carburetor installation, 1984 1100

[Cougar_keith]

I'm having difficultly installing my carbs to the manifolds.  The bike has been completely apart for about 4 years, I've had everything refinished and rebuilt.  I'm at the point of installing the carbs, but it's impossible to get all four carbs into the rubber manifold boots.  Is it possible that the manifolds have become so stiff that it prevents installation?  I've tried using a little oil on the rubber and the carbs but no luck.  Should it be this difficult or is there an easier way?  Thank you for an advice you can offer.  I really enjoy this website, you guys know it all! 

This is my second 84, my first one i bought new when I was 24 yo.  I had that bike for about a year until a car pulled out in front of me, ouch.  So now I'm trying to recapture my youth.

[fj1289]

Try heating the rubber manifolds with a hair dryer or heat gun (on LOW!)  They can be a real pain to get back on afer setting a while.  Another thought is to take the manifolds off the head and fit them one at a time to the carbs.  Would  be a good time to replace the o-rings between the head and manifolds too. 

Chris

[RACER111V]

Silicone spray has helped me before.I also "roll" them in.Pushing them straight in is a lot harder.I start with the tops angled forward and rotate them as I push them forward.It's a lot easier with the air box off too.

[Dan Filetti]

Another trick, if you have not already done this, is to remove the top two bolts on the sub-frame, which will allow it to rotate back and away from the air box just a bit.  Makes a big difference it fitting it all together again.

Good luck.

Dan

[fj1289]

airbox?  FJ's came with airboxes?!   

Just kidding of course - but then again, I don't think I've seen an FJ in person that has an airbox...so I don't even think about the issues they cause with the carbs!


Just waiting for this thread to take a wrong turn -- heat, lube, recapturing youth...