Rejuvenating float bowl seals?

In the Kiehin CV34's on my KZ750-4 the 'house' shaped O rings that seal the float bowls look pretty flat, and while they were not really leaking, they were wet with gas outside the O ring primeter. They are not hard, just flattened a little bit. I called the nearest shop and found them listed at $12 apiece! With tax that's over $50 for 4 little rubber rings! Can't afford that.

I have read on a few websites that they can be boiled in water to bring them back to roughly the original (non-compressed) shape.

Has anyone tried this, and what results did you get?
Thanks!

Generally, you would replace them, but yes this can be expensive.

I have boiled them a long time ago, and they did expand slightly, but afterwards even with a coating of silicon, they just shrink back to the way they were.

So here's what you do... Take the bowl and with some gasoline resistant gasket maker, fill in the grove that the rubber gasket sits into. Use your fingers and smear it nice and flat, all the way around.
After about 30 min, the gasket maker will still be kinda spongy. Push your old gasket into position, into the gasket maker groove, just slightly so it stays.
Then assemble your carbs, just light pressure. After another 30min, tighten fully.
Done!

Theres not too much to worry about with these gaskets, as an air tight seal is not necessary. Just one that doesnt allow the gas to seep when the bowls are tilted from side-side. Carb bowls are vented to outside air pressure anyways.

GL!

Well, I've never found a silicon or other gasket maker that truely resists gasoline, but it sounds worth a try! I do have some Permatex Moto Tech 1 (I think it's called) that's supposed to be resistant to gas. Think that would work?

Z1 has these for $14.43 for set of four.
With USPS Priority Shipping at around $6, total comes to just over $20. I just ordered some last weekend.

www.z1enterprises.com/detail.aspx?ID=2083

just a couple of suggestions... :blush:

The $20 solution looks good. In the mean time...
Do you have any silicone spray lube? Maybe try soaking them overnite in a zip-lock bag. That works for paper gaskets... but 0-rings? maybe not.

Could you make new ones from thick gasket material from the auto parts store?
Cutting them out might be chore - if it can be done.

I'm not real confident that either is a good solution, but what the heck.... :blush:

I suggest ordering the seals from Z1.

Don't do like I did and use ordinary silicon sealer over top of the seals. The float bowls did not leak, but after a week or so, the engine just didn't run very well. I figured the pilot jets were stopped up again. Dismantled the carbs again and found these clear rubber "worms" inside the float bowls. Some silicon had oozed inside the float bowls, then swelled up to the point of causing interfence with the floats.

I solved my problem by cutting gaskets from a piece of rubber neoprene that I had that was about 0.025" thick. I placed these in the groove, and then the regular seal on top of that. Worked very well, but "normal" people would not want to spend the time on such a tedious task.

Take your chances with this suggestion.

PB Blaster WILL make those gaskets soft and swell back up. But watch them because if the gasket soaks in the PB Blaster for too long, they will be too big to fit the bowls. Don't soak them overnight, just long enough to swell them a little bit.

If you try Tek9ine's method see if you can use some Blue Hylomar. This is a gas resistant sealer and came with a petcock I bought. The gasket surface never leaked but the petcock did, :laugh:

Thanks all! Some good info here. I am a bit lery about using gasket makers or silicon as I've had bad experiences using sealers (particularly a silicon sealer) with gasoline. But I'm considering the swelling idea with Blaster. I've also been told that spray carb cleaner will do the same thing. Between Blaster (which I don't have) and carb cleaner (which I do), what would be the better choice?

I know it says on the can of Blaster " rejuvenates o-rings". I don't think it says that on carb cleaner. Blaster is always good to have around too.

I find those "house shaped" O rings tend to swell from alcohol in the gas. If they swell to much you can shrink them by putting them in a ziplock bag in the freezer for 30 minutes but you have to work fast to get them back in place before they thaw and swell again.

The $14 per set ones work just as well as the the genuine Kawasaki - expensive - ones

Well, my problem was the reverse. Over the years my rings had compressed and shrunk very slightly.

I did have some Blaster it turns out (fluid of which is orange in color?). I soaked the rings in this stuff for about three hours today. There was no drastic change that I could see, but perhaps some swelling. Since the fuel level is below the bowl face, I went ahead and used them. No leaks seen yet, so I think it's okay.

Thanks all for the advice!