The BSA A7-A10 Forum
Technical (Descriptive Topic Titles - Stay on Topic) => Amal, Carburation => Topic started by: Padsta33 on 05.12. 2016 18:29
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2 months of non use, the old girl won't start.
Had mag done in summer, and ever since she's started 2nd kick from cold. Got spark at plugs, drained tank and added fresh fuel. Squirted easy start in carb, fires for 1-2 seconds then dies. Anything else I can do to get her running?
Cheers.
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G'day Padsta.
Sounds like a carb problem. Whip it off for a good clean out. More than likely a blocked pilot circuit or filter.
Cheers
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..(2 months of non use, the old girl won't start).. I had the same problem!!! oh your talking about the bike. hi guys, I`m with Musky must be a carby problem, cheers
...p.s. merry XMAS to all on the forum, have a safe one...
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I'm with Musky, have a good clean out of the pilot circuit. This is the classic symptom of a blockage.
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Check for blocked pilot jet.
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If you're stuck running an ethanol blend, as here in the USA, 2 months is a long time. This crap they sell as gasoline degrades in less than a month. I highly recommend adding Sta-bil, Startron, or some other stabilizer of your choice anytime the bike will be parked more than a couple weeks.
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If you're stuck running an ethanol blend, as here in the USA, 2 months is a long time. This crap they sell as gasoline degrades in less than a month. I highly recommend adding Sta-bil, Startron, or some other stabilizer of your choice anytime the bike will be parked more than a couple weeks.
I add a splash of BOTH Sta-bil and Startron. I also drain the carb before I put it away (since it will be sitting until next April).
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Interesting.... I've been to two bikes belonging to friends recently. Neither bike will start. One has had a bottom end rebuild by SRM, the bike was running OK before, now it just won't go, even though I've lent the guy my mag and carb off my Super Rocket. Also I've tried to help another guy get a plunger a10 running, again it just pops in the exhaust but won't start.
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Interesting.... I've been to two bikes belonging to friends recently. Neither bike will start. One has had a bottom end rebuild by SRM, the bike was running OK before, now it just won't go, even though I've lent the guy my mag and carb off my Super Rocket. Also I've tried to help another guy get a plunger a10 running, again it just pops in the exhaust but won't start.
Spooky! Especially when the bikes been a perfect starter before.. I'm gonna check pilot and add carb cleaner and see if that makes a difference.dont think my health or leg can handle anymore kicking over!!!
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..(2 months of non use, the old girl won't start).. I had the same problem!!! oh your talking about the bike. hi guys, I`m with Musky must be a carby problem, cheers
...p.s. merry XMAS to all on the forum, have a safe one...
Ha ha ha...that old girl is more like 12 years my friend ; )
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The thunder is back! Carb cleaner and pilot removal done the job. Now she's filling my ears with music!
Thanks all.
Paddy.
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well done ,great.
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I think its a bit of a myth that the new petrol degrades as quickly as some seem to think these days. Its the first thing thats blaimed when the bikes won't start. I never have any trouble starting any of my bikes when stood far longer than a couple of months. Even the old mower fires up after being left all winter.Is there any hard proof that ethonol laden petrol degrades so quickly or is it just one of those stories that get put about.
I like being controversial *smiley4*
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Whilst not being a Pro Arsonist I usually drain my petrol if I don't use the bike and either chuck it in my old diesel tranny or keep it in a container for parts cleaning after a mate once said petrol loses its umph after a while and he threw about half a pint on floor lit a match and threw it on top.............match just burnt to the end with no whoosh *eek* DONT BLAME ME IF YOU TRY THIS AT HOME it was done outside in on open yard . So can only say what I saw though cannot say why as I am no scientist either *conf*
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Hi All,
Yes I have come across the problem of petrol "going off"
Sometimes if you can start the engine it will behave as if starved of fuel until it warms up the engine where it may just about power the bike along
othertimes just no start at all
It seems to be a random happening ???? other times the bikes will run fine *????* *????*
The lawnmower doesnt seem to care whats in the tank ??
