89 FJ1200 Air Filter missing retaining clips

[freeride]

Hi All,

First post, but have found a lot of helpful information here! Last Summer I purchased an 89 FJ1200 with custom sidecar rig. The bike is pretty awesome, about 48k mi. with a top end rebuild and has been loved by prior owners. 

I have and continue to struggle with the carbs. They were professionally synced and tuned when I bought the bike and shortly after started leaking fuel. That led my mechanic to replace some rubber rings on the fuel rail, which stopped the leaking. Now the #3 carb bowl is spewing fuel out the overflow hose. My guy wants to dig into it again and verify it's not also the fuel rail, but I'm at the point of thinking that replacing the carb may be better to baseline things and start fresh.

When taking a look at my air filter the other day I found it just laying loosely in the air box. Looking at the workshop manual it notes "retaining clips" for the air filter to be held in place. I don't have a part number and we definitely don't have the clips. I am struggling to find them anywhere for sale.

That said, I have seen many people apparently remove the airbox entirely and use a Uni filter - is this the better way to go? Any other recommendations?  Thank you!

[JohnnyTheCraneGuy]

Me personally, I would keep the carbs you have now and just finish rebuilding them. There's really not much too these Mikuni's IMO. Especially since yours is stock. Ultrasonic is honestly the best thing you can do when cleaning or rebuilding them. Carb cleaner and guitar string for the jets will do wonders!

 But aside from that I would start at "Float Needle Valves" but YMMV

Those are generally rubber pointed/tipped and they control fuel from entering the float bowl and when the go bad they cause fuel to dump out into the overflow.

While you're/mechanic is in there it would be a good idea to replace the bowl gaskets as well.

As for the Uni Filter Pods I do 100% recommend it, although it does involve much more than removing the airbox and changing the filter. You'd have to re jet the carbs, adjust your needles height, adjust your PMS screws, and you're going to wanna upgrade your exhaust as well to balance everything out. I'm sure it'd be a nice project but there's a lot of great info and even better people on here to help out if you decide to go through with it!

[fj1289]

Also the float needle valves have an o-ring around them that is prone to drying out and offering fuel a pathway around the float needle and into the float bowl to flood it. 

Did the bike set up for any time before you bought it?  Does it have a fuel filter?  It might also be a simple as some trash keeping the #3 float valve from sealing.

First time I've seen blue spots on a side car rig!  Nice setup 


Added: I've never owned an FJ with an airbox (never even seen one!) - always liked the uni pods.   RPMracingca.com carries them and much more!  Plus Robert and Randy are a wealth of knowledge and experience with these bikes and engines. 

[Paul.1478]

send them to RPM. I did it 2 times (not due to anything they did, i let it set too long 2 times). the come back PERFECT. I tried to take care of them myself, but sent them in. Worth every penny.

[Tibsy]

When taking a look at my air filter the other day I found it just laying loosely in the air box. Looking at the workshop manual it notes "retaining clips" for the air filter to be held in place. I don't have a part number and we definitely don't have the clips. I am struggling to find them anywhere for sale.

There are 2 "wedge "shaped pieces of plastic which hold the air filter in place- some people make there own using wooden clothes pegs!