tricks for removal/reinstallation of carbs

Bike is an 85 Maxim X. I've pulled carbs and I'm going to install new boots in the airbox. I have always had to struggle, getting carbs back into the space between the air cleaner boots and those mounted to the engine. I don't want to run the risk of distorting the new boots as I wrestle the carbs back into position. I do know about loosening the airbox mouting screws and sliding it backwards, but I haven't found that especially helpful. Has anyone developed any tricks/shortcuts for making the task a bit easier??

In a related vein, one of the carbs has a diaphragm assembly that's intact, but seems a bit stretched out of its' original shape. When i go to put the cover back on that particular carb, I can't quite get the diaphragm to sit in its' little grooved area, so it wants to catch between the top and the carb cover. Any tips for massaging that correctly into place?

Thanks in advance.
Joe

 

The only real "trick" is to get yourself a RickCoMatic patented hammer handle pry bar. Go the the hardware store and get a replacement hammer handle. Cut off the split part where the head was supposed to go, and voila! A really stout non-marring prybar. Personally, I have two of 'em, a big one and a smaller one and use them a lot.

Use a dab of silicone grease to help stick the edge of the diaphragm to the top of the carb. Be sure the tab lines up with the little "wide spot" in the groove.

 

Hey Jobee, I just wanted to make sure you were re-locating the intake side boots to a position mostly in the airbox, only sticking out 1/2 inch.
I don't have an "X" , but on the older XJ's there is plenty of room once these boots are retracted.

Then make RickCoMatic's nifty car antennae tool to help put the intake boots on the carb's mouth's

 

My method is pulling the airbox to carb boots out downwards, while sticking my hand in through the air filter hole to get the boots unseated.
I've heard that some back the boots into the airbox, but I've never had much luck. Getting the boots off/out is a pain in the ass......unless you're willing to deform to boots.

Pulling the carbs out....I just start on one side. Popping them loose from the intake boots, then to the other side. A hammer handle does work well for this, if you can't get them by hand.

Putting them back is easier, IMO. Do everything above in reverse order.
I put the airbox to carb boots on, by starting them on the carb intakes, then seating the groove in the airbox side.

Spread a little grease in the diaphragm groove to hold the diaphragm in place.

 

I don't have an X either, but the way I do it is pull the rear of carbs up first. I used to try pulling them straight back and found I was fighting the rear boots, so I started the little flip up trick from the rear.

What that does initially, is to break the rear of the carb free from the rear boots and it also breaks the bottom free from the front boots. I then start pulling on the whole carb with a kind of side to side motion until the throats pop out completely from the front boots. At that point, I can tilt the carbs in more of a front upward position so I can snake them out from between both boots. Although the rear boots still cause a little bit of a hang up, they are quite plyable and give quite easily as you pull the carbs back away from the stout front boots and slide them out to one side.

Keep in mind, at this point I have already pulled the airbox back as far as it will go, and I have also completely slid the rear boot clamps completely back off of the tightening ring of the boots.

When re-installing, I do the same thing in reverse, and I put a tiny bit of oil on the front boot retainer humps, I guess you would call them. The ones that basically latch onto the outside of the carb throats. You can kind of feel them pop into place when the carbs have seated in the forward position.

 

the air intake boots are actually really strong and pliable if you dig into them. pushing the boots into the airbox was the easiest way for me. push on the lip of the boot where it meets the airbox with a screwdriver or something similar to get it started, then just use your fingers to manipulate the boot to get it to slide off the groove, then just push it into the box. getting them in is the easy part, getting them back out is a pain. last time it took me about an hour and 15 minutes off faffing to get the boots back out and on the carbs after reinstalling but getting the carbs themselves out and back in was a snap. didnt even need a pry bar just pulled right out by hand. practice makes perfect, i did it for the second time tonight and it only took about 20 minutes. good luck

i wouldnt really worry about bending the new boots theyre pretty strong. its a really thick piece of rubber. it worked for me to fold it flat on one end then taco it and it slipped right in from inside the airbox out very easily

 

thank you all! You guys rock!

