Amal question

Can the needle and seat be removed and cleaned without taking the carbs off the engine? I had the float stick on one carb and would like to pull the bowls on both carbs with them mounted on the engine and clean them out. Is it possible? 71 750 with Amal 930s
Thanks in advance.

Amal recommends that you remove the Amal carbs as a complete unit but you can remove the needles in situ as well as the float bowls.
You need to remove the fuel tank, air filter and rubber air hoses for better access to each unit. Take the screws off of the mixing chamber top. You will now be able to pull the mixing chamber top out with a little wiggling up with the slides that will come with it. You will then be able to get at the needles. Putting it back in will be a challenge as the needle does not always find its way back to the needle jet location on its way down. I am not sure what you mean about "seat" ? It is a good idea to go to the amal website and review the amal rebuild tech section. http://amalcarb.co.uk/rebuilding-mark-1 ... arburetter
Good luck.
Cheers,
Thomas

Sure, just remove the bowl. 2 screws

I'm assuming you mean the float bowl needle and seat.
Remove fuel lines and the two screws for each bowl.
Inspect the brass seat with magnifier for scoring or debris.
Inspect the float needle.
Is the needle the original old nylon plastic or Viton tipped?
Even the Viton can be damaged/deformed with ethanol fuels. Check it out. Could cause the sticking.
The brass seat can be lapped using an old original plastic needle mounted on a stick with some very mild abrasive like Brasso.
Then re-check float height or even better do the fuel level check as recently discussed.

Bob Z. said:

I'm assuming you mean the float bowl needle and seat.
Remove fuel lines and the two screws for each bowl.
Inspect the brass seat with magnifier for scoring or debris.
Inspect the float needle.
Is the needle the original old nylon plastic or Viton tipped?
Even the Viton can be damaged/deformed with ethanol fuels. Check it out. Could cause the sticking.
The brass seat can be lapped using an old original plastic needle mounted on a stick with some very mild abrasive like Brasso.
Then re-check float height or even better do the fuel level check as recently discussed.

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Thanks, thats what I needed to know. I just didnt want to pull them off if I dont have to. Its been awhile since I had them apart. Rode to work the other day and the float stuck. Tapped the bowl and got it to loosen up but I need to get in there and clean things out. Damn ethanol.
Carbs are original as far as I know.

Sorry MikeM,
I thought you were referencing to the Needle jet. Try the Aluminum viton float needle which are available.
Cheers,
Thomas

CanukNortonNut said:

Sorry MikeM,
I thought you were referencing to the Needle jet. Try the Aluminum viton float needle which are available.
Cheers,
Thomas

Click to expand...

Thanks for reply. I should have been more clear.
This beast is starting to get the best of me.

who is on control - you or the bike ?

MikeM said:

This beast is starting to get the best of me.

Click to expand...

Hi MikeM,
As stated above by Bob Z. if you have the old original plastic float needles then change them out. I found they would percolate the fuel out the tickler plunger when the engine was hot when not running with the fuel petcock still left on. I threw that type in the bin long time ago. Amal now supplies the Aluminum Viton tipped float needles. This is an improvement from the brass/viton type. Stay up floats addresses the ethanol fuel issue and makes float level adjustment easier. This is the “foundation” stating point. Float level.
Another thing to check for is some aftermarket float gaskets might interfere with the float so I would look for any interference as well and select original AMAL gaskets. This should solve the sticking float.
Depending on how old you Amal’s are you could have worn out slides, which will give you no ends of grief getting them to idle and operate properly. A quick check is to remove the air cleaner and raise the slides slightly off the stops with the throttle twist grip while sticking you finger into the carbs and moving the slides back and forth. If you have a lot of play then it is time for a re-sleeve or go for the new premiers.
Cheers,
Thomas

When you put them back together don't over tighten the 2 BA screws, bother float bowl and carb tops. Use Spring washers to hold them so they don't back off.

If you over tighten you will distort the carb, leading to fuel leaks, air leaks and sticking slides.

Steves said:

When you put them back together don't over tighten the 2 BA screws, bother float bowl and carb tops. Use Spring washers to hold them so they don't back off.

If you over tighten you will distort the carb, leading to fuel leaks, air leaks and sticking slides.

Click to expand...

Absolutely.
Over tightening the studs/nuts to intake and carb mating or the float bowl bolts leads to new issues you didn't have before. That is why Amal recommends that the instruments are removed as a whole assembly as stated in the link above. The carburetors are fairly fragile and it doesn't take kindly to brute force and ignorance. and don't forget the spring washers. Ask me how I know. The 2 BA is somewhere between my driveway and the open road. :roll: I use a dab of loctite on the srews which includes the spring washer.
Cheers,
Thomas

Hi

I just took the tops and bottoms off my Commando Amal carbs without removing carbs or air filter or rubbers.
A new trick for this old dog was to put the tops on first; Assemble the spring and needle into the top as usual.
Take off the needle/main jet block and feed a plastic drinking straw up through the needle jet. Feed the needle
into the top of the straw and lower the top onto the top of the carb. BINGO - No fiddling about trying to locate
the needle into the needle valve. Fit the top screws, remove the drinking straw, fit the jet block. Have a pint!