okay this is probably been covered here lots of times, but if anyone can steer me right I would be wildly appreciative...
I have the 74 1/2 hair scrambler, And the rubber feed; the little Michelin man looking part that goes between the air box and the carburetor - is way too small to fit on the back of a big Mikuni.
Tom Green and I struggled and struggled and struggled to get the old one on, and it ran fine until I needed to replace some seals and when I took it off I noticed that the part had melted onto the pipe and so in theory there was a place where lots of dirty air might in rocks and sand and frozen animals could get in, and screw up the carburation
but it has been some years since I've been able to ride a bike at all ( Hip replacement )
and so now I am trying to get back in the saddle, both figuratively and literally, and I'm trying to remember the various details to getting this motorcycle together..
so the big question is: does anybody make and aftermarket part that does not go to some sort of smaller BING carb, but that fits onto a 38 Mikuni? I raced this bike and won a championship on it, and I like the set up; I just want the rubber part to fit on the back of the carburetor.
thank you gentlemen
- SIEGE
cell phone 206 – 405 – 0857
[email protected]
hi seige. i have been through this myself a few times. if the boot you have is very stiff and brittle, get a new one. even if the only one you can find is the stock size from al B. i have used a couple of different methods but they all use the same frame of mind. heating the boot up to allow it to stretch over the bell of the carb. i have soaked it in hot water (which doesn't seem to work as well as the other methods) i toss it in the clothes dryer, or best of all, i positioned it in front of a torpedo heater which warmed it up pretty quickly. while still nicely warm, get it oriented on the bell of the carb first since the larger side is easier to mount to the airbox even after it cools down. you will be amazed how large it will stretch when warmed up without tearing.
good luck, i look forward to seeing you on it chicago jerry
Haha, just played this little game myself. A new boot will go on the mikuni if you have the patience. I stretched mine over an aerosol can and left it for a few days but even then it was a right pig to get on, it will provide you with hours of fun though- good luck. you may find that a drop of acetone (nail varnish remover) will ease the process.
Christopher, sorry I did not see this earlier, I have been crazy busy. Jerry is correct. I bought a heat gun for this very purpose. A hair dyer is just not good enough . I like the idea of the space heater!
Glad to hear you are going to get to ride. I wish I could as well. Good luck on Saturday.
Thom Green,Still crazy after all these years!
76' 250 MC5 (orginal owner)
74' 1/2 440 maico
70' 400 maico (project)
72' cr125 Husky (project)
93' RMx 250 suzuki
Honda TL 125
2004 Suzuki DL1000
SIEGE, ever make any more of the Falta shirts? I would like to purchase one and send one to him! Thanks
Forgot to mention that I found the easiest way of getting the carb back on the bike was to take the airbox out, get the airboots on the carb and airbox and then reinstall the carb/airbox as a single unit.
We used to have this fight when the Lectrons first came out.
If my memory isn't playing a game of wishful thinking - I think that at one point there was an alternate air boot available from Hi-Point to make Lectron installation easier - although we did the stretch game as described above by Jerry.
The Lectron was not only larger diameter - but also longer - shoving the boot hard into the airbox. Seems like we cut some of them to fit.
Siege - you will like a Lectron on that bike much better than a Mikuni. Read the article in this months VMX mag. It's all true.
A Mikuni will clean up some of the Bings problems, but a Lectron will make the bike perform better. Go one oversized if you want top end power - keep with standard bore or one smaller if you want mid-range & torque.
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"We the willing, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible, for the ungrateful. We have done so much, for so long, with so little, that we are now qualified to do almost anything, with nothing."
1972 Penton Berkshire 100
1983 Husqvarna 250 XC
2011 Jayco 31.5 RLDS
2009 Chevy 2500 HD Duramax
Lectrons are good, but it will make that bike not vintage legal. No problem if you race it post-vintage.
Mick
I cut about half an inch off the back of the carb and about the same off the airboot at the airbox end. Also shortened the inlet manifold because of the lack of space. It helped but it's still a tight fit.