Round seals and hexagon bowls...

[Athame57]

See picture attached. Is there actually an easy way of making these round float bowl seals sit in the pentagon groove of the float bowl,  obligatory red rubber grease has been applied. I'm ready to scream myself....help!   

[Nurse Julie]

If its not working for you with the red rubber grease George, clean the O rings and put a small dab of superglue in each corner of the float bowl, that will hold it. Red rubber grease usually sticks it on place though.

[Athame57]

Thanks Julie
Having mucho cursing, sweat, tears and toil I got the first one on.  Must go get some super glue though.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

I also coated my O rings with some Red Rubber grease then it stayed on the carb part bowl as Julie has said.

Not excessive just enough to wet all of the seal - once in the recess I just wiped off any excess with my fingers.

[Oddjob]

I must say the float bowl orings I tested when I was sourcing my orings for the carbs fitted with no grease or adhesive at all. Just pressed into place and stayed there. Get the correct size and you don't seem to have that problem.

[Athame57]

Get the correct size and you don't seem to have that problem.

No, I got them to fit in the end, but it was such a pain. Julie wouldn't be sending me the wrong size btw. 

[JezzaPeach]

Mine were much easier when I stretched them a little, plus some grease

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

I must say the float bowl orings I tested when I was sourcing my orings for the carbs fitted with no grease or adhesive at all. Just pressed into place and stayed there. Get the correct size and you don't seem to have that problem.

That is interesting Ken, my 400 came with a lot of new parts including the float bowl rubber type seal - they fitted dry without issue - they were Keyster iirc that do not get a good press here.

When I rebuilt my spare set of 400 carbs earlier this year I had to use Red Rubber grease to hold my O ring seal in place in place.

[Mikep328]

I had the same experience with the Orings as ODDjob - I got the Oring set from Nurse Julie when rebuilding my carbs a couple of weeks ago and they held themselves in the bowl grooves with no need for any grease/glue.

[Athame57]

I had the same experience with the Orings as ODDjob - I got the Oring set from Nurse Julie when rebuilding my carbs a couple of weeks ago and they held themselves in the bowl grooves with no need for any grease/glue.

Maybe I'm no good at it. 

[Bryanj]

Helps if you have nerves left in your thumbs, unlike me!

[Mikep328]

Maybe a function of any lube or residual dirt still in the grooves? 

When I pulled my carbs apart there was all sorts of hardened red "stuff" in the bowl Oring groove as well as the old Oring and silicone sealer (!).  It was considerable work with a small hardwood "scraper," a toothbrush, and carb cleaner to get every trace of the gunk out.  But once that was done, when I fitted the new Orings into the grooves, their own "stretch" held them in place.

FWIW, I did as suggested on this site - re used all the original Honda "brass."  TBH I was a little concerned about the original float needles/seats sealing properly but once I finished the rebuild and bench synched the carbs, I installed them, turned on the fuel.  No leaks and they function as new!