Just picked up a very clean '73 850 Interstate this week, have not owned a Commando since the '70's when I had a '69 Roadster that was biiig trouble...but finally got over that one and think the new bike will be a much better experience Anyway, am having some trouble with cold starts and suspect that the ticklers are not depressing the floats enough (takes way more than the typical 3 seconds to flood the carbs enough for the bike to start), read that if they are installed wrong this can happen and wonder if this can be fixed or if I need to get new ticklers... TIA

I'd just get a carb rebuild kit (cheap), check float height, replace the needle jet, clean out the pilot jet, sync the carbs and be done with it!

bluto wrote: (takes way more than the typical 3 seconds to flood the carbs enough for the bike to start)

How long does it take to get the gas do come out the hole when tickling? What's your tickle technique? Just press and hold or tickle? Three seconds sounds too short.

It looks like a beautiful machine. If it starts and runs well, don't go nuts fixing things that ain't broke. I have never in 37 years of Norton Commando ownership heard of the ticklers having a time window function. Ride it!

swooshdave wrote:

bluto wrote: (takes way more than the typical 3 seconds to flood the carbs enough for the bike to start)

How long does it take to get the gas do come out the hole when tickling? What's your tickle technique? Just press and hold or tickle? Three seconds sounds too short.

it can take 20 seconds or more holding the tickler down, seems waaay too long but my memories of my first Commando are pretty fuzzy, also FWIW the tickler bosses don't have vent holes drilled in them like my 750 did (I think). I Googled this and read somewhere that if the ticklers are assembled wrong that they won't push the floats down far enough and wondered if there was a fix for this. The carba have had a recent rebuild by the previou owner and the bike runs great once I get it started...

bluto wrote:

swooshdave wrote:

bluto wrote: (takes way more than the typical 3 seconds to flood the carbs enough for the bike to start)

How long does it take to get the gas do come out the hole when tickling? What's your tickle technique? Just press and hold or tickle? Three seconds sounds too short.

it can take 20 seconds or more holding the tickler down, seems waaay too long but my memories of my first Commando are pretty fuzzy, also FWIW the tickler bosses don't have vent holes drilled in them like my 750 did (I think). I Googled this and read somewhere that if the ticklers are assembled wrong that they won't push the floats down far enough and wondered if there was a fix for this. The carba have had a recent rebuild by the previou owner and the bike runs great once I get it started...

I'd love to see a closeup picture of the tickler area of the carb. I've never seen one without the vent hole.

Mine takes about 20 sec per side before starting.

I have experianced this. After the float height was adjusted properly, the tickling functioned great.

Before you get into it, Go to the Amal site and get the rebuild kit with the new Stay Up float.
http://www.amalcarb.co.uk/TechnicalDetail.aspx?id=14
Turn around is better than you would expect and the web site has options to show everything in other currencies.
Heating up the carb body to move the needle seat is to damn iffy in my opinion and can perminately damage the carburetter. The Stayup floats have metal tangs like the rest of the world and are adjusted in that fashion. Very slight tweaking will bring them about.
Search the forum for proper float height. The specs have been updated.

I recently replaced the original float bowls on my '70 750 with newer bowls with drain screws. The new ones took forever to tickle. Comparing the float height, the new ones were ~0.080" below the rim of the bowl. With the old ones the float was ~0.010" above the rim.

After reinstalling the old bowls the carbs tickle in about 3 seconds.

Greg

I'd love to see a closeup picture of the tickler area of the carb. I've never seen one without the vent hole.[/quote]

no problem....the carbs look like this....


and thanks very much to all for the tips on floats, bowls, etc., that got me on the right track, will check that stuff out in the AM and order the new Amal floats if I don't have them already (a real possibility, the two prior owners bought a LOT of new parts)....

are the carbs the original ones? - if so their most likely going to have additional issues that rebuilding may not fully address (worn slides etc)

you could always fit some new amals or better yet (yes i''ll say it) a mikuni or the PWKs that Jim has and have a superior set up
m

L.A.B. wrote:

mikegray660 wrote:are the carbs the original ones?

As I said, they can't be the originals if they are 932 "300's"

but they can be ancient (AKA worn) 932 "300s" correct?