carb boots

[rbig1]

well took off the bling today. The carb boots are cracked all over. Its bad enough I want to change them out. What does it take to get carbs off of these bikes its a 2001 venture. Also would like to change valve cover gaskets while there. Is there room to get them out. Any vender members sell these parts. Also how do you drain carbs like on the first gens they look totally different.

[V7Goose]

Visible external cracks on the rubber intake boots are very common on this bike, but having the cracks go all the way through is not. I have worked on hundreds of these, including lots and lots of the older ones, and I have never found one that actually needed them replaced. It does look bad, and especially so when you can see the boots flexing with each vacuum pulse at idle, but if they aren't leaking, the issue is only cosmetic. I suggest you spray starting fluid or carb cleaner around the boots while the bike is running to look for a change in engine speed. If you find one, you have a vacuum leak, but if the engine stays at same idle speed, all is fine.

 

Changing the valve cover gaskets is a big job - once you have everything off needed to remove the covers, you really need to just finish the job and check valve adjustment at the same time. See the detailed instructions for this in the tech library. The rear cover is the worst - technically there is a way to get the cover off without pulling the carbs, but I just can't see it - even with the carbs out it is a little touchy to get the cover back on with the new gasket properly placed. I would never consider doing the job without pulling everything identified in the tech article. You absolutely need to use a contact cement to hold the new gaskets to the cover to install them. I used to just put some silicone gasket material on them and let dry for a few hours, but the contact cement works lots better and is much faster. It is also safer since you do not run the risk of having some excess silicone globs squeezed out inside the cover where it can eventually come loose and clog oil lines.

Goose

[Neil86]

Heres a pic of an inverted RSV carb set....the drain allen screws and the drain nipples are highlighted. The brass cones are the caps over the pilot screws BTW.

[vzuden]

Rodney,

Removing carbs - This is in the second gen tech section:

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/engine-and-drivetrain/7830-removing-carbs-rsv.html

[rbig1]

thanks for the replies. Think I will see if there leaking if not will wait till next winter to replace. will use a little rtv to seal cracks on valve cover gaskets. that's what I did with my 83 and I got buy with out the oil leak. will drive it this year and see if there are other things needed also. they don't look good so I am going to replace them next winter. HOPE winter is about over I have the itch bad. ps thanks again