A boot in the head ....

[thewiz]

While removing the intake boots from the cyl head a few months back, I was surprised to see that there was no gasket between the head and the boots themselves, but instead; a very thin layer of some kinda' goop. I scraped off the goop and cleaned up the boots, which are not cracked or in any other way damaged, and I assumed that a proper gasket would be included in the set I had bought from Pts-n-Mre .... but no such luck.

I have searched out and read quite a few threads on this subject but haven't found a definitave answer... I see lots of ways to make one with Copper RTV or Yamabond 4, somebody else says buy some, some members say that the factory didn't use 'em etc., but I also notice that a new set of boots from PtsnMre HAS gaskets included .... Sooo .... Does the bike need or should it have a composition type or paper gasket here or not? What's the best way to handle this carb boot/head hook-up?

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Wiz,

A little research showed that NO gasket was used from 78-81, but in 82 they(Yamaha) used a gasket on the XJ!

The Manifold has a thin layer of rubber over the metal mating surface that conacts the head, and it gets burned, dried, cracks, crumbles, etc. with age and direct exposure to the heat of the head.

Theory: Perhaps the gasket provides a slight temperature barrier between the head and the intakes to protect them to help them last longer, as well as provide a better seal than just the boots alone.

With my OLD ones, I used Permatex(years before discovering Yamabond!), but didn't use a gasket, again in my ignorant youth!

IF I were to put on new ones or remount my old ones, I would use the gaskets, AND also Yamabond....JMHO!
T.C.

[John]

An inexpensive way to aquire intake boot-to-head-gaskets is to go to your local auto parts store and get 4 thermostat housing gaskets for an old Ford Pinto engine, 2.3 Liter. They have the correct offset bolt pattern, and require just a little trimming. I have done this to my/our 81 SH and Succubus has done it to his bike also. The cost should be around $4.

[pggg]

The XS carb boots I've seen are all non-gasket design with the two grooves around the inside edge, smear a film of goop into the grooves when bolting the boots back on, the contact at the studs is metal on metal, some boots look a bit grungy on the outside(sun, weather) but all the ones I've seen were all still brand new condition inside even over 25 years of use.

[thewiz]

you guys are smart ...

and I mean it. I love this website. Thank you all very much for the input .. each one an excellent solution ... I really like the Pinto plan though, moddin' that old 2.3 w/o gasket sounds like fun while I'm waiting for the head stud washers to get here. If I can get a gasket on there and sealed up with a minimum of glue, it'll sure come apart much easier in the future, should that become necessary or desirable.

[HobbyMan]

One last note. OEM carb boots do not have gaskets because of the above mentioned rubber seal. Aftermarket ones sometimes do not have that seal, that is why they come with gaskets.