Help!!! I've screwed my fuel joint and I can't get up '85 vf700f

So here is my solution if you so desire to know. I went to the (real) hardware store and found the little display that has thin wall brass tubing. I bought three sequential sizes that would fit in to each other like a trombone slide. I cut the smallest tubing to the overall length of the broken fuel joint +1mm. I then cut the remaining two sizes exactly the (same) length of the shoulder on the fuel joint (inside of the ring groove) that holds the o-ring from rolling out and down the tube. I assembled the tubing and and soldered it to hold the sleeves in place; making sure that it was equal on both sides and that there was not too much solder and maintaining a square shoulder for the o-ring to rest against. I put two o-rings on the end and then flared the ends to the make exact length (37.5mm) It worked like a charm, so far. I put the Rubik's cube back together and got all of the springs back in place. I have a spare "long/straight" fuel joint if anybody needs one....... I did not take the time to replace the main fuel inlet. I'll make one of those the next time I take the manifold off. If anyone wants pics, Let me know. I have a reject that I made first that is a bit bent up from "adjustments made".

 

They should have been made that way in the first place!!! Plastic should never be used to carry fuel,Period!!! There should be a law about that- Damn.

 

It's worse than plastic, it's bakelite. It is fragile stuff when it get that small. There are plastics these days that I would trust but in the 80's they were still inventing some of the plastics we now use everyday.

 

Words can not describe how fragile they can be.

 

I don't need to do all of that. I am totally confident in my fix, therefore I have planned a 500 mile trip as my first time riding the VF this year. Actually, a buddy of mine is dropping me and my bike off of his trailer in the middle of the Adirondack mountains and I'll be riding to Nova Scotia from there. Nothing can possibly go wrong with my fix; I never check for leaks when I'm done anything. It'll be fine.

Actually, in reality. I have not had the time to hand it to the test team. I got stuck today re-arranging furniture in the bedroom with my lovely. The bike is assembled for the most part but I have not applied fuel or spark as i got sidetracked with a few detail oriented/corrosion preventative measures. I may get to it tomorrow and fear not, a full report will follow. I'll even tell of my failures if it should come to pass. Why else would we join a forum but to hear of each others toils and troubles? (and the babe thread)

 

I don't need to do all of that. I am totally confident in my fix, therefore I have planned a 500 mile trip as my first time riding the VF this year. Actually, a buddy of mine is dropping me and my bike off of his trailer in the middle of the Adirondack mountains and I'll be riding to Nova Scotia from there. Nothing can possibly go wrong with my fix; I never check for leaks when I'm done anything. It'll be fine.

Actually, in reality. I have not had the time to hand it to the test team. I got stuck today re-arranging furniture in the bedroom with my lovely. The bike is assembled for the most part but I have not applied fuel or spark as i got sidetracked with a few detail oriented/corrosion preventative measures. I may get to it tomorrow and fear not, a full report will follow. I'll even tell of my failures if it should come to pass. Why else would we join a forum but to hear of each others toils and troubles? (and the babe thread)

 

A photo of the made up brass tube with o ring would be very interesting.

 

pretty please

A photo is required ......please.hoto:

 

Here are some photos that I snapped tonight of the rejected joint that I made. I messed up on one end of the outer sleeves and when I crushed it with my chuck that made it a reject. You can still get the idea of what I did. I used double o-rings for stability and the flare on the end keeps them in place along with the shoulder. You may be able to see that the shoulder on this one is not quite right. The second inner sleeve was longer than the outer sleeve and made a kind of a ramp for the o-rings to slide towards the middle of the joint. The replacement one I made had exact cuts on the two outer sleeves to make a square shoulder. Anyway, enough babble. On to the pics. My next feat will be to make the fuel inlet joint with the 90º inlet; maybe the next time I take the manifold off.:crazy:

 

Looks like it should work. What did you use to flare the tube? Did you use a regular flare tool?
And where do you get the o rings?

Great job. But make sure you test it and wiggle it etc.,.

 

I used a regular single flare tool. I didn't clamp the joint in to the flare jig but instead I used the hammer method. I used the flare tool and the flat top on my flat top vise. A few light whacks or one good one and I had an adequate flare. It's not machinist precision but then again, I'm not flying this bike out of our atmosphere. The o-rings are from an o-ring selection kit that I had laying round. I tested and wiggled and got no leaks.
I put the bike together yesterday and filled the carbs up with fuel. I jumped the fuel pump wiring so I wouldn't have to have the engine running while it dumped fuel all over. NO LEAKS! I started it up and still no leaks. I didn't take it for a ride, but I am pretty sure that I'm not going to have to worry. Total cost for both straight joints = $20. Time = 1.5 hours; not including disassembly and reassembly of the bike.

 

Thank you for helping us to get this part straightened out that HONDA cheaped out on.
It should never have been made out of plastic, only aluminum, brass or steel.
The only problem is corrosion between the brass and the aluminum but if the bike
stays away from the ocean it should be fine and just a little WD 40 will keep it under control.

 

Just an update for ya'll. I've been out on several long trips this summer. ( I Don't know my total mileage so far but yesterday I did 200 mi on a whim) and the fabricated tubes are holding. I still haven't made the inlet 90° tube.
I have never thought of corrosion problems regarding brass and aluminum. I think that the fuel would keep any electrolysis from happening. I live in Vermont so the only salt water she sees might springtime rainwater.

Anyone have a more comfortable than stock seat for this bike? My butt hurts after a while.