carb boot repair-- heat shrink

I had a go at repairing my split carb boots today, but not by using the "inner tube method"
but by using heat shrink tubing, and black silicon sealant (r.t.v.).
the boots only had slight splits, on the outside, and they didd'nt go all the way through.
I used 70mm heat shrink, which cost about £5 for 1.2 metres.
though I think 60mm would have been better.



I cut a 35mm slice off the tubing to test on an old piece of pipe ,of similar diameter as the boots



it seemed to go ok,
please excuse blurry pics ,had camera on wrong setting



so started on carb boots
cut another 35mm slice , and made a small hole to slip over the vac tube take off


smeared the boot with black rtv
first heated with heat gun ,then "very carefully "with blowlamp, until tubing was fully shrunk.



did all 4 and fitted new vac blanking caps


I think they turned out ok
stu

 

those look fixed forever, nice work. But will the carbs go back in them?
is there a lip on the ID where they meet the head on yours ?

 

yes, there's a lip on the inside of the boot, (you can see it best on #1 boot ,on the left)
I've tried each individual boot on the carbs, and they go on ok with silicon grease-- pushing down on the bench!
I may have a struggle, when the boots are on the engine ,and the rack built up

anyone have any good tips to get them back on--please no prying with hammer shafts e.c.t.--
its taken me 3 years to get to this stage


cheers
stu

 

The easiest method that I have found involves warm carb boots, a little silicone spray, and rotating the carb rack into place. The rotation helps stretch the boots over the carb throats, where trying to push them straight on just compresses the boot openings.

 

With the bike looking that good you should get new boots.

 

i was referring to the other end, the flange end. Where the manifold meets the head. mine took a little carving to get a smooth transition from rubber to aluminum.

 

thanks "mlew" , yes thought about it. but with a good repair, the £100 needed for new boots , gets me new stainless brake hoses and all fittings.
stu

 

You will probably need to get some new clamps that are slightly larger diameter---but you may luck out.....the old ones often stretch, so it may work to your advantage.....

dave

 

Oooh! Aaah! RZ350 wheels? That thing is beautiful!

 

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i was referring to the other end, the flange end. Where the manifold meets the head. mine took a little carving to get a smooth transition from rubber to aluminium

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nope, at the head side they're flat, just a paper gasket

 

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Oooh! Aaah! RZ350 wheels? That thing is beautiful!
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nope, they're the originals, xj600, that's them , << in my avatar,
with a lot of rough and fine sanding and polishing, it took me 3 days to mask them up for spraying.






stu

 

That is going to be a spectacular bike when you're done!!!

 

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That is going to be a spectacular bike when you're done!!!
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thanks, I'm doing my best!
I will start a build thread when I get near completion, i'm trying to refrain from posting full pictures just yet..
hope the cash doesn't run out first.
stu

 

Hi Bensalf, I agree with someone that said that with this kind of work you SHOULD get new boots...100 more or less, with all the money that look to had invested in the bike will be worthy. Anyway, I assumed that the boots you had in the bike weren't the originals, right? I don't have the original since mines are all hard rubber, and originals are aluminum and rubber coated as far as I know. If yours are not original I'd like to know how you solve the problem with the gasket fitting in the cylinders? That's where a have an air leak and for some reason is hard to fix, I tried gaskets homemade with gasket paper; thick ones, I tried make them in rubber, I tried o'rings and a lot more of combinations... and nothing. What did you do on that? Thanks a lot.
Rod. Sinners Mc.

 

hi "Rod1" the carbs are not yet installed on the bike (I've been waiting for a new pilot screw arriving) . I believe the boots are original i.e. aluminium/ rubber covered.
the boots did not leak "A.F.A.I.K.". before I tore the original bike down, the seals are just paper gaskets.


if you are unable to get a good seal between head and the boot, I suspect that your carbs are not lined up on the rack.
try loosening the carb retaining screws on both rack bars, and laying the carb rack on a flat surface, (a surface plate, or a piece of plate glass)
then tighten the screws up whilst applying pressure, to line the rack up.
if the carbs are not lined up ,they will distort the boots when the boot clamps are tightened.
just my 2 penerth.
stu

 

If you're trying to put the rack PLUS the boots on as one unit, I think you're going to have a tough time. You have to put the boots on first so you can snug the bolts properly. THEN the carbs go on.

I warm the boots with a heat gun if needed, and put a light smear of motor oil on the inside lip. Then I just push them into place. Easy.

Dave Fox

 

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If you're trying to put the rack PLUS the boots on as one unit, I think you're going to have a tough time
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no Hog, I just pushed the boots onto the carbs to try them after doing the heatshrink.
stu

 

how close does this hole

match the intake port in the head?
mine were off enough that i felt the need to grind some rubber away

 

Oh ok...... Wondered about that, seeing they were on the rack in the pic.

Dave

 

The vac blanking caps are very nice but on my XJ600, two were linked together and the other two were linked and then connected to the vacuum fuel tap.

 

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The vac blanking caps are very nice but on my XJ600, two were linked together and the other two were linked and then connected to the vacuum fuel tap.
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yep , they were linked on mine too, but I did away with the vac , operated fuel tap, and modified it to work manually, so no need for the links
stu

 

i you connect the vacuum ports together, you've created another yics system, sort of. the vacuum of one intake is piped to the next intake. this might help or hurt the yics system. i don't know, just saying.

 

which does absolutely nothing different other than making a slightly more equalized vacuum to the petcock, which works perfectly fine with the vacuum from one port anyway. It may try to act sort of like a mini- YICS, too.....

Ha....Polock's reply came in just as I hit send, too------


Dave

 

no YICS on the 600 euro model,
the pipe links were between #1 to #4, and #2 to #3, not all four linked together , with the petcock "T" on #1 to #4

 

But what we're saying is that by linking them together in any fashion may be ACTING Like a mini version of the YICS.....

 

My problem is that boot are taking some air from the gaskets, they are not original...those are really hard to find and expensive... Too much to ask for a blue print of the boots?? I could made them...