Suzuki Van Van 125 carb alignment issue

[wellerchap]

I'm trying to sort my son-in-law's Van Van (early 2000's model - RV125).

The carb's a Mikuni BS 26mm.
The issue I have is that when trying to refit the carb the rubber bellows from the air box, the rubber mount forces the carb to point (when looking down, sat on the bike) to 11 o'clock, but the inlet manifold requires the carb to point towards 1 o'clock.

When pushing the carb home onto the inlet manifold rubber first (raised ring locates perfectly in the rubber groove) the opposite happens, and I then can't locate the carb properly at the air intake end.

So far I've slacken one obvious bolt for the air filter box to try wiggle some free play, but I'm not getting any joy.

Should the air intake bellows, carb and inlet manifold all line up perfectly, or is this "kink" normal?

Any help gratefully accepted.

[Nick the wanderer]

Hi, mm have you tried rotating the rubber 180 degrees? Hard to imagine what you mean really, take a pic so we can get a better idea.

[wellerchap]

Thanks for replying.
I've taken some shots, but getting a clear one is hard in it's current position.
The one from above shows the angle of squonk, which looks wrong to me.

One from the side shows how little finger space there is in there...no scope for clamping at one end, then stretching that rubber mount to allow fitment at the other.

Also, he (son in law) has the 2 long rubber pipes (shown laying along the crankcase) but isn't sure if they're off the carb or not.

[Nick the wanderer]

In the 3rd pic. The carb is not pushed in all the way. You need to reseat it. It's twisted there.

 

[wellerchap]

That's mainly the issue - push it forward onto the inlet manifold and it slips off/out of the air box rubber at the back.

[Nick the wanderer]

I'd be making sure it was fitted correctly on the inlet manifold first, then working on the air box second. You may have to manipulate the air box rubbers.

[wellerchap]

Yep, son-in-law's going to have a crack tomorrow - he did it a couple of years ago, so has form...I've slacked the airbox bolts for him which gives a very small amount of wiggle room.
I'll let you know how he gets on.