Best way to refit standard air leaner.

On my 71 with twin amals, I'm making progress on assembly.

It looks to me that the best way to refit the air leaner is to take the carbs off and fit them to the airfilter? I have a cut down Allen key for the manifold bolts.

Should you use any sealant between manifold and head, manifold to carbs. PO has used some in the past?

Many thanks

You can fit the carbs and manifolds after the air filter box is in place. The rubber connectors allow a little 'wriggle room' so although fiddly, it's doable. I had the carbs off mine recently and now notice a lot of oil in the filter, wish I'd seen it before refitting the carbs, removing the carbs is the easiest way to replace the filter. Oh well.
Never used any sealant, carbs have 'O' rings to seal to manifolds, tufnol type spacer seals the other end, no problems here.
Cheers, Martin

Lots of people seem to be able to get the filter in/ out with the carbs on, but I take the carbs off, makes it much easier on me. Like Sport, no sealant on the manifold, just the o-rings.

Dave
69S

Thanks guys

It tells you in the book how to do it an many have asked this question on here before if you do a search.

Back plate on battery shelf.
Front plate and rubbers on carbs.
Slots filter an mesh in from primary side under switch bracket. (Yes honest it fits :!: )
Twist mesh into place then fit 2 bolts.

The key factors are if battery shelf is mounted to close to engine an don't use old hard rubbers that just makes your life hard.

Mine fits easy both with standard primary and Alton Ekit primary with its starter motor in place. Its another one of those odd Norton ideas that make you think who did it like this an why???? But it does work.

Easiest way is to boil the rubber boots
-install them in the filter can face
-flip the carb mounting ends of the boots back over
-install the carbs
-flip the rubbers back in place over the carbs

Work fast so the boots stay warm, and/or use a hair dryer of heat gun to keep them soft. A squirt or two of WD40 or other rubber-friendly lube helps.

Even hard-ish boots will work, but it's better to replace them than risk cracked boots and the resultant headaches.

grandpaul said:

Easiest way is to boil the rubber boots
-install them in the filter can face
-slip on the hose clamps very loose, pushed up against the filter can face
-flip the carb mounting ends of the boots back over
-install the carbs
-flip the rubbers back in place over the carbs
-tighten the clamps.

Work fast so the boots stay warm, and/or use a hair dryer of heat gun to keep them soft. A squirt or two of WD40 or other rubber-friendly lube helps.

Even hard-ish boots will work, but it's better to replace them than risk cracked boots and the resultant headaches.

Click to expand...

I think we were talking about stock carbs and airfilter. There are no hose clamps.

batrider said:

I think we were talking about stock carbs and airfilter. There are no hose clamps.

Click to expand...

Right, I was thinking of my infamous Kwak 4s. Same issues. Heck, all Jap 4s for that matter...

THE ORIGINAL rubber boots were softer, not like the new stuff, but fitting is still easy. If you have a helper it is even easier. First place a piece of corrugated cardboard over the primary housing to stop is being scratched. Fit the front filter plate to the carbs and boots first. [ I don't take them off normally ] Get your friend to hold that front plate hard against the carbs. Rotate the filter and strainer top first into position from over the primary cover. simple.
I have never believed the 2 bolts holding the filter into place can do a good job because the front plate bends too easily. I have drilled the cover to put a removable but captive bolt the screws into the l/h rear plate mounting hole. this holds the bottom part of the filter better together. I simply chose a bolt that was the correct length, then loctited 2 nuts together on the bolt thread in such a way as to just compress the filter enough when the nuts bottom out against the rear filter housing. The bolt thread sticks into the filter area a little but not enough to make the fitting any harder. On my show bike, I have done this but have loctited a dummy bolt alongside [ co-insides with the other lower mounting bolt on the rear plate ] to make it look even. It looks good and stops the dirt bypassing the filter. The original filter looks good but it is a very crappy way sealing the filter properly as the 2 large hole for the carbs make the front plate very weak. Remember those old V8's with their single bolt through the centre. They compressed the edges of the filter evenly so no air could bypass the filter.
have a good one.