Carb Gasket Sealent?

nick52 · Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 2:31 pm Post subject: Carb Gasket Sealent?

Someone told me that the old SOHC used a gasket sealer on the
carbs?? I don't remember ever using any but that was 30+
years ago. I know some times we would use a bit of axle
grease to hold a part in place. Ha anyone seen a gas
proof sealent used on SOHC carb banks?

BlueThunder · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 7:46 pm Post subject:

No, don't use any gasket sealant. The carb bowls have an o-ring which is round. When the bowl is tightened, the compression will form a tight seal. If your bowl leaks even after o-ring replacement, then the surfaces might not be flat.

fasterspider · Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 8:27 am Post subject:

Float bowl gaskets are glued into the float bowl with "Gaskacinch" rubber cement.
If you use a liquid gasket like Hondabond4, you will have trouble removing the old gasket to replace it for a new one and the gas will weaking the remnants on the inside of the bowl to where it will get dragged into your carb for a possible clog.

Houndog750 · Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 12:41 am Post subject:

I recently got in touch with a guitar friend in Japan who worked for Honda back in the day and he told me it was a type of tank and gasket sealer.

After a week of browsing through gearhead forums of all types one sealer was mentioned most often. Red-Kote. Damon is apparently no longer making it and distributors are hard to find. I wound up getting a quart of Northern, which is identical to Red-Kote but blue dye.

The folks I went through was FBO. Pricing was reasonable and shipping was timely.

A very small amount as all I needed to secure the gaskets on the bowls of CB750F PD42As I was rebuilding for one of my CBs. I've had the bowls off three times now over about a weeks period. The Northern worked like a champ. Both uncured and cured sealer can be removed with MEK, but it is unaffected by pump gas. No more exploding bowl gaskets if the bowls have to come off (as for jetting changes). It holds the gaskets in securely but remains pliable so the gaskets can conform to the gasket seat on the castings. Not a weep.

I've tested just about every sealer out there at all the automotive stores that is supposed to be "fuel resistant" but all either peeled, turned to goo, or turned to fine dust and went the way of the exhaust pipe. No, I wasn't about to test them in a working set of carbs. Unusable casting and bowl in a coffee can of gas. Wink

nick52 · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 7:09 am Post subject:

I found it online at http://4secondsflat.com and they still carry it in stock...
And I still have some after sealing two tanks. The stuff is great.
I would have driven my un-used can out to you but it is probably cheaper
to have a can sent compared to gas prices,LOL
Robert bonked the bike we bought and restored but we took the bent fork
tubes to a friend with a machine shop and he straightened them as good
as new and we found a new tach and headlight bucket. They charged
$160 to tow the bike 6 blocks??
It's back together and he knows that a 50mph cross wind may be
a bit much for him to handle. We will see you sometime on our
next run out by you. Love them twisty roads.....
Nick

Houndog750 · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 10:01 am Post subject:

FBO is the same as 4 seconds flat. That's were I got the stuff. Works like a champ. Tough stuff too. Dip the bowl lips in MEK for a bit to get them perfectly clean and no worries.

50mph crosswinds are no fun. Had that some years back coming home from KC for about 80 miles, and the bike was damn near laid flat half the time. I believe the tow bill.

Holler any time. I'm up for miles long as it's not raining. I hate cleaning rust off 30+ year old bikes!