Carb Boots - how to fix the cracks?

I have noticed that my boots have some cracks in them but don't seem to be leaking (I sprayed some carb cleaner on them while running and didn't hear any change). Any way I really don't want to change them but would like to seal the cracks with something. Has anyone got any ideas what would work? Something that would stick to the rubber.

Thanks,
Bob

 

Re: Another Carb Boot Question

black silicone rtv

thats what i used!

 

Re: Another Carb Boot Question

I saw a posting somewhere that says you can use a spray-on rubber coating sold at Napa Auto Parts. It's called "PLASTI-DIP Multi-Purpose Rubber Coating". It's available in several colors, the part number for black is 765-2527. The posting that I saw it in claims that he even fixes small holes and tears in his carburator slide diaphrams. I picked up a can of it this last weekend, and as soon as it warms up a little bit I'll pull off my boots and give them a treatment with it. I'll let you all know how it goes.

 

Re: Another Carb Boot Question

Permatex Black RTV should work fine. Just be sure to CLEAN the living dog snot out of the rubber and the cracks. After application, work it down into the cracks and then smooth some Saran Wrap (plastic cling wrap of any name is fine, no I don't work for Saran) over the boot and wrap it up. The Permatex will not stick to the plastic film and by wrapping the plastic around the boot, you will maintain the smooth appearance of the boot (not like the garish orange repair that was done on my bike, YIKES). Good luck.

 

An even better option is to smear a coating of silicone over the tube, then force/slide a bicycle innertube over the thing. Trim the rubber to fit - you're good to go for years.

 

I just did this yesterday...bike starts much better today

Noticed the cracks a while back, thought little of it...
Also sprayed some cleaner on them, while it didn’t affect the bikes sound, I could see air bubbles forming over the cracks

Black silicon and a paint brush did the trick very well, didn’t even take off the boots.

No more air bubbles and the bike seems to start.

 

hmm i i shouldve told me about the saran before!

now mine look all dirty an' ugly!

 

Atlus, the rubber inner tube is a capitol idea! Thanks for the tip, I'm rearing to try it on my next victim! Provided I don't just buy new manifolds to begin with.

 

Wow, there seems to be a few really good ideas. I was thinking of some kind of silicon but wanted to find a way not to make them look like crap. The inner tube idea sounds great. Dummy me I just listened for a change in how it was running when I sprayed the cleaner, now that I looked for bubbles guess what. They be bubbling man.

Thanks again,

Bob

 

how do u look for bubbles?

u do this while running right?

 

Yup ... you have to get the air flowing thru them in order to check.

 

u spray water on'em or what?

so it is true that xj's r hard to start eh?

i thought for a while mine had a real problem!!

and yes it is embarasing sometimes!!

 

Ive done a "quick fix" with Liquid Electrical tape. It was black, pliable and withstood some heat.

I have since replace the carb boots and would advise the same. Other methods can and will fail over time. If you get the boots its good for another 20 years

 

yeah mine has been a beast to start at times... but I’m not sure why... the silicon on the boots with out doubt made a huge diff! I have to agree if you have the 100$ it would be worth replacing them and not worrying about them for the next 15 - 20 years but i went ahead and pulled out an inner tube and gave that ago... unfortunately I couldn't get a tight fit after pulling it over the lip of the boot, and the silicone painted on actually looks ok so i think i might just leave this one alone...

 

Pulled my boots last weekend and got them all sprayed with the plasti-dip I picked up at napa. Works pretty good. I was really impressed. It just sprays on like paint. I ended up putting 3 coats on it, waiting 30 minutes between coats. Pics are in my gallery. Simple to do, neat, clean, and best of all they are as smooth a new ones. 8)

 

Looks like pretty good stuff, keep us informed on how it holds up.

 

Looks good...I haven't done anything to mine yet but that seems like it would be the easiest way to do it.. thanks for telling us where you found it because I thought they only sold the kind that you had to dip it in..like tool handles screwdrivers ect. Let us know how it works.




Bob

 

good thread please could someone tell me what product i can buy in the UK to seal boots , just a name so i can search on net
thanks UK mike

 

Lots of products mentioned - RTV, silicone, bike intertubes... spray on silicone...

Try out your automotive or hardware stores... probably just going to have to go by feel on this one. :-/