In a pinch, when those clamps stripped, I have used commonly available hose clamps, although they don't fit quite the same - a hose clamp is wider and doesn't fit the groove in the rubber boot quite right. You have to be careful if the clamp is holding the boot to a plastic air tube, turning a hose-clamp screw with a nut driver generates way more clamping force than a stock boot clamp.

Sometimes to get the rubber boots where they need to go, you can use petroleum jelly to get them to move/slide easier, but that also makes it easier for the boots to move/slide off where they belong, and compromise air-filtering. A hair dryer can heat them up a bit and make the boots a lot more pliable.

My new-to-me 1985 XT600 needs carb removed and cleaned and put back in... its been sitting a couple years with regular-ethanol-blend gas in it. Didn't even try to start it.

Do we call this carburetor setup "carburetors" or is it a single carburetor? No matter, it/they still has to come out, apart, and get clean.

Did you obtain a "kit" for this carb? Where did you find it... My local Yamaha dealer says that I should take it apart and order (with a few weeks wait) each individual bit-part I might think I need...

Loosening out the air-filter box is a great tip, thanks.

Does anyone have a service manual for this 84-89 series, the only one I find online is the 90-newer with electric-start.

Thanks...