Amal slides again

My wife's gemology study made me aware of this gem stone coating, alas if too thin might as well not be there. I put in anodized slides in fluted Amal bores but went to #3 to try to compensate and pretty much did, starts and returns to idle with slight delay from ideal right now slow down but not annoying or hindering any more.

My wife's gemology study made me aware of this gem stone coating, alas if too thin might as well not be there. I put in anodized slides in fluted Amal bores but went to #3 to try to compensate and pretty much did, starts and returns to idle with slight delay from ideal right now slow down but not annoying or hindering any more.

Got the Amal parts today, installed anodized slides and one of them was a real tight fit in the top of the body, but fit fine down where it works. All I can say at this point is they seem a bit tighter in the bore, it's hard to measure, at least I couldn't figure out a way to measure the difference. All I could do was feel the difference. I would say the anodized ones have about 1/2 as much slop as my originals. Can't speak to if they work better or not because the bike would not cooperate today. Got about 4 ignition strokes out of it first kick and then nothing the rest of the afternoon. I guess I'll get it sorted, kinda wondering if it's the old avgas, but I thought that stuff stored good. Who knows. Trouble is the plugs are dry as a bone after all the new jets, slides and needles.

If I ever get it going again, I'll report on how it idles now. Ugh.

Dave
69S

In the orignal Amals, the brass slides and the zinc-alloy diecast bodies were of similar hardness and wear characteristics. Eventually, the clearances would get sloppy, but you could get replacement oversize slides and have the bodies lapped to fit. Then you start the wear process over from a new baseline.

When I was at N-V, i hadn't realised the slides were indivdually lapped to fit their matching bodies. My "hack" 650SS went back to Plumstead for some tests of a single-carb set-up, intended to improve bottom-end torque for sidecar users. I took the twin-cab set up off before the bike was shipped, but didn't mark the slide/carb relationship.

When we got the bike back, I reassembled the carbs. Headed home that evening, I was weaving though the traffic, as you're allowed to do in the UK (maybe "were" allowed). I blipped the throttle to pass a slow-moving car and pulled in behind a double-decker bus. Whe I rolled off the throttle, one carb stuck wide open. An exciting few seconds! Fortunately, that particular bike had magneto ingnition and the kill button was right by the twist-grip. Disatser was averted. If I'd have hit the bus, I might have injured several passengers on the back platform who were planning to get off at the next stop.

Being a relatively new Norton owner, I've just encountered the slide sticking fun. My slides were sticking in the top section of the bore. I have them off and apart and would like a long term solution. Several local Norton experts (one is Rabers) say they can straighten the bodies easily. However, it seems, from what I read, that may be only temporary. I have read several sets of posts here on that subject, and it appears the best solutions are to either sleeve the carbs, or go to anodised slides. I like the idea of having the slides fitted by a good sleever, but not the loss of material in the carb body. Can anyone recommend a good sleever. I live in Northern California, Bay Area. Thank you.

http://www.amalsleeve.com/index.html

No experience here, I bought anodized slides from Amal and so far seem good, but Lund's was my next option. Be careful, sometimes you loose the air control depending on who's doing it. I think Lund's you keep the control, but make sure unless you don't care. Forget the chrome slides, it comes off and goes in the engine. I've heard good reports from Lund's.

Thanks for the feedback and link to Lund's.

Search.. Rubber Carbies. ?
When you refit the Carbs,... not too tight.
AC.

I have 932 carbs on my 850.The marking on the bottom of the slide says 928 MB 5 3 1/2.
Do the different concentric carbs use the same bore on the slides? I am having a real problem locating an
hard anodized slide.Any feedback would be appreciated
Mike

YING said:

I have 932 carbs on my 850.The marking on the bottom of the slide says 928 MB 5 3 1/2.
Do the different concentric carbs use the same bore on the slides? I am having a real problem locating an
hard anodized slide.Any feedback would be appreciated
Mike

Click to expand...

Did you try Amal or Walridge?

Start here. http://www.amalcarb.co.uk/ProductCatego ... rentId=249 I'm sure Walridge carries what you need or he can get them.

Dave
69S

Amal did source from the UK Hard chrome Brass slides for a while , but fell out with the supplier because he was selling to other companies using the word Amal etc. These slides were pretty good.
They tried to resource plated Brass slides, but they are notoriously difficult to make hence they opted for the easier/cheaper production anodized alloy slides.
As Motorson stated earlier, anodized plating is certainly tougher than basic chrome plate (like the old Amal slides mentioned earlier in the photo) but it's the durability and quality of the material underneath the anodization that would worry me slightly. I agree 100%.
For me, it has to be Brass slides, and ideally Zinc plated. I'll pass on alloy.

BA10BOON said:

Amal did source from the UK Hard chrome Brass slides for a while , but fell out with the supplier because he was selling to other companies using the word Amal etc. These slides were pretty good.
They tried to resource plated Brass slides, but they are notoriously difficult to make hence they opted for the easier/cheaper production anodized alloy slides.
As Motorson stated earlier, anodized plating is certainly tougher than basic chrome plate (like the old Amal slides mentioned earlier in the photo) but it's the durability and quality of the material underneath the anodization that would worry me slightly. I agree 100%.
For me, it has to be Brass slides, and ideally Zinc plated. I'll pass on alloy.

Click to expand...

Why would you be concerned about the aluminum under the anodization?

I remember finding some solid brass slides when I was looking, British Only I think, but they were rather pricey at $60 each.

Dave
69S