[White&Nerdy]

A couple of weeks ago I replaced one of my float bowl gaskets, as the previous owner said they were leaky, and he included a pair of new ones he'd never gotten around to installing with the bike. I was racing against dwindling daylight to get the job done, but I finished the left side, then put everything away, intending to get to the other side later.



Today I had hoped to put both bikes up for the winter, officially. I added fuel stabilizer, ran them... and saw that the other carb was slowly dripping fuel (the one whose gasket I did NOT replace). So I finished putting the Savage away, then pulled everything out to replace the other gasket.



Except the gasket itself. It's gone completely missing. I tore apart the bike, my toolbox, the garage... Spent most of the morning looking for it and couldn't find it anywhere.

So, due to the fuel leak, the bike's parked outside (with a cover on, at least), since gas fumes in the garage go straight up into the kitchen and make my girlfriend sick. I had to order a set of new gaskets, which won't be in until mid-week, putting the job off till next weekend, when I may be doing it in the snow for all I know. And to top it all off, the gaskets come as a set of 4. Yes, I know we only have 2 carburetors. So after the job is done I'll be posting 2 new float bowl gaskets for sale...



I made myself feel less idiotic by successfully buying and installing a new pair of speakers in my winter car. The ancient Blaupunkts were literally falling apart to the point where I couldn't hear the music very well over the loose speaker pieces rattling around in there. So at least I got something done right today.

 

[crashxj]

Can't you just turn off the petcock and drain the carb float bowl so you can park it in the garage?

 

[kingston73]

Yep, know the feeling.  I was taking the 2 screws that hold on the gas cap cover off and dropped one of them, looked around for about 10 minutes and finally gave up.  Later while moving the gas tank I hear "rattle rattle" inside, sure enough I'd managed to drop the screw into the tank.  Now I've got to go buy a magnet of some sort to fish the stupid little screw out.

 

[Trickster]

Yep, know the feeling.  I was taking the 2 screws that hold on the gas cap cover off and dropped one of them, looked around for about 10 minutes and finally gave up.  Later while moving the gas tank I hear "rattle rattle" inside, sure enough I'd managed to drop the screw into the tank.  Now I've got to go buy a magnet of some sort to fish the stupid little screw out.

I have a extendable aerial style magnet thingy, used it many times for weird situations.

 

[msleboda]

I have a extendable aerial style magnet thingy, used it many times for weird situations.

I got a set of 2 for $1.99 at Harbor Freight. One of my most used tools (I'm a little clumsy with small stuff - lol).



Justin,



Just a thought, but could the 2 gaskets have been stuck together and you put them both on the one carb???

 

[Detector Todd]

Yep, know the feeling. I was taking the 2 screws that hold on the gas cap cover off and dropped one of them, looked around for about 10 minutes and finally gave up. Later while moving the gas tank I hear "rattle rattle" inside, sure enough I'd managed to drop the screw into the tank. Now I've got to go buy a magnet of some sort to fish the stupid little screw out.

I know this is going a little off subject, but I've just recently aquired my cx500.

When I pulled the gas tank off to clean out the old fuel I noticed something was rattling inside... I just assumed (at the time) that there was a float inside there or something. Thinking about it now... there shouldn't be anything rattling around in there since it's gravity feed, and no fuel guages etc. ... should there be? the only thing in there is the filter right?



Edit: Oops, sorry White & Nerdy, I didn't mean to hijack your post... just a quick yes/no answer is all I'm looking for here guys.



BTW.... Have you tried a strong magnet over a thin cloth, and just running it up the side of the tank Kingston?... you'll have to pardon my newbie-ness if there is something blocking the screw from just coming out that easy.

 

[kingston73]

Yep, sorry Nerdy for getting your post off track.  To answer your question quickly Todd, the tank has a lip that extends into the tank about 1/2 or so, so turning it upside down and trying to shake things out doesn't work.  Any no, nothing should rattle inside it unless you've dropped something in there like I did.

