Should Intake Rubber Boots Be Sealed to the Air Box with Sealant?

[Bob K.]

When I removed the air box and rubber boots from the carbs on my '93, the boots seemed to have a small amount of sealant where they connected to the bottom of the air box. The sealant seemed to be peeling away from age. I couldn't tell if this was OEM or if it was added by the previous owner.

 

If my air box boots are still quite pliable and fit tightly, do I need to seal them with silicone or some other kind of sealant when I re-install them into the bottom of the air box?

[Marcarl]

No sealant required, unless you see cracking on the inside of the boots, but then it's time to replace. They are a bit of an issue to get seated properly though. It takes a bit of going around and around to get them all down, but they do snap into place eventually. Check, check and re-check and then check once more and you should be good to go and Jane is your aunt.

[Patch]

Well just like Carl says.

It is possible the PO may have been hunting an rpm issue and sealed them? Usually the boots key to the box. And as Carl mentioned they can be difficult to slip over the 4 carb seats when installing the air box, really not as bad tho as the straight 4s. If the clamps are stock then they will be nearly closed when tight but don't force anything.

I may suspect that the carbs may have had a touch of liquid gasket applied as well? If that is the case then check next time you pull them for broken locking rings molded into the intake pipes. This most often happens when carbs are pulled off dry after cooking in place for many years, I give them a shot of WD and simply wiggle them out, this can prevent the inner ring from braking off.

[Prairiehammer]

When I removed the air box and rubber boots from the carbs on my '93, the boots seemed to have a small amount of sealant where they connected to the bottom of the air box. The sealant seemed to be peeling away from age. I couldn't tell if this was OEM or if it was added by the previous owner.

 

If my air box boots are still quite pliable and fit tightly, do I need to seal them with silicone or some other kind of sealant when I re-install them into the bottom of the air box?

 

If you are talking about the rubber boots on the bottom of the air box (and not the rubber intake boots between the carbs and head), then yes, the sealant around the boots was a dealer applied fix for oil leaking from the air box onto the carbs. The fix was spelled out in Tech Bulletin M84-017.

M84-017 Air Box Oil Leakage .pdf

[dna9656]

I have NOTHING to back up what I'm going to add....

I found some light brown peeling stuff from the rubber manifolds on all my bikes. I think it'sd glue the factory uses to hole them in place until the assembly makes it to the run and tune stop where they tighten the rubber and tune that baby up!