Carbs damaged on inlet to Engine

[MandelaMotors]

Hi guys,

This place is awesome, glad I have you guys to come to!

I bought a '80 XS400 Special recently. I want to restore it (wasn't running when i bought it) and then eventually make something cafe'ish out of it. I haven't got lots of experience, actually no experience with bikes but i've worked on some cars before. Its more of a summer project to me...

Now I'm busy cleaning the carbs - have to deal with lots of stripped screws, its a nightmare - and I noticed some damage to the inlet that goes into the engine (is that part called inlet on the carbs?). I've got some pics - what do you guys think of that?

Thanks!

Regards

 

[LuckyEight]

Welcome!
It's a air filter side of the carbs...and it doesn't seem to be a serious problem, just minor scratches... your carbs should work ok. Stripped threads and screws could be a problem

Good luck with your bike and post some pics of it!

 

[iamunique127]

Welcome to the forum.

Screwdrivers that fit properly are one key to removing the screws. Make sure whatever you use is the tightest fit in the head that you can find. Some quality penetrating oil or rust breaker helps too. Make sure you use lots of pressure on your screwdrivers when trying to remove the screws. An impact driver can also be your best friend, just be sure it is set to loosen the screws or you will be defeating the purpose.

If you can find JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) screwdrivers, they are ideal because the screw heads are made slightly differently than most Phillips heads.

Here are a couple links I found with a Google search,in the UK and the ones I picked up, in the US. I got the "motorcycle driver set" and they meet all my needs.

Good luck

 

[xschris]

Welcome to the forum Those chips are nothing to worry about.

 

[arfstrom]

Welcome to the group!

 

[drewpy]

welcome, they are just casting marks!

get used to seeing them, they are all over the crankcase too

 

[MandelaMotors]

Awesome, thanks for all the replies, appreciate it!! The impact driver helped with the one screw and the others just with the tightest fit screwdriver I could find and brute forced. They're fully stripped now but it was time to get new ones anyway... Should i get some real machine-to-machine screws (as my friend calls them) for the brackets or are standard galvanized screws gonna work aswell?

Glad to hear about the marks, phew And yeah good tipp on the JIS screwdrivers, I noticed the slight difference...

 

[LuckyEight]

I have some stainless steel screw kit for carbs from Ebay. Works and looks great

 

[DARKMIDKNIGHTWARRIOR]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Edgee2004]

dont use gavlanized. go Stainless Steel, less likely to corrode parts. gavl can cause things to corrode and turn into white chalk. also next time you have a screw head that may strip us you strong hand and some valve lapping compound. the valve lapping compound will kind of bite into the screw and fill up die space. that your free pro tip of the day. lol.

 

[xschris]

I used titanium bolts on my 80sg xs360 carbs. 1/2 the weight of steel just as strong and will never rust.

 

[MandelaMotors]

Thanks guys!

Ok cool Edgee... will definitely try that next time!

 

[MandelaMotors]

I like the sound of those titanium bolts chris

 

[Edgee2004]

forget Titanium they are Russian. lol. I bet they were $$$$$$.

 

[xschris]

Mine where made in the u.s If you look for good deals they won't cost much. It's the larger 8M/10M nuts and bolts that cost the money.

 

[Edgee2004]

all Titanium metal in the US has come from cold war Russia. Thanks to CIA shell companies. lol