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By Andy C
#87311
Hopefully final final comment...........hopefully for a while anyway.

Choke mechansim re instated - starting better but a pig to get off idle.

Choke mechanism re instated and next size up pilot fitted - started after 3 kicks, no problem comming off idle, ticks over nice and even.

No chance to road test it,but the choke & larger pilot seems to have fixed the starting issues.

Maybe post another update in the comming months when I get the bike on the road.
By Jools G
#87314
Sorry, this is a little late in the day - but regarding the re-conditioning I mentioned in my earlier post;
this consists of -
1). boring out the main body to remove the wear marks,
2). turning down the original slide and then sleeving it in brass,
3). turning the brass-covered slide to achieve a very precise fit within the main body.
As I said in my earlier post, this has been very successful in my experience, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to overcome wear problems.
Changing one carburettor to another of a different type is fraught with difficulty, and you need a very high degree of understanding of flow, volumetric efficiencies, needle profiles, etc if you're to have any chance of success without a deal of very methodical experimental work. Either that or a huge slice of luck....
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By Presto
#87325
Sorry Jools to respond so dismissively to the post before this. But changing carburetors is by no means a difficult thing to do.

There is absolutely no need whatsoever to go have a ‘very high degree of understanding of flow, volumetric efficiencies, needle profiles, etc.’ Maybe if your designing an engine but not if your changing the carburettor!

Most carburetors have a direct equivalent and certainly in the Enfield world a carb change is simplicity itself. Our hosts have kits that make the job even easier.

In my experience reconditioning carbs is costly, frustrating and hardly any cheaper than fitting a new one.
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By Wheaters
#87327
I'm not an engineer by profession but in the past I've fitted a variety of different "non-standard" carburettors to various engines without much trouble. They don't often work perfectly "out of the box" but getting the mixture right isn't rocket science once you understand what you're doing. The Wassell Concentric I've fitted to my 350 Electra just needed a slight increase in fuel level, done by altering the float height. It's far nicer than the original Mikcarb 24.

I've also designed and made a fuel injection system for a three cylinder, 1.0 engine for my trials car, which I also decided to supercharge. Not being an expert on forced induction (it was my first supercharger project), that needed a bit more background reading, but it works well enough to increase the engine's output by 60%. I'm about to improve it further with the "mark two", in-port injection system on a cylinder head I've gas flowed.
By Jools G
#87336
Hmm, I think that the very presence of this thread on the website somewhat proves my point - that changing carburettors isn't necessarily a straightforward process. Yes, H's do indeed have kits that will simplify the process for RE's, but I would maintain that it still isn't a 'cure-all'.

I've known of so many cases where owners have experimented with an alternative carburettor and then nearly driven themselves mad trying to get the wretched things to work (Triumphs, Moto Guzzis, Suzukis, among them).

And £40 to get a carb refurbished? I wouldn't regard that as excessively expensive myself. Where do you buy a brand new one for that money? (oh all right, China I suppose! )

However, just to shoot myself down and prove that I remain open-minded(!), my last carb swap did indeed turn out to be as simple as 'bung-it-on-and-ride-it' (a Suzuki GN250 carb on a Suzuki DR400 engine). The only problems I've had are that the choke isn't controllable and so requires the engine to be warmed-up before riding off, and the engine also has a tendency to 'surge' on a neutral throttle; they're both things I can live with.

I suppose the point of my first post is that if you have your own carburettor reconditioned, then at least you know where you're starting from; that's all I was getting at really.
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By Presto
#87338
'Refurbish' 'recondition' - are vague terms. As far as I know those who carry out this dark art don't quote prices beforehand. Only after inspection. The most you will get in the way of prices is the equally vague - 'FROM £xx'! :o
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By Adrian
#87339
And £40 to get a carb refurbished? I wouldn't regard that as excessively expensive myself. Where do you buy a brand new one for that money? (oh all right, China I suppose! )
You can TWO for that money! ;)

A.
By Jools G
#87341
If you shop around, I'm sure you could get 4!!

I've used '3D Motorcycles' in Wolverhampton for reconditioning my concentrics and monoblocs; Richard has always given me a price beforehand and has then stuck to it.

All I can suggest is that you give him a try.

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