Float replacement and compatibility... please help!

[mrodub]

I just picked up an 81 special II with the original carbs and brass floats. I opened the float bowls and found one of the towers broken and epoxied back together. The PO must have broken it while trying to get the float pins out. I can see how easily this would happen because the inner brass collars of the floats had become one with the pins. The only way to get them out without breaking the towers was to cut the pins and slide them out from the inside. What a bad design!

While shopping for floats and pins, I've noticed the SOHC bikes (80-82) all use the brass floats; Yamaha part # 3F7-14985-00-00, while the DOHC bikes and bigger bikes use the plastic floats. Are these floats interchangeable?

I would like to avoid buying new floats but I need to fill that space between the float pin since I had to destroy the inner brass collar part of the float. I was thinking about going to a hardware store and finding something to slide in there.

Have any of you experienced this? Any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[arfstrom]

one of our sponsor has plastic floats marked for the XS400. If you change to plastic, you will have to find the new float height setting.
Plastic Carb Float Mikuni BS34 CV carburetors
http://www.mikesxs.net/product/20-6502.html
Also fits: XS400 J/K Maxim 82-83 XS400 RJ/RK SECA 82-83 XS1100 G 80-81

Of course it doesnt say, 81, but it is for the Mikuni BS34.

 

[xschris]

I have a set if you want them $22.50 shipped paypal only

 

[mrodub]

Thanks for the replies. What is the actual pivot point? The collar to float or the pin to collar?

 

[arfstrom]

Well it pivots on its pin, I found these pics in a manual I have downloaded. They all so the pivot point, I just don't know what your looking for, so Here is my best guess. Of coarse the manual for the brass floats is wrong, so review this forum for the right answer. (I haven't needed to know that since last June, I have forgotten) Hope that helps, The file I have taken these photos are too large to put in here, ask if you need more suggestions, perhaps I can forward this to Travis, and he can put it in the files section.

I suppose if you looked up the Mikuni BS/ CV Carb turtorial.

 

[xschris]

If you mean the insert in the float hinge, that should NOT move.

 

[mrodub]

I didn't think so. Since the inserts were frozen to the pins, you can imagine how stuck those floats were. The crankcase was filled with gas and the tank was empty!!!!

 

[arfstrom]

So MrOdub, did you figure this out?

 

[mrodub]

I hope so. I bought xschris' floats and pins and will be putting her back together this week. I figured I would just stick with the stock floats and keep it simple.
Thanks for the help, I will keep you posted.