Cutting the Airbox, is this bad?

SO, I purchased my 1980 maxim 650 with 13000 miles on it for 600. Runs great with the exception of a little carb adjustment. The carbs have been completely rebuilt but the airbox was not installed. After reading alot online I found out that you need to remove the motor ( among a couple of other things). I have found a solution that perhaps may work.

I cut the box in half, slid the front in and connected it to the carbs... then took the other piece (the Filter box) and applied some JB weld to it and attached it. It seems to be air tight.

Does anyone see any potential problems with this? Should I just go to pods?
Also, I need the breather hose that connects to the engine. What is the purpose of this hose.

This is my first bike... I'm a Noob... any suggestions?

 

If your repair is truly air-tight then no harm, no foul. But if not, then you might get unfiltered air into the engine. Switching to pods seems to be both popular and very problematic - you can get the carbs re-jetted to work but requires trial and error plus your engine will then be tuned for a more specific RPM range rather than the broader range from stock (and be subject to rain water intrusion). A better alternative looks to be the PVC pipe breather assemblies that some members have constructed. Search away.

The hose is part of the emissions stuff to recycle unburned gasses that get past the pistons into the crankcase.

 

The woes of pod filters are not a joke. They just create headache after headache. If you are bobbing and the purpose is more for looks than function then I say go for it. But if you want a bike that runs at its best for what you have, pods are no good. Like Bigfitz told me once, the only way you'll do ok with pods is if you change to direct slide carbs which were used before the constant velocity carbs. Those are also no good.
If you can get the proper velocity stacks then you might have a little more success. But +1 on Zap's response. If you can put it back together air tight, then you should be good. The airbox is designed to create an even air pressure across the carb intakes and also to create the proper velocity going into the carbs. Proper velocity is needed to lift the slides.

 

Look at the box carefully and determine where to cut it so you not cutting into part that is "down wind" of the filter. only cut the part that is "outside" the filter. I'd recommend just taping it inside and out rather than JB weld. It will be tricky in there and you kinda only get the one chance at the epoxy.

What's that one tape called that people use for everything but originally intended for vents and ducts and other air carrying stuff?

Over all I don't recommend cutting it, I'd say go ahead and pull the carbs and the starter and the alternator and, and, and... and dropping the motor from it's mounts to weasel it in there but if you insist on cutting the above are my two cents worth.

 

I would definitely over-tape the seams on the inside if at all possible; use aluminum furnace tape though, not duct tape.

I would be concerned that JBWeld may not be the best adhesive for that plastic.

 

might even get in there with the spatula tip on the weller. forget the JB... just weld it

 

2nd the idea of using good (expensive) metal duct tape it is good stuff.

 

Once again, I will suggest an alternative method that I have used several times. Use a heat gun and slowly and carefully heat the sides and bottom of the back half of the box. When the plastic is soft, fold the box up towards the front then remove. Heat it back up to reinstall and straighten it out.

dave fox