I add the gone off stuff to the tank of our 18year old Civic *eek* *eek*
John
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I think its a bit of a myth that the new petrol degrades as quickly as some seem to think these days. Its the first thing thats blaimed when the bikes won't start. I never have any trouble starting any of my bikes when stood far longer than a couple of months. Even the old mower fires up after being left all winter.Is there any hard proof that ethonol laden petrol degrades so quickly or is it just one of those stories that get put about.
I like being controversial *smiley4*
Stick some into a shallow container and leave it in the sunshine for an afternoon after an hour or two you won't be contraversial any more.
It is quite random as is the composition of the stuff they call fuel.
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All of the above mentioned methods. My 62 BSA RGS, had a 389-81 carb on it from the factory. Here is a little known thing that happened to me. For many years I could not get my bike to run on the pilot circuit at all. Well then did not know anything about carbys. Come to find out the pilot circuit which is drilled through to the pilot jet orfice in the back of the carby, was never drilled through to the pilot jet opening for the jet. So how the hell are you supposed to get a good idle without an idle circuit. For years I was running my idle on the slide height, never the idle pilot circuit ! ! ! ! I could never get a decent Idle under 1200 RPM, then it always wet fouled the plugs, way too rich. I finally said this is ridiculous, I can not count the times I cleaned the pilot circuit, to no avail. So removed the carby, completely dismantled every thing , and started to Investigate, and realized if the hole did not go through to the pilot jet hole, you can not get fuel there, then you can not have a pilot circuit, ( it was never drilled through from Amals manufacture in May of 1962 ). Drilled it through, polished everything smooth that I drilled , and WELLA, brand new motorcycle. It had never run that good ! ! ! !
I hated that carb for so many years, can not count the times I could have put a torch to the whole bike ! ! ! ! Now however, when Amal Monobloc`s are set up properly, they are the simplest, easiest, low maintenance carb to have. Concentrics and Mikunis be damned, at least for me, keep it original. At least for me you guys can still do it your way.
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Hi All,
Yes I have come across the problem of petrol "going off"
Sometimes if you can start the engine it will behave as if starved of fuel until it warms up the engine where it may just about power the bike along
othertimes just no start at all
It seems to be a random happening ???? other times the bikes will run fine *????* *????*
The lawnmower doesnt seem to care whats in the tank ??
I add the gone off stuff to the tank of our 18year old Civic *eek* *eek*
John
Hey guys, in the U S of A, the gas we get really sucks ! ! ! ! 92 octane is the highest, and it is mixed with 10% ethanol . STABIL here is JUNK JUNK JUNK Even says on the label now, 2 year shelf life. So if you have a vehicle you only use once a month and do not use all of the fuel up, the stabil goes bad in the tank, after being mixed with gas. Marvel Mystery Oil, even say keeps gas from going sour on the label. At 20 bucks per gallon, as compared to 20 Bucks per QT (32 oz quart) for stabil, it is a no brainer to buy the MMO. The mix is 1 oz of MMO to every 2.5 US gallons. (Now if you do a lot of sitting and Idling as in traffic lights you may not want to go this way it could cause upper cylinder glazing to become worse) As far as I know the marine variety of Stabil is OK, but if the other is not, you take your chances. I have had same gas (92 octane ethyl) in my RGS for two years now, only rode once in 2 seasons, and it is still fine with just the MMO. The MMO also has Wintergreen, and small amount of machinists oil in it, Wintergreen is what U S military specs for all jobbers supplying penetrating oil to the Gov. So your rings will not get gummed up, and stuck. (AGAIN be mindful of 2 much idling) .... I mix a little stiffer 1 U S oz to 2 gallons in the Ford V-8 van which sits for all but maybe 2 drives per year. If you do the math Stabil is now $80.00 Bucks (U S D ) for one gallon. Another no brainer, for something that works, and a piece of JUNK for 4 times the cost. " JUST AN OLD MAN RANTING AND RAVING " 76 NOW, AND STILL KICK STARTING MY RGS 9 to 1.
PS: mix MMO and 90 % Isopropyl alcohol / 50x50, is a military style penetrating oil, really works. Has to get inside though to work.
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Bill,
I am pretty lucky here in WI, I have a gas station about 20 miles away that still sells aviation gas and race fuels. I believe I can get 112 octane there, no ethanol. The low grade is 102 and used by the street racer types and tractor pull guys.
I believe the 112 is $16.00 a gallon.
