This might be common sense for other but I just wanted to throw this out there...

I removed my smog tubes right when I purchased the bike in 2008. I plugged them with the vacuum plugs you get at AutoZone and used RTV to seal them. Well this last fall (2011) when I was winterizing the bike I noticed the one on the valve cover was dry rotted and ready to fall off.

This last weekend I was de-winterizing the bike (yes i am ashamed it's taking me this long to do that) and replaced the plug on the valve cover and inspected the rest and sure enough the other 2 were dry rotted and had to be replaced. This now will become part of my check list in the spring time. Just wanted to pass this along because it's not something I would have thought to check.

-Nick

 

Did the RTV fail as well? I filled the nipples on my air box with RTV before capping them... so I'd like to know how that held up for you. I was hoping the RTV would still be holding out LONG after the caps had rotted off. :-)

 

I assume you used rubber caps ?

Try and get some vinyl ones for next time they will last alot longer. I have some that i put on my Ninja a decade ago that are still pliable and look good.

 

I only RTV-ed lightly around the plugs and it didn't hold up.

I did use rubber caps. Where can you get vinyl ones?

 

I've bought them at Napa and Autozone, as well as a regional parts chain called O'reilly's. I think i found them in the section with the PCV and EGR type parts and not in the "HELP!" replacement stuff section.

 

I had to use both vinyl and rubber caps. There are two openings on the airbox, one 1/2" and the other 3/8". The largest vinyl in the assortment pack (Autozone) was 3/8". So I had to buy a single 1/2" rubber cap for the other opening.

 

I got the ones I preach about at NAPA
A long time ago one of the rubber ones I got from Autozone cracked and fell off. The bike ran like crap, and I thought i had burned it up. Nope just a vacuum leak.
The vinyl caps I replace it with have lasted forever.

 

Home Depot has a good assortment of vinyl caps, including 1/2".

 

I just left about 1.5"of rubber hose attached, and plugged that by finding a screw that threaded into the hose snugly, first smearing a healthy dose of red RTV on the threads. Hopefully that will hold up...

 

Where did you find them in the store?