake manifold rings on the 500/550, they are supposed to be 30.8 x 3.2mm and I've had some supplied that frankly I wouldn't fit, not so bad on a tappet cover but the inlet manifold ones need to be exact or you risk it sucking air, plus changing one of those if it does leak is not an easy job, I ended up fitting old tappet cover orings as the ones supplied were nowhere the size needed. To get an exact set required for the carbs you'd need to order 3000 orings and you'd only get 125 carb kits out of that lot, the cost puts most people off, it's not cheap to order 3000 specially made rings.