Easy Service Airbox Mod

[Mito1]

Hi Everyone,  I recently did a carb service on my 94 Tiger and I must have lucked out with the reassembly as it went back together OK.  Do you think I was as lucky next time around...nooooway.  Just could not get all the bits to line up again.  Anyhow I did a very simple mod which allows the rear part of the airbox to be removed from the sides making access and reassembly way easier.  I have attached photos,  note the peice of high density foam that seals the two halves.  You will need a long phillips to access the hard to get at screws on the underside.  Cheers,  hopes this helps, Stu

[Rocinante]

Very interesting. I have been playing with different ways to make access easier, but your solution looks much better than my wild ideas.

Only question is how the sealing between the two parts hold up. If it does not it shouldn't be too difficult to make a kind of lip that covers the other half with a centimeter or so to make for a better seal. It could also cover the closest bolt holes so that you tight the one over the other, if you understand what I mean.

But if it works the way you made it, then I'll make the same mod.

[Mustang]

The Trophy crowd on The Yahoo mailing lists have been doing this very same mod for years with no apparent problems.
The one thing that should be noted is to make sure you use a little silicone sealer on the engine side between the filter and air box (the uncut front half )to keep the dust from being able to sneak past the filter.

[Mito1]

Hey,  cheers for your responses guys,  pleased to hear that it's been done before with no problems.  A question for Mustang,  the reason I took the carbs off was to investigate running on 2 at idle and only cutting in on 3 at about 3500/4000rpm.  L//H cylinder was dead.  Checked carbs and cleaned out but still very raggady on number 1.  Also spits back thru the inlet alot when cold but slowly eases when warm but still dead on number 1. Any thoughts.  Cheers,  Stu

[Mustang]

Mito........it  sounds like you have a duff coil try swapping them around and see if the problem moves to different cylinder.
When one of my gills went tits up thats the exact symptom it had .

[nightrunner]

If it is a coil, you can save a bundle over the new ones by getting a set of on-the-plug coils from a TT600.  Get em used on ebay for maybe $30 for a set of four.  They would replace the coils and plug wires.  They work great and much cheaper than the Nology direct swap that most of the folks around here do.

[Mito1]

Hi,  yep it looks like a coil.  I swapped them around and the miss firing moved to the other cylinder.  Just to be safe,  I checked the valve clerences and have serviced the carbs again to eliminate the variables.  I got a set of 4 TT600 plug end coils off ebay for $30 so just have to wait by the letter box  now.  I did note that the dud coil was a PVL.  I suppose that at 121k its probably on it's second set by now!!!!.  Amazingly,  very little sign of wear given such high ks,  cam and followers look new.

[Sin_Tiger]

Typical Kiwi fiddler  :D well done Stu.

Didn't know about the Trophy boys fix. I'd been considering something like that for a while, so nice to know that it works. I want to put in a sealing strip with an H section at the join as I' seen it used in other applications, when I find a source I'll post it.

[Mito1]

Cheers Sin-Tiger.  Im sure a bit of H section rubber could be obtained from your local rubber and foam store.  The only downside of this mod is the filter element has a bit of spring tension in it so getting the screws done up to seal can be a bit of an act but still way easier than doing it one piece.  Im convinced the boffin who come up with this layout was the same plonker who developed the radiator position on early Mini's.  One thing I found with this mod is you can assemble the airbox but leave one of the sides off. This still allows wriggle room to get the boots over the carbs,  get all the screws done up well to seal,  just have to attach one side.  If you cut the box a bit off set to one side,  even better so difficult screws to get at are done up off the bike,  the easy ones done on the bike when attching the remaining side.  How did we fix our bikes before the internet!!!!

[Colonel Nikolai]

This is such an lovely mod! Yes, how did we do anything before the Internet!

Mito how many miles you got on the 04 Buell? What do you think of it? Move it to "Speaking of Bikes" if your worried about hijacking the thread. Or PM me. Thanks!

[Mito1]

Hi,  the Firebolt has done 6000kms.  Brought as a right off after hitting a truck deck.  Absolutely love it.  Big lumpy motor in a tight 250 GP style chassis.  It's obnoxiously loud,  environmentally unfriendly,  it rattles and shakes and will pull a tractor out of a bog.  Seriously looking at a Ulysses as my arthritic hips are protesting.  Cheers,  Stu

[Colonel Nikolai]

Filthy 51" wheelbase of fun aren't they?

environmentally unfriendly

Really? My 03 XBS got 55 mpg before I rebuilt the tranny and engine. Haven't started it yet: need to reset TPS and CPS and otherwise fiddle with it as I can only get one cyl firing atm.

I will shut it now, don't want to hijack too much!