Wellnuts on airbox need to be replaced at every removal!

There have been at least two engine failures documented online due to airbox wellnut disintegration. The factory requirement is to replace the airbox wellnuts each time the covers are removed.

There are two wellnuts per side, one of which is towards the front of the bike and separated by the filter from the throttle bodies. The important one to this dicussion resides precisely above the #1 and #4 throttle butterfly openings. Direct passage for the small brass threads into the cylinder.

Orientation shows wellnut just above the throttle body.


In the following photo, looking closely, we can see that the wellnut has disintigrated upon removal of the screw:


From the inside:




Here we can see the brass thread core having separated from it's rubber sheath:




Part number: 800094651


Alternatives: Velcro. Industrial Blind nuts. 3M Dual-loc (found at Radio Shack for North American readers).

-JamesC