KevC: Did you post a message about this at 650rider before it went down? I replied to a message there. I can't remember if it was you. I am (was?) 80xs650 there too, and also at the XS650 Garage.
I had the same problem as KevC with my MikesXS carb holders on my XS650D. The first set looked like KevC's after 3 months. They finally agreed to send a replacement set, but I had to agree to install them with new gaskets. I did that, and again after about 3 months, they look the same as the first set.
I'm also on the YAM650 mailing list. Don James of JBM Industries in Kent, Ohio (
www.jbmindustries.com) posted a reply to a discussion there regarding this same problem, and mentioned that he might make some carb holders. I sent him an original set from a 1980 XS650SG, an original set from my XS650D, and my first failed set of MikesXS pieces for the D. Don has just made and sent to me for evaluation (about a week ago) a set for the BS38 carbs, and is sending me a set of holders for the BS34 carbs.
Here are pictures of one of the JBM 38mm holders next to one of my failed MikesXS 38mm holders. The JBM holder is always on the right in these pictures:
http://s46.photobucket.com/albums/f134/80gs750/JBM/Carb Holders/
Here are pictures of the JBM 34mm holders with the vacuum barb installed:
http://s46.photobucket.com/albums/f134/80gs750/JBM/Carb Holders with Vacuum/
Here is what Don has to say about the durability of these carb holders:
"No type of gasoline I have seen will affect this rubber, nor will ozone or sunlight. We have been making them for Light Sport Aircraft using pump gas and Aviation gas.They should last longer than the originals. Additives in the gas I don't know. Carb Cleaners can be very strong stuff, and I wouldn't put any rubber in that nor add it to my fuel tank. We are making these from our TSR compound used for aviation engines. I have put this rubber into straight MEK and Acetone in an attempt to reclaim the metal insert. It will swell up, but will not come off, so I usually set fire to it and burn it off."
Price will be $54 per pair without vacuum barbs, $58 per pair with vacuum barbs. Shipping additional.
Don would like to get an idea of how many people are interested in these. Here is a short survey you can fill out to help determine the interest in the carb holders. The information goes only to Don and me:
EDIT 04/02/2010
I am taking the survey down, since Don now has the carb holders on his website. You can contact him using the e-mail link there. The JBM Industries web page for the carb holders is:
http://www.jbmindustries.com/HOLDERS.html
Don't forget to look at his CV carb diaphragms while you are there.
END EDIT 04/02/2010
These will be available in the next few days.
I haven't had a chance to install these on my D yet, as it has been very cold here in central Ohio, but I hope to this weekend. The quality seems to be very good.
Sorry to make this my first post here, but it looks like a lot of people have this same problem, and need an economical solution.
Thanks.
Wade Dunham