 

[marshallf3]

Localize it, if a magnet won't get it I've got a trick.



Know those magazine inserts and stuff you get in the mail with that nasty sticky stuff on them?



I'm as guilty as anyone at misplacing things, or dropping ascrew from 10' up but I've learned to use my ears and eyes when I know I've dropped something to track where in the heck it's ended up at. Even then it's not unknown for me to sweep an entire floor (usualy often overdue) to track down a screw I know is there then where do I find it? Slid down into my shoe.

 

[nolavox]

A couple of weeks ago I replaced one of my float bowl gaskets, as the previous owner said they were leaky, and he included a pair of new ones he'd never gotten around to installing with the bike. I was racing against dwindling daylight to get the job done, but I finished the left side, then put everything away, intending to get to the other side later.



Today I had hoped to put both bikes up for the winter, officially. I added fuel stabilizer, ran them... and saw that the other carb was slowly dripping fuel (the one whose gasket I did NOT replace). So I finished putting the Savage away, then pulled everything out to replace the other gasket.



Except the gasket itself. It's gone completely missing. I tore apart the bike, my toolbox, the garage... Spent most of the morning looking for it and couldn't find it anywhere.

So, due to the fuel leak, the bike's parked outside (with a cover on, at least), since gas fumes in the garage go straight up into the kitchen and make my girlfriend sick. I had to order a set of new gaskets, which won't be in until mid-week, putting the job off till next weekend, when I may be doing it in the snow for all I know. And to top it all off, the gaskets come as a set of 4. Yes, I know we only have 2 carburetors. So after the job is done I'll be posting 2 new float bowl gaskets for sale...



I made myself feel less idiotic by successfully buying and installing a new pair of speakers in my winter car. The ancient Blaupunkts were literally falling apart to the point where I couldn't hear the music very well over the loose speaker pieces rattling around in there. So at least I got something done right today.

LOL: Float bowl gaskets are made of ferrous rubber???

bunch o thread jackers !!!

not to stick a needle in it... but those 4 to the pack gasket sets are probably intended for the inline fours, many more CB750s then CX 500s, you should be glad that honda at least used some "universal" parts on their UJMs...



Now the real problem arises shorlty after you get the four new ones. install two (maybe rip one in half) and shortly after tightning the last screw, the missing one will magically reappear. In that Honda never got around to mass producing a speed triple, you will then have three gaskets, frost bit toes, a mad woman, be a few $$$ shorter,



Conversely, you are not alone, as this is what happens to us all sooner or later when playing easter egg with small parts...

I just want to know why it's always the most wanted pieces part that is lost in the vortex...



Re-gardless... Have a Merry Christmas...

PS I'm sure Larry will be able to use all the leftover bowl gaskets...

 

[White&Nerdy]

Oh, don't worry about derailing the thread - I'm pretty much just venting, not looking for any actual help.

Yes, the extendable magnet thingy is an awesome tool. It just looks like a radio antenna, except the tip is magnetized. I have one and it's saved my butt many times.



There were definitely 2 gaskets. They came in a small plastic bag in one of the fairing's pockets. I definitely put one in the bike. I definitely left the other gasket in the bag to keep it safe until I had time to install it. I'm sure the gasket is safe in its bag now, wherever it's gotten to.

 

[marshallf3]

The forum about died, I welcome any story.



Perhaps we need to invite some of our Austrailian frinds to come over? Probably riding season down there.



As for your parts, do as I'm intending to do. I'm just going to set up a shelf unit back in one of the boiler rooms at work and label it as PERSONAL - CX/GL parts so they've got a dry environment and I've got that one upstairs area under limited access lock/key and will do so with my other boiler area soon. I can not afford having people "free range" in the physical plant areas of the building.



On the NFPA "triangle" does anyone know what a 4 means in blue over on the left?

 

[nolavox]

It means "Don't drink the water"

the bigger the number, the worse the hazard...

 

[nolavox]

I did a lot of corporate and industrial training video... there are over 100 petrochemical plants in the 90miles of Mississippi River between NOLA and Baton Rouge...