I like MMO also for all kind of things. Filled stuck ford engines with it a few times, and it does free them up.
Lee
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now you have a normal president, perhaps if you ask for it, he will reintroduce the round wheel and put petrol on sale again.
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now you have a normal president, perhaps if you ask for it, he will reintroduce the round wheel and put petrol on sale again.
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Quote from Bill-
"Hey guys, in the U S of A, the gas we get really sucks ! ! ! ! 92 octane is the highest, and it is mixed with 10% ethanol . STABIL here is JUNK JUNK JUNK Even says on the label now, 2 year shelf life. So if you have a vehicle you only use once a month and do not use all of the fuel up, the stabil goes bad in the tank, after being mixed with gas. Marvel Mystery Oil, even say keeps gas from going sour on the label. At 20 bucks per gallon, as compared to 20 Bucks per QT (32 oz quart) for stabil, it is a no brainer to buy the MMO. The mix is 1 oz of MMO to every 2.5 US gallons. (Now if you do a lot of sitting and Idling as in traffic lights you may not want to go this way it could cause upper cylinder glazing to become worse) As far as I know the marine variety of Stabil is OK, but if the other is not, you take your chances. I have had same gas (92 octane ethyl) in my RGS for two years now, only rode once in 2 seasons, and it is still fine with just the MMO. The MMO also has Wintergreen, and small amount of machinists oil in it, Wintergreen is what U S military specs for all jobbers supplying penetrating oil to the Gov. So your rings will not get gummed up, and stuck. (AGAIN be mindful of 2 much idling) .... I mix a little stiffer 1 U S oz to 2 gallons in the Ford V-8 van which sits for all but maybe 2 drives per year. If you do the math Stabil is now $80.00 Bucks (U S D ) for one gallon. Another no brainer, for something that works, and a piece of JUNK for 4 times the cost. " JUST AN OLD MAN RANTING AND RAVING " 76 NOW, AND STILL KICK STARTING MY RGS 9 to 1.
PS: mix MMO and 90 % Isopropyl alcohol / 50x50, is a military style penetrating oil, really works. Has to get inside though to work."
End Quote from Bill
Last summer I rode 2800 miles thru BC, Washington, Oregon, Montana and Wyoming. Only had to use gas with ethanol once, and that was in a remote location with no other fuel for about 100 miles. Other than that, there was fuel marked "ethanol free" at a great many fuel stations. If a station did not have ethanol free, I continued on to the next station which invariably did have at least one pump labelled ethanol free.
Generally it was the higher octane stuff, which I wanted anyway, but some stations offered E.F. in regular or high octane.
There was a slight extra charge for the ethanol free, might have added $10 or $20 cost to the entire trip. Well worth it.
Btw, to those of you buying expensive race gas- -did you know that the lower the octane the higher the contained energy in the fuel?
So there is more power to be had from regular 86 octane fuel than in 112 octane. One only needs enough octane to prevent pinging (pinking)
After that, you are detuning by adding octane. Extra octane slows the burn to prevent pinging, cuts power output.
Glen
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JUST AN OLD MAN RANTING AND RAVING " 76 NOW, AND STILL KICK STARTING MY RGS 9 to 1.
Glen,
Since my Road Rocket (kinda) is also 9:1, you are a role model for the my next decade.
Richard L.
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Hi Richard
That was Bill who at age 74 is still starting his 9 to 1 RGS, I screwed up the quote somehow.
I'm 61 and still kick starting a 10.5 to one 1360 Vincent, squish heads and all. Not sure for how much longer though, did some damage to the right knee with that one. It really needs an e-start, but it will have to be home engineered, there is nothing out there suitable.
The 9 to one SR is like kicking over a Honda 50 in comparison. Or was before the knee damage!
Glen
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Got it. I was wondering why you were saying, "...in the U.S.A..."
Richard L.
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I have a SR with new Amal, 357 cam, and 10:1 pistons.
Timed to 32 degrees BTDC.nc cylinders.
A difficult (unpredictable) starter unlike my other bikes (first kickers)
Problem solved after I stoned the cam ring so that the timing was the same for both cylinder (point gap identical); there had been 3 degrees difference (< 0.002"difference in point gap).
I have gone to this trouble with all my bikes; they are all reliable starters.
Richard