Float seat removal

[RD56]

I'm in the process of cleaning/rebuilding the carbs on my FJ1100. Bike has been sitting since 2005, so I'll be doing all the things that the Forum Intelligentsia has suggested. I've had good luck getting the carbs apart w/o destroying or losing small parts etc. thanks to your guidance. The one thing that's keeping me from completing the first carb, and I'm sure something that will be an issue for the other three, is the float seat. I've used penetrant, let it sit over night. It will not budge and I'm afraid if I use any more force I will crush it. Is there any thing other than an o-ring and corrosion holding this thing in. I've been using needle nose vice grips on the outside of seat with minimum lock. Just don't know how much more torque I can apply to this thing before I crush it. Thanks for any help, I've searched carb seat threads and only find soak in WD-40.   

Rick

[Pat Conlon]

A good question Rick. You do need to get those seats out for proper cleaning and new O rings.

I cut off the shank of a old drill bit and slip it down into the needle seat. I can't remember the size, sorry, (help?) but with some lithium grease it is a tight friction fit with the ID walls of the seat. This allows me to get a bite on the brass seat with my vice grips without worrying about deforming the bore of the seat. Be careful. Get a good bite, twist and pull.
If you chew up the outside surface of the brass seat, you can clean it up with emery cloth. It's the internal bore you have to protect.

When in doubt....punt. Buy new seats from RPM

At no time should you *ever* put the nose of your needle nose pliers  down into the bore of the seat. You will deform the soft brass.


I have found that WD-40 is a poor penetrate, I'm a fan of PB Blaster.  Hope this helps.  Pat

[RD56]

A good question Rick. You do need to get those seats out for proper cleaning and new O rings.

I cut off the shank of a old drill bit and slip it down into the needle seat. I can't remember the size, sorry, (help?) but with some lithium grease it is a tight friction fit with the ID walls of the seat. This allows me to get a bite on the brass seat with my vice grips without worrying about deforming the bore of the seat. Be careful. Get a good bite, twist and pull.
If you chew up the outside surface of the brass seat, you can clean it up with emery cloth. It's the internal bore you have to protect.

When in doubt....punt. Buy new seats from RPM

At no time should you *ever* put the nose of your needle nose pliers  down into the bore of the seat. You will deform the soft brass.


I have found that WD-40 is a poor penetrate, I'm a fan of PB Blaster.  Hope this helps.  Pat

Thanks Pat, good advise as before. Had I looked at it for another hour I may have come up with a similar solution. A mechanic friend of mine once said that a good mechanic takes things apart, a shitty mechanic breaks things apart. This guy was one of the few people in. the country that could rebuild a 4 cam Porsche engine. These were the nifty little engines that were the first to develop 100 hp per liter and powered such wonderful cars as the 904, 550 and Carrera 356's of the 50's and 60's.

I agree with the PB Blaster, it's what I've been using. Thanks for the shove though, because I was almost going to spray some carb cleaner through it and not replace the o-ring, but that kind of neglect probably would have led to a leak down the road.

Thanks again, Rick

[Pat Conlon]

Glad to help.

Also, I have heard that brass and aluminum have different coefficients (rates) of expansion.
By placing the carb bodies in a pan of hot water the aluminum body will expand more than the brass seat, allowing for easier removal of the brass seat.

I've never had to try it, but it does make sense.

Cheers.

[FJ1100mjk]

Put the bare carb body in simmering hot distilled water for 15-30 minutes. Should work like a charm. Did for me. Those carbs get hotter than the water when they're baking in traffic on a hot day.

Good luck.

[RD56]

Once again thanks, you guys rule!! Great ideas.

Rick