Inlet Manifold Rubbers

[Paul Narramore]

I presume our American cousins are aware of this Ohio company but it was discovered over the weekend that yet another cause for the poor running of my 1977 GL1000 was air leaks in the Inlet Manifold Rubbers. Not surprising as they are almost forty years old now. I discovered that the rubbers (4) are vulcanised onto the alloy manifolds and that new replacements would be impossible to locate and old ones would most likely be just as hardened.

I found on the Net this company - www.jbmindustries.com - who manufacture replacement rubber hoses for all sorts of vehicle using modern and more advanced rubber. The ordering advice page made amusing reading with the emphasis on the words 'ordering' - don't do this, don't do that or else, and so on.

Well the website does have a well illustrated page showing how to cut the aged rubbers off, cleaning of the alloy manifolds, and slipping the new rubbers on over the lip. They aren't cheap at around $130 incl. postage to the UK, but hey ho, I have no alternative.

I look forward to Ian Mason returning soon to tune the carbs yet again but with all the correct amount of air going into the carbs BTW Ian is a true gent and has been down a few times now to see the bike, each time making small improvements. These new rubbers should finally make the last of the tuning straightforward.

[Maz]

Paul, thank you for the kind words ! We will have your '77 purring again soon. Just let me know when the rubbers arrive.

PS. I was only known as Maz on here until your post!

Maz (Ian)

[Paul Narramore]

Well the inlet manifold rubbers have yet to arrive, however a 'nice' letter from the UK Customs did arrive in this morning's post. I find this really really irritating when I order stuff from the US. It's not their fault really but some purchases do have a UK Customs charge levied on them whilst other packages seem to sail through.

The other week I ordered from a US breakers a mesh radiator screen for my GL1000 - A bargain $10 but $25 postage & packaging. Still sometimes we/I need to 'bite the bullet' when buying scarce parts.

I bought the Inlet Manifold Rubbers from JBM Industries, Independence, Ohio, as their website suggests these are quality items and they know what they're talking about. So $95 + s/h (which I presume to be postage and packaging) but by the time I had paid through PayPal this had crept up to $130. Still at about £100, good for 'unobtainables'. Today's UK Customs require a further £18.63 (Import VAT) and Clearance fee (£11.25) which I presume to be this A4-size 'letter'. So these rubbers have now cost me £129.88. Still they had me over a barrel and I had no option. Had Honda simply used length of rubber hose rather than skilfully shaped and ribbed alternatives unique to the bike I wouldn't be writing this post.

Yesterday I leaned on the rear brake pedal to find it almost solid and unwilling to return to it's original position. Next job to do after paying for the above, is to dismantle (US=disassemble) the rear brake caliper. Now I quite like working on brake calipers and there's a good video of how to do it on YouTube.

[biker art]

Hope you got some lube with those rubbers

[WingAdmin]

Well the inlet manifold rubbers have yet to arrive, however a 'nice' letter from the UK Customs did arrive in this morning's post. I find this really really irritating when I order stuff from the US. It's not their fault really but some purchases do have a UK Customs charge levied on them whilst other packages seem to sail through.

The other week I ordered from a US breakers a mesh radiator screen for my GL1000 - A bargain $10 but $25 postage & packaging. Still sometimes we/I need to 'bite the bullet' when buying scarce parts.

I bought the Inlet Manifold Rubbers from JBM Industries, Independence, Ohio, as their website suggests these are quality items and they know what they're talking about. So $95 + s/h (which I presume to be postage and packaging) but by the time I had paid through PayPal this had crept up to $130. Still at about £100, good for 'unobtainables'. Today's UK Customs require a further £18.63 (Import VAT) and Clearance fee (£11.25) which I presume to be this A4-size 'letter'. So these rubbers have now cost me £129.88. Still they had me over a barrel and I had no option. Had Honda simply used length of rubber hose rather than skilfully shaped and ribbed alternatives unique to the bike I wouldn't be writing this post.

Yesterday I leaned on the rear brake pedal to find it almost solid and unwilling to return to it's original position. Next job to do after paying for the above, is to dismantle (US=disassemble) the rear brake caliper. Now I quite like working on brake calipers and there's a good video of how to do it on YouTube.

More likely it's the brake pedal pivot itself, than the caliper. Take the brake pedal off, sand the corrosion away, grease it all up good, and put it back together.

[Paul Narramore]

Thank you, good advice, I shall look at that first.

I recently bought a radiator screen off eBay from a seller in the States and so have just been out to the bike to see if it fits. Oh bugger, there's more missing than I thought. I found on the illustrated drawings on www.csnl.com that there must be a 'cover, rad, upper' and a 'cover, rad, lower'. Rather than paying out more Trans-Atlantic money (plus taxes) I shall probably make up a pair of wide brackets in alloy, especially as they are largely hidden from view. I also discovered that the two rubber radiator mounts are missing even though the bolts and washers are still there. Why do people do this?

The inlet manifold rubbers have at long last arrived from Ohio, after the £30 customs duty was paid.

[Paul Narramore]

WingAdmin

I've just had a closer look at the rear brake pedal, the almost completely inaccessible rear brake pedal, to find it's held in place with a split pin. Since there seems to be absolutely no way I can get in there, I'll need to remove the exhaust. Another (warmer) day I reckon

After receiving my wire mesh screen from the US, it now appears I also need a 'cover, rad, upper' and a 'cover' rad, lower' and wish I'd had a close look at the GL1000 drawings before I'd bought it as I probably could have obtained the lot from the seller. In the mean time I have fabricated a couple of polish alloy plates which will do in the meantime.

[WingAdmin]

WingAdmin

I've just had a closer look at the rear brake pedal, the almost completely inaccessible rear brake pedal, to find it's held in place with a split pin. Since there seems to be absolutely no way I can get in there, I'll need to remove the exhaust. Another (warmer) day I reckon

After receiving my wire mesh screen from the US, it now appears I also need a 'cover, rad, upper' and a 'cover' rad, lower' and wish I'd had a close look at the GL1000 drawings before I'd bought it as I probably could have obtained the lot from the seller. In the mean time I have fabricated a couple of polish alloy plates which will do in the meantime.

I don't have a GL1000 diagram handy, but if memory serves, it is the same as the GL1100, which is below:



You pull the pin, remove the washer, undo the spring, and then work the pedal off.

[Paul Narramore]

Thank you, yes I've worked that out (I'm a retired draughtsman) but getting in there is going to be difficult.

[Maz]

Difficult, but not impossible, Paul. You can do it!

Maz