Intake rubbers to head sealing

[cmdrew]

After a bit of a delay I am starting the rebuild of my Turbo - I have checked through the parts manuals and workshop guide and can't see if there should be some sort of seal between the intake rubbers and the head. The parts manual suggests there isn't a gasket and the rubber just bolts directly to the head but I just can't remember! There is a 'channel' in the rubber - should I use some silicone or similar or does it really just bolt on with nothing to seal it other than the flexibility of the rubber itself?

[Streetfighterkz]

Kaw intended to just bolt the boots to the head without sealer. Of course, that was almost 40yrs ago when the rubber was still pliable. I’ve used some semi-drying gasket sealer (NOT silicone) to help cure vacuum leaks. I have Yamabond 4 which is great for the application in my opinion. You just need a thin coating. I use it for camshaft end plugs, sealing case halves, etc. It’s not gloopy or stringy and clean-up is pretty easy.

Later, Doug

[cmdrew]

Cheers I have both Yamabond and the Ducati equivalent so I will use a smear for belt and braces. The rubbers seem quite pliant but its probably safer!

[Gibsones295turbo]

ive just replaced mine as they were very hard & not plyable.
£80 genuine from Z-Power.
I did use RTV hi temperature silicone though !!!

[750turboguy]

Man I had so much problem with this a few years ago. What a stupid fucking design. Kawasaki just designed the damn things to bolt up against the head port and HOPE they fucking seal?

No overlap, no insert, just one surface against another. Well fuck that.....after finding leaks. I put red, high temp Permatex on the edges. Not a lot, just a little bit for sealing. And don't crank down on those allen bolts. If you over tighten them, you will warp the shape of the rubber manifold and they'll leak. Just snug is all you need. But then you think...they just don't feel tight enough...which is why the manual says to put thread locker on the threads.


look at this clip from the manual. red in ft pounds, blue is kg