Subject: Re: Ambo carb problems
Author: Ian Adkins
Date: Apr 7, 2001, 9:13 AM
Post ID: 1706218928
Jeff,
I spent much time sorting out my carbs too. What I found was the float
needles weren't seating properly and allowing gas to run into carbs and
flooding them. Occasionally the gas would flow out the air filters. Not a
good thing when the battery is right behind them :-)
As far as the floats are concerned.....even after 30 years there is no
reason why they should be leaking.....but easy enough to check. If they
aren't full of gas when you pull them then place them in a can of gas and
hold them under the gas. After a few hours you will know if they are leaking
or not.
As far as the float levels, these are similar to other "bowl type" carbs.
That is to say that there is a tang that you bend to adjust the float to the
appropriate level. I think the manual has a numeric value that they say to
set it at (let me know if you need that info and I will get it for you).
The way I have done it (as was stated in Guzziology...which you should get
by the way) is to turn the carb upside down. The float should be parallel
with the carb body. This is the only way I have ever checked the float level
and I do not have a problem. By the way.....unless you have accidentally
bent that tang I see no reason why the float would get out of balance in the
first place.
Which leads to my next set of thoughts. Be sure that the problems you are
dealing with are not timing, ignition, compression, or head related. Do a
good leak down test to isolate any problem areas.
And of course......be sure to send questions to the list. The wealth of
knowledge here on this list is incredible. Anything you can imagine doing to
your Loopframe has been collectively done many times over by the people on
this list. It is an invaluable resource.
One final thing......would you mind sending me the serial number of your
bike and your location. I am compiling a list of all the Loopframes out
there. No commercial intent here....just a curiosity that I have.
Good luck.....Ian Adkins
-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Leek <jkl-@ecst.csuchico.edu>
To: Loopfram-@topica.com <Loopfram-@topica.com>
Date: April 7, 2001 4:10 AM
Subject: Ambo carb problems
So I bought this old Ambo from a friend of mine, and have been monkeying with it for a while, trying to fix the reason that he sold it in the first place. The left hand cylinder fires, but runs extreamly rich (black exhaust and fauled plug). The other cylinder runs only at higher RPM. I also discovered gas in the crankcase. After discusing this with wiser men than I, we figured that it must be a carb problem. The floats are probably bad, and both are running too much gas into the engine, one side so much that it simply floods, and then runs into the crankcase. Ok, seems like a good theory. New floats and needles. BUT, how to adjust them? Is there any procedure to adjusting the floats? Neither of my workshop manuals has one. Are there any mystical tricks to these funky old Italian carbs? Any help would be appriciated, as this problem has really been agrivating me for a while now.... Jeff Leek '72 Ambo (project) jkl-@ecst.csuchico.edu |