Z1OwnersClub GB

Hi,
Just taken my carbs apart for cleaning and after putting back together, found one of the T-Pieces between the carbs has a leak. It's quite loose, but never leaked before and the bike has been stood dry for a couple of years so am wondering if it'll swell up again and seal as I read in another thread on here. Failing that has anyone got a short term fix for these?
Must say, I'm a bit stunned by the £20+ each price tag for new so am hoping to get the bike running and see what else is needed first.

Thanks

Drop the T pieces in a small pot ( aerosol cap ) of cellulose thinners for half an hour .
Remove and build them back up in your carbs , no leaks .

Many thanks for the tip. I've put a couple of turns of ptfe tape around and that seems to have done the trick for now, but I like the idea of getting them to swell up so will try that out.

Hi cancunia

if you can find fuel resistant, heat shrinking insulation you can use that to repair them, use a small part of the unsulation around the T-piece and heat it ; it should do the job.
or you can buy copper T-pieces with O-rings and use these.
Good luck
Philippe

Z1parR wrote:Drop the T pieces in a small pot ( aerosol cap ) of cellulose thinners for half an hour .
Remove and build them back up in your carbs , no leaks .

works every time dont be tempted to leave em longer than an hour tho

KeithZ1R wrote:

Z1parR wrote:Drop the T pieces in a small pot ( aerosol cap ) of cellulose thinners for half an hour .
Remove and build them back up in your carbs , no leaks .

works every time dont be tempted to leave em longer than an hour tho

I don't take any credit for this tip which does work a treat , you told me it a few years back Keith

Thanks folks, the PTFE was holding out but feel it would be better to have the tee making the seal on it's own. Seems that Wilko do a small bottle of thinners, so will go there tomorrow.

Another trick is to drain the carbs, then fill them with brake fluid and leave overnight.

Z1parR wrote:Drop the T pieces in a small pot ( aerosol cap ) of cellulose thinners for half an hour .
Remove and build them back up in your carbs , no leaks .

I've never heard of that before .......but it sounds like a bloody good idea ! I'll put that in my memory bank ( plenty of room left in there ! haha )

Worked a treat!
One of mine was quite loose, but after 35 mins as good as new.
I think the warning about no more than an hour is probably well worth remembering.

The only downside to doing this is if the carbs are left dry again for a period of time, the tee's shrink back again.

That's true but from what I read in another post they should swell again fairly quickly. My problem came when I took the carbs apart. The alternatives seem to be buying new or wrapping some ptfe around. PTFE tape is not soluble in petrol afaik (I read about it before trying) so should work ok but personally I preferred the idea of having the tees in direct contact with the carb body.

So in effect what you are saying is new would be best, and that is exactly what i do with any of these old rubber parts, soaking these parts in thinners, silicone, green soap, is just temporary, may as well bite the bullet and buy new.