Specifications

Post 3: Stock Carb Removal and Installation

When I first got my 650, I had a difficult time getting the carb set out and had to resort to

removing the left manifold to provide enough clearance. I've since learned a few tricks

and now the removal and installation is much easier.

First, you'll want to remove the cam chain adjuster cap. This will give you more room

below the carbs. Next, and this is the biggie, remove the butterfly shaped bracket

between the carb tops (if you have one). This bracket stops the carb bank from moving

far enough to the rear to clear the intake manifolds. With it removed, the carbs will pull

back far enough to clear the manifolds and you won't have to pull one. Once clear, you

can work the set out the left side. It will take a little rolling and twisting, but they will

come out.

Now for getting the carbs in and out of the manifolds. For removal, first you'll want to

lube the boots with WD40 or silicone spray. Rock the carb bank up and spray some

lube in the bottom gap, rock it down and lube the top gap. Now rock them up and down

to distribute the lube. Once that's done, it's time to pull 'em. Use the same up and down

rocking motion as you pull back on the carbs and they should work their way right out.

For install, lube the inside of the boots and the outside of the carbs. Then use the same

rocking motion as you push them in. You'll feel a bit of a "pop" as they fully seat in. The

WD or silicone will work here for lube but Race Tech makes a seal grease (for oil seals)

that is very rubber "friendly". White lithium grease can also be used (just a thin smear -

don't goop it on).

If you're doing this in the dead of winter in an unheated garage or the boots are really

old and hard, you might want to heat them up a bit first with a hair dryer. I know my

carbs certainly popped into my new soft manifolds easier than they pulled out of the old

hard ones.

A note on the manifold clamps. These need to be tightened fully so the 2 clamp halves

touch, especially on new soft manifolds. These old bikes, even in a good state of tune,

sometimes spit back or backfire through the carbs, usually on start-ups. If the clamps

aren't tightened fully, the carb can pop out of the manifold. If the head of the original

phillips clamp screw is buggered up at all, you may not be able to fully tighten the clamp

so I suggest switching to allens. While the original phillips screw is longer, an M5 x 16

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