This was part of orientation... over and over and...

nfpa guidlines

 

[marshallf3]

Reason I put the 4 over on the left is that I've got both bromine, chlorine and higly alkaline compounds in the same room and in rather close proximity. I only required a 3, but if a fire broke out and the bromine mixed with one of the alkalis you'd have bromine gas that could kill you within 10 seconds. Fire Marshal agreed with me as well, make the warning high.



Separately they'll just eat your hand off, together they're certain death unless you come in with your own air.



Now you know why I finally had to lock that upstairs area up which is in fact going to be my office area in time.

 

[nolavox]

Reason I put the 4 over on the left is that I've got both bromine, chlorine and higly alkaline compounds in the same room and in rather close proximity. I only required a 3, but if a fire broke out and the bromine mixed with one of the alkalis you'd have bromine gas that could kill you within 10 seconds. Fire Marshal agreed with me as well, make the warning high.



Separately they'll just eat your hand off, together they're certain death unless you come in with your own air.



Now you know why I finally had to lock that upstairs area up which is in fact going to be my office area in time.

You know those warnings are for for firefighters... No Sign, no matter how "warningfull" or scary will keep the kiddies from playing with matches,shooting little jimmy with an "unloaded" gun, squirting lighter fluid on the campfire, or even mixing Chlorine and Ammonia...



Young children here learn the sweet tastes of forbidden fruit at a very young age. Adults seem to forget things like consequences as well...



moral of the story: DONT KEEP A LOADED GUN IN THE LIQUOR CABINET

P.S I found my glasses.... whoopie! now I can see well enough to find my keys and go for a spin... what was all this about anyway

 

[Detector Todd]

Reason I put the 4 over on the left is that I've got both bromine, chlorine and higly alkaline compounds in the same room and in rather close proximity. I only required a 3, but if a fire broke out and the bromine mixed with one of the alkalis you'd have bromine gas that could kill you within 10 seconds. Fire Marshal agreed with me as well, make the warning high.



Separately they'll just eat your hand off, together they're certain death unless you come in with your own air.



Now you know why I finally had to lock that upstairs area up which is in fact going to be my office area in time.

Sounds like it'll make a lovely office area...

 

[marshallf3]

4,000 ft*sq to myself, we've got my voice and data connections installled, I'm relocating the air compressor that only has to come on on rare occasions to the side and building soundproofing around it. About to put another 225 gallon tank on the other end of the building online so it will hardly have to run. It only provides the 20 or so psi I need to run all the HVAC valves so it rarely cycles anyway and I've got a spare on that end.



All the heat and AC I'd ever need off my own internals and AHU-9 (air handler-9) that has tons of extra capacity, may even put in a wood stove next year for the fun of it. Don't need it, but fun is fun. Plan on growing a few things on the roof too as I'll be at that lower level of the building. Already have a roof cooling sprinkler system up there I haven't brought online yet except for testing.



Worst thing is two 8' each flights of stairs if I have to go tend to something but they finally saw my way and got me a very smart helper. It will be a long training process as the operation of a building this large is certainly a challenge but I've already got him changing 277V ballasts while live, guess I need to get him registered as an apprentice journeyman electrician and start going over the books with him.



Then there always all the other NFPA stuff related to fire and emergencies etc but he'll learn. I plan to home base him upstairs with me and school will be in session most of the time.

 

[Detector Todd]

What's your line of work Marshall? ... Journey electrician?, Millwright?

 

[marshallf3]

I serve several jobs, but mainly the Facilities Enginner for a 235,000 ft*sq building. HVAC, electrical, plumbing - you name it. I do a lot of the work but what I don't want to tackle I just call someone in. I'm also the right hand man to the Senior VP and help make some of the purchasing decisions.

 

[Zegwin]

I know that sign! it is a 704! The school I go to has a 704 placard that is 4/4/4 with all the special hazards. Boy would I not want our science building to catch fire!