Forum

[Wheaters]

You need bubbly fuel to see movement, surely?

[Rattlebattle]

One long press is what I do. I also run the float bowl dry when I get home, so when I do tickle the carb the next time I use the bike it takes a while for the fuel to dribble out. My float valve never sticks but it used to on a Monobloc I had on a Tiger 100. This turned out to be the pívot pin that needed a little fettling. My brother has come across the same issue with a new Monobloc on one of his singles. I’m not sure that Amal carbs are as well made as they used to be. A few years ago I bought a new 276 pre-Monobloc for my Tiger 100 as it was what it should have had. I could never get it to run other than rich whatever I did with float height, jetting, cutaways etc. I eventually discovered that some had been cast incorrectly....It was the correct spec for my Tiger 100, confirmed from a friends Amal book that specifies the correct settings for all the contemporary bikes of the classic years.

[Roobarb]

What a difference a new day makes. I went over everything very carefully and what I found was... nothing to do with the carb!
I found the injector connector not snapped together fully into the loom thus I guess the ECU was unhappy. I measured the resistance of the injector at 10.3 ohms ...just in case anyone wants to replace the injector with some resistors...
I turned the fuel banjo 180 degrees toward the petrol tap and slightly shortened the fuel line... carb now tickles quickly.
Choke seems barely needed, reliable tick-over achieved after a few minutes but it is warm today.

Going for a test ride but I'm sure all will be well.

E

[Rattlebattle]

Glad you got it sorted. As you probably know the injector remains connected and continues to “fire”. I just taped mine up, together with all the other redundant sensors. I suppose yours was playing up because with a dodgy connector the injector couldn’t “fire” ie receive a reliable electrical current to control the period of opening. Did you disconnect the MIL bulb or do you have it permanently lit? I ultimately chose the former. I hope you are now pleased with the transformation!

[Roobarb]

Did you disconnect the MIL bulb or do you have it permanently lit? I ultimately chose the former. I hope you are now pleased with the transformation!

Thanks for your help...yes I'm very happy I went ahead with the carb conversion. The stutter I had experienced from slow speed pick-up has gone as has the variable idle. Here in London we now have lots of 20mph areas and the fuel injection objected to holding constant throttle at low speed. The bike now really likes being pushed and is a hoot around town...not quite 'ride it like you stole it' but spirited is good.
Lit or disconnected I see the MIL as now redundant in purpose and deed... I've fitted an ammeter in the hole where once the now redundant MIL unit was. I now need to wire up the ammeter and install some warning lights for the too dim Neutral and Indicator lights together with 'low fuel' and 'lights on' warning.

On the subject of the ECU i did wonder if the same sensor from the rotor could be used to input to a TCI from an earlier Bullet with a similar advance/retard curve. It is however possible that the Japanese ECU may be more reliable than the previous TCI units.
Now to recoup some of the conversion cost and see if I can sell the PCV.
Regards Emma

[Rattlebattle]

Sounds good. I did wonder about fitting an ammeter on mine. Although the MIL, being permanently lit, was moderately handy for confirming that the ignition was on, in the end it annoyed me so now it never lights. My ignition has been totally reliable since the conversion so I’ve never felt the need to change anything. You are right; the main reason I changed to a carb was the annoying off-idle stutter I used to get and the length of time it took for the engine to warm up to run smoothly (as well as using the awful “choke”). Clutch action is smoother now too, because the cable isn’t sharing space with the “choke” cable in the grommet in the headlight. I fitted one of our host’s LED voltmeters. It gives me advance warning of over- or under- charging. I was so pleased with it I bought another for my Thruxton. Very handy for early warning of charging issues.

[Roobarb]

With regards to charging and battery monitoring I've been using Sparkbright for a number of years...essential with an old VFR! ... now long gone.

I find it an elegant solution that offers peace of mind with good reliability, functionality and aftercare... I had one go down which was replaced without quibble; infact I sent the broken one back to them to help them find the failure to aid their quality control.

Other products as you say are available...just personal choice.