vacuum slides and chemicals

[Billy C]

  I try and spread the word to everyone who will put down their cell phone long enough to listen. NEVER EVER spray any chemical in the intake of your carbs! I get it that when Spring rolls around and you want to ride that ill winter prepped bike it seems like a good idea. Money is tight and sending Billy C your rack and $300 and waiting 3 or 4 weeks to ride? Bah-humbug. Just grab that $5 can of rainbows and unicorn farts and spray away. The pic below is from my latest guy who tried this. Thanks to JBM aftermarket diaps it is only a $100 mistake.

NEVER EVER spray any chemical in the intake of your carbs!

[Billy C]

The slide on the far left looks good, it is not. Very stretchy, gonna hole as soon as it gets hit with a few strong vacuum pulses.

Random thoughts and rambling, feel free to add your experiences.
- I don't hold a strong opinion about adding seafoam etc to the tank. I suspect it is not a great idea but can not say with authority it is bad either.
- Another method is forcing cleaner up thru the drain nipple with a syringe and letting it soak. Drain and flush with fuel and I'd call that safe and as effective as anything else you can try with no risk to the diaps. Rubber bits like float needle tips and fuel tube seals? 
- Heavy dose of seafoam thru the tank? I see 3 outcomes.

1 - Assuming the idle circuits are not completely plugged the cleaner can flow and clears them. Vroom! Yay!!
  2 - The cleaner loosens the sludge in the tank, hoses and carbs and plug the idle passages solid.
  3 - The idle circuits are plugged solid, the cleaner is unable to flow and you wasted a $5 can of seafoam.

[John Hilmer]

Folks,

See inserted below please.

The slide on the far left looks good, it is not. Very stretchy, gonna hole as soon as it gets hit with a few strong vacuum pulses.

Random thoughts and rambling, feel free to add your experiences.

- I don't hold a strong opinion about adding Seafoam etc to the tank. I suspect it is not a great idea unless you KNOW everything from the tank down through the petcock all the way to the carbs are spotless but can not say with authority it is bad either. Here in California we ride year around and don't have to deal with WINTER. I use Seafoam regularly with no ill effects.

- Another method is forcing cleaner up thru the drain nipple with a syringe and letting it soak. Drain and flush with fuel and I'd call that safe and as effective as anything else you can try with no risk to the diaps. Rubber bits like float needle tips and fuel tube seals?  As above, in the way I use the Seafoam I've had no problems over the years.

- Heavy dose of Seafoam thru the tank? I would not do this unless the fuel was dosed before storage last fall. otherwise Billy's concerns are very valid. I see 3 outcomes.

1 - Assuming the idle circuits are not completely plugged the cleaner can flow and clears them. Vroom! Yay!!
  2 - The cleaner loosens the sludge in the tank, hoses and carbs and plug the idle passages solid.
  3 - The idle circuits are plugged solid, the cleaner is unable to flow and you wasted a $5 can of seafoam.