Actually, I just use the wood to protect the cam-cover, hence the comma. Punctuation is a very important thing

Maybe I should have phrased it better :- My favourite method is to lever them off using a piece of wood to protect the cam-cover and they'll pop right off.

Sorry my bad

 

Thanks. I still haven't had any luck. They are moving slightly with the pry bar and wood, but not popping off. I quit last night before I got mad and broke something. I'll get back to it after the football game today. I'll see about adding heat.

 

Don't give up, they will come off. All of us that have been there, certainly understand your frustration. You gotta remember, those boots have had years and years of heating up and sticking to the intakes. It takes some major persuasion to get them off the 1st time.
As others have said, heat helps. Another thing is if you have a rubber mallet, gingerly tapping on the carbs with that can help. But the heat and prying is the best helper you will have.

 

I find the best method of removing the carbs is; loosen the air box to carb clamps, loosen the air box bolts and push the air box back. Then loosen the carb to engine clamps and with some kind of leverage tool (ie, small length of broom handle) inserted in carb #4, rotate the carbs upward. They should release easily.

Once again, don't try to remove them backwards but instead rotate them upwards and they pop out.

 

Are you positive that the boot clamps are fully slackened off? They do get tight , but not so tight they'll put up a fight against a lever.

There are four of them you'll have to locate and slacken off on the engine side.

 

I loosened the carb to boot clamps. Should I tighten those back up and loosen the boot to engine clamps? Does it make a difference?

 

No, you don't want to end up trying to organize 4 intake boots back onto the head. Getting them all back into the correct alignment will do your head in. There is a wee notch in the bottom of the boots on the carb side that the clamps use to seat up against.

If you don't get them all lined up nicely you will still be swearing in a weeks time.

 

Thanks all! The bastids finally came off. Can't get enough slack to get the cables off but that can be dealt with. What is the best lube for putting them back on? I was thinking vaseline.

 

I would think vaseline or petroleum jelly to give it it's non-branded name will be fine as it's petroleum based. Give 'em a good warm up as well.

 

That's great, but what was the original reason for getting the carbs off?

Is this going the be one of those "up to your *** in alligators when all I was really trying to do was drain the swamp" stories ??