what material to make float bowl gaskets?

Discussion in 'Mechanics Garage' started by abner malidy, Mar 24, 2010.

  1. abner malidy

    abner malidy New Member

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    mark it 8, dude
    i have come to the conclusion that its time to FAB some bowl gaskets, rather than BUY them.
    for 86-750 (or as an extension, any carb bowl)

    as my searching has produced little info on "gas resistant" materials, i thought i would ask

    surely in the collective, some mech ninja type has sucessfully made their own bowl gaskets.

    my problem is that the OEM is not cheap, and futhermore- IMHO not really good
    issue: gaskets seem to become hard and brittle, frequently leading to seeping fuel
    issue- gaskets "seem" to not be thick enough to accomplish the desired seal
    they seem to be only microns thicker than the groove, thus compressing to nothing

    there are two challenges to making them DIY
    1- finding an O-ring that is req'd diameter to fit im guessing would be next to impossible
    2- OEM is a "flattened rectangle" shape, sorta like [__] , wider than deep

    somebody here has to have a decent shade-tree solution. TIA for any advice.

    PS- i dont think there is any other problem such as flooded bowls. the floats are gas-tight
    gas inlet valves seats all look good, seat springs good, etc, all.
     
  2. squirrelman

    squirrelman Member

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    >>>>>>Do it the right way and the sensible way, order from K&L Supply, about $22 approximately for set of 4<<<<<<<

    Can't find my shit or i'd have K&L part # but posted it here several times b4......
     
  3. captb

    captb New Member

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    Here's where I got mine, nice quality. Index main
     
  4. abner malidy

    abner malidy New Member

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    mark it 8, dude
    OK squirrelman, i will bribe you with a pic for further knowledge

    this red-man was way up near mt leconte. (highest lodging east of the river)
    he didnt mind posing for a little gorp treat. probably a regular gig for him.
    he was far removed from the pesky grey monsters near my house.
    [​IMG]

    can i assume from your post that you have tried without sucess to fab a bowl gasket?
    and now think/know that the smart money is on an OEM item?

    im thinking get a 100mm of suitable dia, cut and layup for fit, splice sorta like a tape splice /
    although i have read that a 75mm ring is actually a good fit.

    in your enlightened opinion, is the DIY method a sure-fire exercise in frustration?
     
  5. squirrelman

    squirrelman Member

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    GOOD photo, man, them Reds are so quick......not so easy to befriend as the Eastern grey.

    Why waste your time, just order from K&L.....
     

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  6. squirrelman

    squirrelman Member

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    HERE'S what u were looking for: K&L Supply part # 18-2675
     
  7. donald branscom

    donald branscom New Member

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    You need to order a new float bowl "O" ring. Very doubtful.

    They very rarely need replacement. Are you sure you need a NEW one??

    Ninjas!!!! ????? Cheeeessshhh
     
  8. donald branscom

    donald branscom New Member

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    Is the O ring missing, or is it leaking? If not forget about it.
     
  9. abner malidy

    abner malidy New Member

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    mark it 8, dude
    readily available at any hydraulic shop are #041 o-rings. they are the perfect overall dia and more importantly are thick enough.
    sealed perfectly dry, with nary a wee drop, or any sign of weeping. time will be the final judge, but im betting on sucess.

    at $1 each, even if they hardened up after a year, the value/cost is there. (my local guy was $12.95 each for the OEM/K&L)
    K&L part #18-2675 that SM listed seems to be about $10 ea from most suppliers, plus shipping and possibly tax

    i went from leaking running bike to DRY running bike in about 90 minutes yesterday for a total of $6 plus tax. (with 2 spare rings in toolbox)

    PS- #041 is o-ring jargon that has no relation to actual size. they are "approx" 75mm overall dia with a 1/16" width dia
     
  10. MiddleTBabb

    MiddleTBabb New Member

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    Last?

    Abner!

    Man its been too long! Here I am searching for cheap float bowl O rings and your name pops up. How did these cheap O rings hold up?
     
  11. RDMCD

    RDMCD New Member

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    In a pinch I have used Teflon tape, pink or yellow, not the white. Wrap around the top of the bowl 4 or 5 times then fold the edge over and trim off any extra. Not pretty but it works.
     
  12. MiddleTBabb

    MiddleTBabb New Member

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    Abner, YOU ARE THE MAN.

    I have resealed my float bowls numerous times with redneck repair (RTV). The sealant works, with no leaks, but invariably it expands with exposure to gas after a while and finds its way into the jets (UGH....) This '86 VFR was a VERY CHEAP restoration project years ago, so I didn't want to spend the money on OEM gaskets ($$$).

    I recently went to a local hydraulic store and asked about # 041 O rings (matching your specifications perfectly). This old dude took my float bowl and disappeared for a few minutes. He then returned with the gasket, shaped it to fit the bowl, and I rode yesterday more miles than I have been in years. Zero leaks, awesome performance ( I kept up with the Zuki 1000s). The best part: after the old guy found the right O rings, I asked what I owed him. He said "it costs me more to run your card, get me next time".

    This was a truly magnificent result, and I hope that others might consider this. It had been too long since I got rid of my chicken strips on those old bias ply tires and your data helped me do it. CHEERS ABNERMALIDY!

    I will repost later to prove a significant long term fix. Man I love this bike.
     
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