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Hello all. My ‘80 FXE has an intake leak on the front cylinder. I replaced the band seals with new ones and while it runs better it still stumbles sometimes at idle. Before I replaced the seals it had an air leak on both cylinders. I can spray carb cleaner onto the rear manifold seal area and all is fine but the front still leaks. The manifold fit real close and square to the heads. When I did the repair I just cleaned up the part where the seal attaches to the head and the manifold itself real good with a scotch brite pad and worked the seals and manifold into place. Then I installed the carb and air cleaner and just barely snugged up the bolts then tightened up the band clamps on the seals then finished tightening the carb and air cleaner. I think I did the job properly but still have the front leak. What I am wondering is do you guys use any sealant on the bands? There wasn’t any to start with so I didn’t. I was thinking some Yamabond # 4 would work but would make disassembly hard in the future.
Thanks, Jerry
I edited this to add I couldn’t find any information on this in the FSM
Last edited by 80Glide; Jun 10, 2021 at 08:29 PM.
Reason: Adding information
I don't know about the bands, but I put a couple of wraps of electrical tape on my O-ring intake and that worked well. I have heard people using blue rubber bands with success. Good luck, I'm sure someone will be along shortly that can help.
what's the carb and air cleaner setup? how is the air cleaner braced? what clamps are yu using for the bands?
The carb is a S&S super E. The band clamp on
the front is a non split unit with a 1/4” x 28 nut. The rear clamp is split with a screw to tighten it.
The air cleaner is braced in the front with a brace that comes down from a cylinder head bolt. I’ll try to get pictures later.
Thanks
A picture of the band clamps and air cleaner brace. The spacer and washer between the brace and air cleaner base are to take up a small space before everything is tightened down
Dennis Kirk has the bands JZ is talking about - they are really cheap if you buy them from them - like 2 bucks - I frankenstein a lot of bikes cause I chop - when you first setup the intake - did you tighten up the band clamps and look at the gaps between the head and the intake? Tighten them - when they are tight enough the band will flatten enough so it actually looks like it is wide enough to cover the spigots - I use high vacuum grease on the bands - it is a Dow Corning Product - second - once you rhave the brace tight - you should be able to loosen then the band clamps and the intake should not move - if it moves - the brace angle is eff'ed up and it is pulling the intake - 3rd - I always add the back brace from the center stud bolt to the back of the intake on all my bikes - I also have 2" silicone pipe (used on turbo applications) and 8mm band clamps and make the super seals that are sold commercially. Anothe rthing to be sure of is the clamp quality and condition - if the band clamps are bent or krinkled - they will pinch the bands - the silicone bands are much stiffer - the James bands are rubber but are also pretty stiff - I use the James bands from time to time and they are okay - on both the 83 I just finished and my 81
here are the reds from Dennis Kirk (which is near my house) and the tube I cut to fit if real problems continue - 8mm clamps - 2 per side - kits using the 4 clamp and silicone tubing are sold commercially
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Intake leak
