Determined that my carb boots need to be changed on my 98 st. It had the pop on warm up and the clamps were loose when tightened fully. I recall reading a very detailed guide with pictures to do this. I am unable to find that thread now. Could someone please forward me or leave a link that may help me with this. Thank you.
pulling my carbs for the first time...advice please.
- Thread starter stjohnfoster
- Start date
I have not found the post with pics yet but this quoted one from Mark tells the story well. I have seen the one with pics and if I find it I will add it to the thread.
From Mark's post;
Pull the plastic.
Pull the air cleaner and housing.
Pull the tank.
Remove the choke and gas control lines.
Loosen the carb boot clamps.
Place the broom handle over the bar at the back of the engine and into the V below the carbs.
Pry gently.
After breaking a shovel's hickory handle I switched to a metal bar; but, be careful!!!
Order the carb boots here
Take the float bowl covers off all four (bottom of the) carbs.
Pull both the high speed and low speed jets, clean them with mono filament or a brass wire (from bbq brush) and the carb cleaner of your choice.
Use a bit of silicone grease on the intakes, you bought above, to get them slippery.
Seat one side (left or right) of the carbs.
Place a bar across the top of the carbs (on the metal, not on the stacks).
push hard, over and over until all 4 carbs are seated in boots.
Tighten clamps.
All of them (8 screws).
Put everything back together.
Do a carb sync.
Reset your idle (I didn't and the bike stalled and I broke the L mirror 3 weeks ago! DOH!).
Go ride!
From Mark's post;
Pull the plastic.
Pull the air cleaner and housing.
Pull the tank.
Remove the choke and gas control lines.
Loosen the carb boot clamps.
Place the broom handle over the bar at the back of the engine and into the V below the carbs.
Pry gently.
After breaking a shovel's hickory handle I switched to a metal bar; but, be careful!!!
Order the carb boots here
Take the float bowl covers off all four (bottom of the) carbs.
Pull both the high speed and low speed jets, clean them with mono filament or a brass wire (from bbq brush) and the carb cleaner of your choice.
Use a bit of silicone grease on the intakes, you bought above, to get them slippery.
Seat one side (left or right) of the carbs.
Place a bar across the top of the carbs (on the metal, not on the stacks).
push hard, over and over until all 4 carbs are seated in boots.
Tighten clamps.
All of them (8 screws).
Put everything back together.
Do a carb sync.
Reset your idle (I didn't and the bike stalled and I broke the L mirror 3 weeks ago! DOH!).
Go ride!
I just did the job for the first time a month ago or so, and its pretty straightforward, so if you can't find the thread it shouldn't be a problem. You need to remove the gas tank (the lower part that actually holds the gas, not the cover) to get good access to leverage the carbs out of their boots, then pry with a broom handle or something similar on the frame crossmember to pop them out. I used a length of 1" PVC that I happened to have lying around and that worked too. You don't have to remove the throttle cables, just swing the assembly around and hang it on the mirror (after popping off the turn signal housing). Take pictures along the way to aid in reassembly, there's a few hoses that have to be removed from the carbs before they will be free to hang on the mirror, you'll see which ones they are as you progress.
There was one hose on the front that was particularly stubborn in coming off, and I ended up damaging it a little bit so I bought a new one just to be safe. In my case I was doing more work under there so I disassembled everything before ordering parts anyway, so that didn't delay my job. If you've already got the boots and are trying to do it in one day, then be careful with that front hose, the rest all just pulled off with no problems.
To reattach the carbs put a little light lubricant in each of the boots and on the carb body, insert one side (I did left first because the right side had less stuff in the way to see what you were doing on the final push) and then push as hard as you can on the opposite side and it will eventually pop into place. Took a few tries before I succeeded, still don't know what was magical about the final push compared to all the others. You can also pull up on the frame of the bike with your other hand while pushing to get more force, it takes a pretty good shove to get them to seat.
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Here is a fine one, found it with a Google search, there is a lot out there.
http://koczarski.com/ST1100/Carbs&Cooling/CarbsCooling.htm
Thanks Adam
http://koczarski.com/ST1100/Carbs&Cooling/CarbsCooling.htm
Thanks Adam
Here is another fine link found with a search. A lot of this stuff has been available for a long time. Thanks to all who have uploaded it!!
http://home.insightbb.com/~mmartin36/Leak1.htm
http://home.insightbb.com/~mmartin36/Leak1.htm
You should also join ST-Riders as there is a wealth of knowledge there. You will find that this link comes from that site.
http://www.st-riders.net/index.php?topic=3590.0
http://www.st-riders.net/index.php?topic=3590.0
I agree that the tank does not HAVE to come out but it makes it much more open and easy when it is. The tank comes out in 5 minutes so why not do it. YEMVV.
Dealing with the linkage sucks with the tank in!
Dealing with the linkage sucks with the tank in!
I never pulled the tank either and used two broomsticks on opposite sides for easier removal. Oh and a helper with a second set of eyes to pull and reseat them.
ST1100Y
Site Supporter
Just ensure your lever rests on the carb housing to not damage any linkage...
And once the carbs are off, plug the engine intakes with crumpled sheets of paper-towels or Bounty kitchen-towels.
