Friendly chap with huge kickstart foot required!

[nkt267]

Is it firing at all?
My Comet won't start if I tickle the carb, it starts easier if I turn the fuel on and kick it over,and I've got coil ignition.
If you lift the valve lever and open the throttle wide and kick the bike over does it backfire in the silencer?

 

[Phil Baker]

I have magneto ignition - mag said to have been reconditioned by Dave Lindsley and it produces a big blue-white spark at the plug. Fuel sprays back out of the carb so I'll try the no-tickling idea. Haven't done the throttle opening wide, lift valve-lever yet but will do later this morning. Is it firing at all? My stepson thinks it is but I am not convinced. I'm going to recheck the ignition timing again today. Just can't believe after all this that it's not leaping gladly into life!! Thanks for your interest.... Phil

 

[Vic Youel]

I too found my old Comet would not start with any (even slight) tickling...... just the choke if cold. This with a standard 289 carb. The float chamber had to be adjusted (by rotatation) to stop it leaking. I've seen a similar problem on two other Comets.

Vic

 

[Phil Baker]

Hi Vic. The only way that I could find to stop the fuel leaking out of the visible top of the slot at the base of the carb was to add fibre washers until the level was such that the leak stopped. However, I was advised to take them out again and that the leak would stop once the engine was running. I'll try just choking it (don't tempt me!!) and see if it makes a difference, thanks. My carb is a 229, which I thought was the correct one? Phil

 

[Vic Youel]

Sorry 229 is correct..... you could stretch the clip a little on the float as an alternate to adding washers. Try it without the choke first and without tickling.

Vic

 

[Phil Baker]

Good point with the float clip, I hadn't thought of that! Phil

 

[Simon Dinsdale]

Phil,
I have been having problems starting my Rapide when cold. It would start warm no problem. It has shadow 229 / 289 carbs on it so the front is the same as your comet. After struggling and needing help to start it at the Severn rally I have just had a look at the carbs over the last 2 days.

The front carb (same as yours) when I stripped it down, the fit of the jetblock in the body was not good. It fell out with its own weight. These should be a good tight push into the body so no fuel or air can leak around the jet block and into the idle jet system. Do not use force to remove the jetblock as you will distort it.
When cold and you tickle the float and so raise the fuel level in the carb I guess fuel was by capilary working around the badly fitting jetblock and giving too rich a mixture and flooding the cylinder. This could also explain why when I adjusted the pilot air screw not a lot changed.

Luckily I have a spare carb body and jet block and these are a very good fit. In fact I had to warm the body just to push the jetblock out to examine it.

The end result is the bike appears to start a lot easier when cold and have just been for a run where when I adjusted the tickover settings, adjusting the pilot air screw now does what it should.

Hope this helps
Simon.

 

[Phil Baker]

Thanks, Simon. The carb is a new old stock one that I was fortunate enough to acquire recently and the jetblock is as you would expect in a new carb. Anyway, starting it is not the biggest of my problems as I (and here, everybody, please have a good laugh at my expense - I've put you all through enough!) have just picked up the wrong tommybar when looking for TDC and dropped it straight down the bore whilst the piston was at...... well, it would be, wouldn't it?..... Bottom Dead Centre.

My twisty magnet thing is too big diameter to go down the sparkplug hole.


Bendy wire hasn't gripped it yet....

Magnetized a screwdriver but no luck so far.

What I need is a fibreoptic light with pincers on the end and a screen to watch it all on. Any gynaecologists out there?


Phil

 

[Tug Wilson]

Thanks, Simon. The carb is a new old stock one that I was fortunate enough to acquire recently and the jetblock is as you would expect in a new carb. Anyway, starting it is not the biggest of my problems as I (and here, everybody, please have a good laugh at my expense - I've put you all through enough!) have just picked up the wrong tommybar when looking for TDC and dropped it straight down the bore whilst the piston was at...... well, it would be, wouldn't it?..... Bottom Dead Centre.

My twisty magnet thing is too big diameter to go down the sparkplug hole.


Bendy wire hasn't gripped it yet....

Magnetized a screwdriver but no luck so far.

What I need is a fibreoptic light with pincers on the end and a screen to watch it all on. Any gynaecologists out there?


Phil

Oh S***. Good luck with the fishing.

 

[Simon Dinsdale]

Thanks, Simon. The carb is a new old stock one that I was fortunate enough to acquire recently and the jetblock is as you would expect in a new carb. Anyway, starting it is not the biggest of my problems as I (and here, everybody, please have a good laugh at my expense - I've put you all through enough!) have just picked up the wrong tommybar when looking for TDC and dropped it straight down the bore whilst the piston was at...... well, it would be, wouldn't it?..... Bottom Dead Centre.

My twisty magnet thing is too big diameter to go down the sparkplug hole.


Bendy wire hasn't gripped it yet....

Magnetized a screwdriver but no luck so far.

What I need is a fibreoptic light with pincers on the end and a screen to watch it all on. Any gynaecologists out there?


Phil

Go to your local cheap pound shop and purchase what looks like a pen, but is telescopic with a powerful small magnet on the end. Will easy fit down a plug hole, and has enough magnetism to pick up a reasonable size spanner. One of the most usefull tools in my garage.

Or as an example look at:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-3kg-5lb...t=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item2569797481

Cheers
Simon.