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removing the airbox



what you'll need:
Time needed: Maybe 10 minutes to remove it; slightly more to install it, since the stupid hoses never line up correctly the first three times you try.
  • #2 Philips screwdriver
  • hose clamp pliers (or needlenose pliers)
  • masking tape
  • pen

background.
You'll need to remove the airbox whenever you want to play with the carburetors. Therefore, it's good to know how to do it. It's pretty straightforward.

pre-procedure.

removal.
Remove the 12 screws that hold on the air filter cover. As both Peter and I can tell you, those telescoping magnetic-end pick-up tools are handy when you drop half of the screws down into the bike fairing. Pull off the air filter cover. If it comes off without the actual air filter, take that off too.

Once the air filter cover is off, you'll be able to see the two plastic air intakes. They're held onto the airbox by two screws each. Remove 'em.

Underneath the air intakes are four screws and washers per carburetor. Unscrew them, taking care not to lose any of the washers.

Move to the right-hand side of the motorcycle. Underneath the airbox, towards the rear, you'll see a hose leading up into it. Use your hose clamp pliers or needlenose pliers to move its hose clamp out of the way.

Now, grasp the airbox firmly and lift straight up. If it won't come off all the way on the front, pull it off of the rear hoses only. Tilt the airbox forward, and you'll see that there's another hose with a clamp towards the front left. Once you move the hose clamp out of the way, try lifting the airbox off again.

If you have a California model motorcycle, the EVAP controls are screwed onto the bottom of the airbox. Simply unscrew the mounting bracket and move the EVAP controls out of your way.

If you're planning on leaving the airbox off of the motorcycle for a while, I recommend labelling the hoses that lead to it. This serves two purposes: you won't forget which hoses lead to the airbox, and you can seal the tops of the hoses off with the masking tape, so no crud falls down into the carburetors. There are four entrypoints to the airbox: two on the left and two on the right. One entrypoint on each side is a flexible rubber hose; the other is a stiff plastic tube.

installation.
To install the airbox, follow the removal steps in reverse, noting the following:

If you have trouble getting all four tubes connected to the airbox, try this tip. Each of the stiff plastic tubes on the tops of the carburetors connects with a flexible rubber tube on the underside of the airbox. If the flexible rubber tubes are still connected to your airbox, pull them off and stick them onto the stiff plastic tubes. It's much easier to seat the airbox onto the flexible rubber than it is onto the stiff plastic. Line the airbox up again and try seating it now.

When you replace the air intakes, the taller one goes onto the rear carb and the shorter one onto the front carb. Line up the little arrows on the air intakes with the little arrows molded into the airbox.