ashman
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- Jul 11, 2010
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6 months ago I decided to go back to my old Amal carbies, been running Jim's PWK carbies for the last well can't remember for how long as long as I been running the Joe Hunt Maggie anyway, over 12 years maybe, Jim had set up the PWKs for my motor (cam, ports and open exhaust pipes), the PWKs were good but one big problem they had was sticking floats not all the time but enough to give me a royal pain in the arse, Jim was very helpful trying to fix this problem but it was the left carb I had most problems with and now I have given up trying to fix so out came the old Amals from sitting under my work bench.
Well a major pull down of the Amals and both carbs soaking in a big container of vinegar let them soak for a few days, these Amals were replacements from my original Amal which were flogged out back in the late 70s with about 30k miles on them, the replacement Amals were on the bike for ever after without any problems at all except for replacing needles and jets every 3 or 4 years of running, when they were on my Norton it was a everyday rider work and weekends till right up to 2013 when I brought my new Triumph Thruxton 900 but the Amals where replaced about 2 years before that with the PWKs from bad running so thought it was a good time to replace the Amals.
After all the time sitting under my work bench and pulling them all apart soaking in the vinegar for 4 days they came up like new, I know the needles and jets were replaced before I pulled them out of service because of bad running at the time,but the vinegar did its job of cleaning the inside of the carbs and clean any gunk that had built up over the year, blowing them all out with compress air making sure all gallies were free and clear so put back together, the Norton fired up first kick but was running on one cylinder so another pull down and soaking in the vinegar for 2 days then putting them back on the Norton,but after doing that life got in the way and all work on the bikes stopped with house Reno's that needed to he done and house paint job, cars and a wife breaking with a few health issues just got in the way even the 1200 Thruxton was not ridden much at the time till a week ago.
So 6 months ago when I started to put the Amals back together the left carby the pilot passage was blocked so the small gautar string was used to clear the passage and another few hours in the vinegar I had the pilot screws out and a finger over the holes and when I hit it with the air pressure something blew out the pilot passage and hit my finger so hard was like a sharp needle hitting my finger it hurt, so after that carb cleaner down all passages and everything was clear and spray coming out where it should so carbs went back together and put back on the Norton and before getting fresh fuel everything came to a halt till this week.
Fresh fuel in the tank and first kick she fired up but wouldn't run for long and when I tried to open the throttle it kept dying at the time I put the carbs back on the bike I normally have the oil line to the head in-between the manifolds but was outside the right carb so had to pull the right carb off to reposition the oil line and when off the carb was full off fuel so I pulled the bowl off with easy to check the float height and all looked good so I decided to pull the left carb off and do the same with its bowl, the bowl was only 1/2 filled and to my surprise the float needle was off it mount/position, then back together it must have moved when putting the bowl back on 6 months ago, easy fix, all cable were set and slides adjusted 6 month ago it fired up first kick again and running on both cylinders but rough as gut till adjusting the air screws, running just right now and firing up on every kick so close just got to take it out for a run with my small screw drive and do a final tune when it warmed up, but shopping day yesterday so didn't get a chance to go out on it, still firing up first kick so this afternoon or in the morning will take it out for a good run and tune as I go.
After all the years and mileage on my old Amals the slides are still good with no sign of wear on then, bit of a freak me thinks compared to the original Amals they wore out with only 20k miles on them and they were flogged out, so whether the replacement Amals were not made out of pot metal who know as I brought them new back in 1980 before the conversion to the Featherbed frame and before the internet.
Will let you know how the ride goes and final run tune.
Ashley
Well a major pull down of the Amals and both carbs soaking in a big container of vinegar let them soak for a few days, these Amals were replacements from my original Amal which were flogged out back in the late 70s with about 30k miles on them, the replacement Amals were on the bike for ever after without any problems at all except for replacing needles and jets every 3 or 4 years of running, when they were on my Norton it was a everyday rider work and weekends till right up to 2013 when I brought my new Triumph Thruxton 900 but the Amals where replaced about 2 years before that with the PWKs from bad running so thought it was a good time to replace the Amals.
After all the time sitting under my work bench and pulling them all apart soaking in the vinegar for 4 days they came up like new, I know the needles and jets were replaced before I pulled them out of service because of bad running at the time,but the vinegar did its job of cleaning the inside of the carbs and clean any gunk that had built up over the year, blowing them all out with compress air making sure all gallies were free and clear so put back together, the Norton fired up first kick but was running on one cylinder so another pull down and soaking in the vinegar for 2 days then putting them back on the Norton,but after doing that life got in the way and all work on the bikes stopped with house Reno's that needed to he done and house paint job, cars and a wife breaking with a few health issues just got in the way even the 1200 Thruxton was not ridden much at the time till a week ago.
So 6 months ago when I started to put the Amals back together the left carby the pilot passage was blocked so the small gautar string was used to clear the passage and another few hours in the vinegar I had the pilot screws out and a finger over the holes and when I hit it with the air pressure something blew out the pilot passage and hit my finger so hard was like a sharp needle hitting my finger it hurt, so after that carb cleaner down all passages and everything was clear and spray coming out where it should so carbs went back together and put back on the Norton and before getting fresh fuel everything came to a halt till this week.
Fresh fuel in the tank and first kick she fired up but wouldn't run for long and when I tried to open the throttle it kept dying at the time I put the carbs back on the bike I normally have the oil line to the head in-between the manifolds but was outside the right carb so had to pull the right carb off to reposition the oil line and when off the carb was full off fuel so I pulled the bowl off with easy to check the float height and all looked good so I decided to pull the left carb off and do the same with its bowl, the bowl was only 1/2 filled and to my surprise the float needle was off it mount/position, then back together it must have moved when putting the bowl back on 6 months ago, easy fix, all cable were set and slides adjusted 6 month ago it fired up first kick again and running on both cylinders but rough as gut till adjusting the air screws, running just right now and firing up on every kick so close just got to take it out for a run with my small screw drive and do a final tune when it warmed up, but shopping day yesterday so didn't get a chance to go out on it, still firing up first kick so this afternoon or in the morning will take it out for a good run and tune as I go.
After all the years and mileage on my old Amals the slides are still good with no sign of wear on then, bit of a freak me thinks compared to the original Amals they wore out with only 20k miles on them and they were flogged out, so whether the replacement Amals were not made out of pot metal who know as I brought them new back in 1980 before the conversion to the Featherbed frame and before the internet.
Will let you know how the ride goes and final run tune.
Ashley
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