Stripped carb drain screw and ornery airbox boot clamps

XJers:

The PO stripped the head of one of the carb drain screws on my Seca 400. I will be attempting to drill/EZ-out the screw in a few days. I REALLY don't want to mess up the float bowl, so does anyone have any tips or advice you can offer?

Also, the clamps on the boots from the airbox to the carbs refuse to stay up on the neck of the carb where they belong. When I removed the carbs for cleaning, I noticed that the clamps were just loosely tightened around the middle area of the boots, doing no good.

I assumed this was just a mistake by the PO, but when I remounted the carbs, the clamps refuse to stay in place. As I tighten the clamps, they slide down the boot, over the small ridge of rubber, and end up back in the middle of the boots where I found them. I tried shoving the carbs back, deeper into the airbox boots, but didn't have much luck.

So then I held the clamps in place with some large pliers while I tightened them. As soon as I removed the pliers, the clamps slowly slid back down the boot, off the neck of the carb.

I'm considering trying some regular hose clamps (with the slots in the band), thinking that these might bite into the rubber and hold them in place.

Any thoughts/ideas?

Thanks,
Herb

 

Make sure you drill true on the head of those carb drain screws. Here is a link for Stainless Steel replacements. It is a copy of a previous post.

http://www.mesanet.netfirms.com/CarbDrainScrews.htm
Here's a link to a guy who makes new ones with hex heads.
Steve C (stevec5000@yahoo.com or stevec5000 @ gmail.com) is your guy for
float-bowl drain screws. I think they were $10.00
His work is here: www.mesanet.netfirms.c...Screws.htm

Hope this is of use, I'm planning on ordering a set or two myself. Best of luck amigo and try a reverse twist drill bit.
As for the boots. I would suggest you loosen the airbox assembly and push it toward the motor, then try your clamps again and retighten the box. I've not seen larger clamps used and I would caution you in trying to "bite" into the rubber, it will degrade the buggers with time. Best to try to get it right with what is there. Another point you may wish to examine is weather or not your motor is hanging in the right place. Have you recently pulled it? It may need to be realigned. I'm not familiar with the process for your bike but I would look into it if I were you. Good luck.

 

Robert:

Good idea on using a left-hand drill bit. I'll try to locate some locally or order online.

Also (as I've come to expect from you), some wise advice regarding my frustrated idea of using regular hose clamps on the intake boots. I'll try prying the airbox forward tonight and see if I can have better luck with the existing clamps.

Re: the stainless drain screws...those would be awesome, but my bike uses Mikunis, not Hitachis. I think the 400s and 550s both used Mikunis.

Thanks for the ideas, advice, and just taking the time to respond.

Have a great one!
Herb

 

Hi.
Had the same problem re the intake boots, I fitted some narrower one's which have done the job. Now looking for clamps for the fuel line vents etc, can't find anything that small over here.

Mick Faighaigh.

 

Harbor Freight has reverse twist bits, but their quality is suspect. You could source them from Craftsman, SnapOn, Mac, and K&D just to name a few supplier/manufacturers.
Mick, Harbor Freight sells the small friction type clamps as well, about $2 USD. If you hit their web site, you might find them. PM me if you are unsuccessful. I can also recommend some other sources if not pick them up and ship them to you.

 

Herb, I would caution you about clamps that bite into the rubber as a vacuum leak even on this side of the carb will affect how the carb performs.
One thing you might try, is to be sure that the sholdered portion that goes into the airbox has BOTH sholdered portions on the outside of the airbox and the flange on the inside of the airbox.
If even one of the sholdered ridges is inside then they can mess with you.

Be careful about Harbor Freight Drill bits (you get what you pay for there)
I'd use a hogh quality left handed bit..... but 1st I'd try pinpoint heat (like those little solder torches) on the outside of the floatbowl but not on the screw, then try to break it loose with a properly fitting screwdriver. If that fails then there's the drill.
Hope this helps
Mike

 

Please excuse my poor terminology. Sholders and flanges and such but it is 2:30 am here 8O

 

Robert, Mike, & Mick:

Thanks for your advice and heading me off my hasty plans to change the type of clamps.

Last night I loosened the airbox and shoved the boots farther up on the carb necks, but the clamps still wouldn't stay in place.

I then decided to take the clamps off and flip them over so the screw was on top of the boot, instead of underneath it. It worked! I held the clamps in place while I tightened them, and they seem to be holding position.

Thanks again!
Herb

 

Thanks Robert your a diamond, but I shall be goinf into Malaga and passing the local Yamaha dealers on friday so I'll nip in there and see what they have.

Herb. Glad you found a solution.

Hvbond. In another post you mentioned forests in Arizona? As a boy I spent hours at the Saturday morning picture club watching Gene Autry the Lone Ranger and Hopalong Cassidy righting wrongs and saving fair maidens in an arid desert called Arizona. Plus they had bands of marauding Apache's to take care of. That's the last time I listen to "Back in the saddle again"

Mick Faighaigh

 

Mick,
There really are still Apache and Navajo and other Indian peoples in AZ.
(not necessarily marauding though)
AZ is one of the most diverse states in the USA.
We Have 3 different kinds of desert here lowlands like in the picture shows (very arid and nothing but greasewood and weeds), highplaines desert like where I live ( like a high plains desert) and then there the Sonoran deserts which are like the lowland but much prettier with more vegetation. I suppose those good old movies were shot in all 3 deserts though.

I'll send you a picture of the forest so you can see, there we have Elk, Deer, Antelope, Cougar, Bobcat, Wolfs, and other various animals.
Better yet here is a link to some pics of our 2006 camping trip this spring, bear in mind that we are in a drought.
http://www.greene.ws/52006trip_1.htm

so you see those videos of yesteryear are ok, kinda.

OK enough geography.

 

Thanks Hvnbnd.

So the 2 old John Wayne westerns I watched this week were for real.
Nice looking kids and a family crest. We have more in common than xj's I think.

Mick Faighaigh.

 

Checked out this link and it looks good. But don't see any way to order them. Did I miss a hyperlink somewhere?

 

You need to email him at the Stevec5000 address. He'll get back to you. I received a rapid response with my correspondence.

 

Thanks Robert.

 

Bluemaxim.

I bought a set of these a couple of months ago $10.00 plus postage and their far better than the originals, bought a set of them as well $48.00 inc postage.

Mick Faighaigh.