 

jobee,
I own a 85 maxim x n just took the carbs out n put it back on a month ago, first time was a hour long struggle but IInd time around was just 15 min thing..trust me..like Lopezfr said losen the airbox boots and push them in the airbox so it becomes flush, loosen the manifold side boots and start pulling carbs on side by side (left/right ends) motion and it would gradually start coming out. Upon reassembly pulling boots out of airbox needs some patience, 2 and 3 is easier as u can put your hands in and push out..but 1 and 4 you may use a blunt end screwdriver n same time another hand from insider the airbox to get boot out. good luck.

 

When you tilt the carbs the way I do, there is no reason to push the boots into the airbox. I did that the first time I pulled the carbs and I will never do it again once I figured out I can tilt them the way I do. That extra step is now a complete waste of time.

 

Respectfully, that's not the case with the X. If your 550 is anything like my 750J, it's probably got tons of room behind the carbs. The X... not so much. Even with the airbox pushed back as far as it can go, the room just isn't there. One can get the carbs out without pushing the boots back, as I did a few days ago, but putting them back in, I found it was easier if I did.

 

The 550 does not have a ton of room. Even with the carbs tilted like I describe, you are still making contact with the rear and front boots as you are sliding the carbs out. But at an angle, the contact is at a much more reduced rate.

But even with that little bit of resistance, it sure beats the hell out of pushing the rear boots into the airbox and risking tearing them as you try to get them back into position.

 

I have three Maxim Xs and have removed/replaced the carbs and fitted new airbox boots on each of them.

Removing them is fairly easy but getting them back, even with new pliant airbox boots is a PITA. It is also quite easy to damage the soft rubber boots with pliers/screwdrivers

The only way I found to get everything back easily and fitting snugly was to undo the carb to cylinder heads manifolds by removing the allen head bolts. Re assembly involves fitting air box boots to airbox, then insert carbs, fit engine manifold to carbs on cyl 2 and 3 and refit allen bolts (while also reinserting the coolant pipes). Repeat for outer cylinders 1 and 4

WARNING: some people have reported that it is (very) easy to snap off the head of these allen bolts, in which case you have a major problem removing the remains of the bolt.

However I have removed them from 3 bikes without breaking a single one.

 

I've been using a heat gun to soften up the airbox boots on mine (found that tip on this site). They become very pliable this way and are really easy to put back on.

 

Vaseline applied to the inside of all boots worked for me!

 

Adrian1, one BIG downside to Vaseline, it is a petroleum distillate, and rubber does NOT like petroleum. I would strongly advise you to clean all that stuff off and use silicone or dielectric grease (same thing) or WD40 as neither will harm rubber.

 

I take your point but IMHO a small amount will do no harm...after all the rubber inlet tubes between the carbs and the head are able to put up with a whole lot more petroleum during their life

 

Am I the only one who just took the boots off completely? Once I did that it was fairly easy to get the carb out and back in. Replacing the boots going 3, 4,2,1. Attached to carb with clamp then pinch to put in the airbox. Voila.

 

YES! The rest of us like to make life hard!

 

Why, is there something I'm missing? (Besides all the fun of using your "extended" vocabulary as you wrestle with boots in an air box?)

Just did it the other day and think it took about 10 minutes to get all the boots connected to the carbs and in the airbox.

 

No sorry mate... Aussie sarcasm! I'll try your method next time!

 

air pods would make removing the carbs a hell of alot easier it seems. ive been wondering why people say it would be such a nightmare if you have to rejet, since this whole issue with the airbox boots suddently doesn't exist anymore. taking the carbs off would take like 5 minutes.

also, when i removed the allen bolts holding the engine side boots off they came off easier than any other screw/bolt on the entire bike. i destroyed my hand trying to get the sprocket cover allen bolts out im lucky i didn't break my wrench they were in so hard.

 

I don't think carb boots are made from material that is adversely affected by petroleum. Think about it.