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Installing a float bowl gasket - Honda CX500, GL500, CX650, GL650

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The float bowl gasket is essential for keeping your fuel inside the carburetor float bowl - here's how to install one on a Honda CX500, GL500, CX650 or GL650 motorcycle. The same gasket is used on a number of other Honda motorcycles:

• GL700
• CM400
• CB750F ’79-’82
• CB750C ’80-’82
• CB750K ’79-’82
• CB750 L ’79
• CB750 SC ’82-’83
• CBX
• GL1100 ’80-’83
• CB250N Super Dream
• CM250 ’82-’83
• CB400A ’78-’81
• CB400N
• CM400A, CM400C, CM400E, CM400T ’79-’81
• CM450A,CM450C,CM450E ’81-83
• CB650 ’81-’83
• CB900C ’81-’82
• CB900F ’81’82 Boldor
• CB1000 CBX 1000 ’79-’82
• CB1100F,CB1100R,CB1100RC Super Bol’dor ’83

Don't be tempted to use sealant and try to get an old one to fit - they're not expensive, go with a replacement.

First up, grab your float bowl, making sure that it has been cleaned. This one has yet to be cleaned - you can see the residue from old sealant around the rim which has yet to be cleaned away.

Before you put your float bowl back into service ensure that the float bowl drain screw is sealing properly - the tips can become corroded over time and won't seal any longer - and that it has a new O-ring. Also check that the brass overflow tube in the center of the carburetor is not cracked, as that will result in fuel coming out the overflow.

Grab your float bowl gasket - if you are looking for a source you can grab a float bowl gasket from a huge number of sources - Betty Sprocket, eBay US, eBay AU, eBay UK, eBay CA. Position it on the float bowl:

Now, if you try to tip the float bowl upside down and install it onto the carb body you will probably find that the gasket will displace; it'll be easier if you push the float bowl against the carb body from the underside:

Grab the carb bowl screws - they come with a washer, Honda part number 93892-0401408 and are a 4x14mm screw - available via CMSNL - and tighten them with your JIS driver (What's JIS??). You don't need to go overboard with a new float bowl gasket in terms of how tight you make the bolts - the gasket doesn't need to be flattened completely to seal properly.

Repeat the process for the other carb bowl, then head on back to the main carburetor cleaning page.