In the event you actually forget to remove them before reinstalling the carbs its unharmful, flakes of paper will be simply coughed out once the engine cranks ;-)
Not so much with more dense stuff, like cotton rags, which in fact might damage the valves...
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I use a length (24"?) of 1.5 ABS tubing, good leverage and it "fits" on the carb tops so doesn't slip like a broom stick. Otherwise, pretty much all the tips here will get'ya thru it.
Thanks, i appreciate it. I will let you know how it went.
Tmac79
Tim
Did this a month or so ago.... hardest part was getting the carbs seated back onto the boots.. Lube and then pressure from the top. I used a 2x4, put the end on the metal, then practically hung from it trying them to pop back in.
ST1100Y
Site Supporter
Interesting... normally this goes quite easy: insert the two port (or starboard) side stumps first, then gentle push on the opponent site of the carb housing... PLONG... right in... (and that's the moment you spot them clamps sitting carefully sorted on the workbench... things to make you go uhhm... :lol
Good point about the clamp straps. You would do well to note their orientation before you pull the carbs. Getting the screw driver in there is fun enough on some of them without fighting with them being turned out of position.
For those who have never done the job, noting the orientation is a good idea (I took a few pictures). The boots themselves have a notch cut out of the side that fits over a corresponding metal protrusion on the head, so getting that alignment correct is pretty easy, but you can get them 180 degrees rotated it you're not paying close attention because the boot has the same notch on two opposite sides. There's also a rubber chunk with a groove in it to prevent the upper clamp from rotating, pay attention to the orientation of those. The boots should be installed with the groove part on the outboard side on all 4 cylinders, and you'll also notice a slightly higher ridge on the outboard side on the top part of the boot.
The lower clamps can be attached in almost any orientation since there's nothing in the way when you do that part of the job. I put mine back the same way as they came from the factory, but I don't think that was completely necessary. The upper clamps have a metal pin on them that fits into the groove on the boot, so they are easy to position, and the pin prevents the clamp from turning as you put pressure on it with the screwdriver. The part that's not obvious unless you pay attention is on two of the cylinders the pin fits directly into the obvious groove, and on the other two cylinders the pin rests against the opposite side of the chunk of rubber that has the groove, which is counter-intuitive. That's because two of the clamps are oriented where the screwdriver pressure is clockwise, and the other two are counter-clockwise, and all 4 boots are the same orientation with regards to the groove part. I have a picture that I took, but its got tape over the groove parts for 3 of the cylinders so I'd have to explain it just as much with the picture as without so I didn't bother.
+1!.....BTDT. Actually, having silicone lubed the internal portion of boots, they popped off and back on with little effort. Just held carb bank up with one hand as I also forgot to hook up the 'spagetti' carb drain hose clusterInteresting... normally this goes quite easy: insert the two port (or starboard) side stumps first, then gentle push on the opponent site of the carb housing... PLONG... right in... (and that's the moment you spot them clamps sitting carefully sorted on the workbench... things to make you go uhhm... :lol
.Also, no need to unhook throttle or enricher cables. Carb bank will easily rest on right side fairing pocket area. DO remove the fuel tank. Makes things alot easier and gives plenty of room for additional clean-up under that rubber mat that should be removed so as to inspect hoses and such under there.
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CWDUSMC
Site Supporter
I did this back in October with a tank removal. Not sure if I could have gotten to all the various hose connections without doing that but obviously it can be done. I put the left side top clamps on in what I thought was the correct position for easy access and they ended up hitting the throttle linkages so definitely pay attention to the original orientation. A 18" long screwdriver also helped.
You didn't mention whether you were going to do the hoses but I ended up replacing not only ALL the water hoses (including small diameter bypass thermostat housing) under the carbs but the two water necks and O-rings in the valley. Evidence of leakage and after removing, the o-rings were so bad I actually thought they were part of the housing and had to scrape them out. Figured it was best to replace everything since I don't want to repeat the job for a while and they weren't too expensive. Upon inspection also found one of the vacumn lines had a split in it so replaced it also.
Didn't think about cleaning out the carbs since the bike as was running well but would have been a good idea while everything was apart.
Look everything over carefully while you have it apart so you don't have to go back in!
System currently refusing to let me upload pictures but if you want some, PM me.
Good luck
You didn't mention whether you were going to do the hoses but I ended up replacing not only ALL the water hoses (including small diameter bypass thermostat housing) under the carbs but the two water necks and O-rings in the valley. Evidence of leakage and after removing, the o-rings were so bad I actually thought they were part of the housing and had to scrape them out. Figured it was best to replace everything since I don't want to repeat the job for a while and they weren't too expensive. Upon inspection also found one of the vacumn lines had a split in it so replaced it also.
Didn't think about cleaning out the carbs since the bike as was running well but would have been a good idea while everything was apart.
Look everything over carefully while you have it apart so you don't have to go back in!
System currently refusing to let me upload pictures but if you want some, PM me.
Good luck
If you are going to put the tank for the first time., be sure you disconnect the wires on the shifter side. On the side not the ones on top although those naturally need to come off too.
ST1100Y
Site Supporter
Yep, also very popular... right after the case vent hose on the air box :wink: