This is probably a silly question, but I´d like to know where the flame traps are located, and how to remove them. There´s no mention of them in my workshop manual. Can anyone please tell me?
The Flame traps are the grey round-shaped metal parts connected by rubber hoses from each rocker cover to the respective carb.
(The one on the passenger side is fairly obvious, the driver side one is sort of hidden under the air fliter housing elbow).
There is also a breather at the back of the engine that looks like a fuel filter. You can get to that more easily with the air filter housing removed.
As you probably know, all these have to be clean and clear including the connecting hoses and pipes.
If you are replacing the flame traps, do the crankcase breather as well (located behind and below the air filter box).
I did mine in the Spring and it made a big difference to the running of the engine. What I would recommend when changing the flame traps, take the connecting hoses off and wash in some soapy water as well.
It is in the S1 workshop manual but it's a very obscure section to do with removing the inlet manifold I think.
Why change the flametraps? I was advised that you should be able to see daylight through them. Icould, but they also seemed dirty. I washed both in a small can of petrol and they came up like new. You could then see the shiny silver mesh and gauze inside.
I've recently changed mine and it made a difference, although not as big a difference as when I removed all the blockages in the breather pipes, which subsequently turned into a pile of brittle and perished rubber.
Yes, they appear to be missing from the photo' above!
There is nearly always a pair on e-bay if you need to see a picture and they fit where the brass or copper pipe has been fitted.
Regards, John.
It's worth checking the brass stubs on the carbs where the rubber pipes fit are clear . They tend to block up with carbon over time and need to be unblocked with a piece of thick wire
Well I guess the important question really becomes - do I need them? I'm guessing "Flame Trap" means it stops backfire from the carby getting into the rocker covers and igniting inside the top of the motor causing a lot of screaming and burning and flames & other bad, bad stuff?
Also I did clean out the hoses, I was impressed with the amount of gunge that came out and now I notice it isn't leaking so much oil now.
Best to fit them really, and if you have a nice new pair you can just swill them out at the same time as an oil change and they should then last you many years.
As you've guessed, blockages in these pipes can lead to positive crankcase pressure, which increases the likelyhood of oil leaks. As has been pointed out, yours appear to have been replaced by a copper tube!
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