Hesketh Owners Club Forum

Top Tips & Handy Hints => Maintenance, Repairs, Upgrades and Improvements => Topic started by: Miti on August 25, 2012, 10:07:02 AM

Title: Front Air Inlet Tract - Burnt Hole Repair
Post by: Miti on August 25, 2012, 10:07:02 AM
This is (apparently) a common problem:

(http://iloapp.empressmcc.org.uk/data/_gallery//public/11/1345882649_resized.jpg)

The tract hasn't been secured at the airbox end and falls down onto the rear exhaust pipe, burning a hole through it.  Some folk simply remove the airbox(es) and fit single "pod" filters... That usually involves re-jetting the carbs and all the road-testing/plug chops that come with such changes... I'm not really into that...  So I devised a repair:

This is the bottom from a totally spent can of carb-cleaner.  It's exactly the same curvature as the inlet tract. (I made 100% certain the can was empty prior to removing the end - be it on your own head if you go the same way as me).

(http://iloapp.empressmcc.org.uk/data/_gallery//public/11/1345882681_resized.jpg)

I drilled a few holes through it, lined it up on the tract and drilled through that too...  Then I covered it with clear RTV silicone and rivetted the lot together (washers on the inside so the rivets don't pull though the rubber).  Cleaned off the RTV and Voila..!

(http://iloapp.empressmcc.org.uk/data/_gallery//public/11/1345882714_resized.jpg)

Not perfect, probably gets damn hot, but it'll do while I'm seraching about for a new one...

Want to prevent it happening..?  Check that your front air inlet is properly secured to the airbox.  I use a large pipe clip (Jubilee) and fit the tract to the airbox before dropping the airbox into place... Bit fiddly, but the tract is held well away from the rear exhaust, so won't suffer the same damage (again0.

Miti
Title: Re: Front Air Inlet Tract - Burnt Hole Repair
Post by: Tig on February 20, 2014, 05:19:56 PM
Got a spare if you want it ?

Tig
Title: Re: Front Air Inlet Tract - Burnt Hole Repair
Post by: R3SC on February 20, 2014, 09:09:56 PM
Hi Jeff,

Mine is also burnt in exactly the same place and I have carried out a similar repair.
I polished the alloy plate in order to try and reflect some of the heat away from the rubber!

Pete.
Title: Re: Front Air Inlet Tract - Burnt Hole Repair
Post by: Miti on February 20, 2014, 10:15:47 PM
Quote from: Tig on February 20, 2014, 05:19:56 PM
Got a spare if you want it ?

Tig

Yes please Tig... That would be great..!

Jeff