Author Topic: 350 Engine - Tickover adjustment problem  (Read 4753 times)

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Offline BRT-GTR

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350 Engine - Tickover adjustment problem
« on: July 25, 2017, 01:52:34 PM »
     
                I've finally sorted it but the following may help others with similar engine problems. 
When I received my 350 GTO last December she would start and run but I wasn't able to get the tickover settings right.   I've spent weeks if not months trying to find the problem.  The engine /crank had been rebuilt previously by the man himself, Steve Reed and she was fitted with NOS carbs.   Compression is good on both pots.
      I've been able to get either cylinder running reasonably well but not both at the same time. When both cylinders were pulling equally she would smoke more on one side or the exhaust note would not sound right, 2 stroking on one and 4 stroking on the other. I'm sure one pot was not fully firing at times (cool muffler). Also got conflicting symptoms for rich or weak mixture, engine was very zingy when accelerated (lean) and smoked (rich) or wouldn't return cleanly to idle. No response whatsoever from adjusting pilot air screws on 30 size standard pilot jets. What was going on ?
 
  Here's what I've done to date with very little change to the idle :-
       Cleaned carbs, clearing all passages and reset float height. Needle in middle groove and 140 mains in while running in new pistons and rings.
       Installed new points and condensers and reset timing
       Cleaned exhausts and baffles
       Cleaned and overhauled oil pump, reset stroke. Cleaned check valves
       Checked disc valves were installed correctly
       Remade various electrical joints to cure suspected weak spark on the left. Fitted separate engine earth strap.
       Right cylinder was spitting oil droplets from the pipe. New crank seal in disc cover cured that.

     Finally, based on advice on the site, I put in 22.5 pilot jets. This did produce a result and I could now optimise the right cylinder mixture/speed on the pilot system at tickover but the left side still didn't respond, in fact the cylinder would run with the airscrew fully closed. Thinking the pilot jet was blocked, I pulled the left carb yet again, everything was clean. While resetting the pilot airscrew, I noticed the spring was going coil bound when screwed in to the closed position. Didn't see this on the bike because I was usually stood over it.
     Whipped the airscrew out to find it had been overtightened, the 2.5mm hole at the bottom was opened out - damn, new carb required ?. Nothing to lose, I was able to press a short length of one eighth od brass tube into the seat to restore it back to size. A bit fiddly but it worked.  Now able to optimise the airscrew setting on both pots, balance the cylinders and she now ticks over nicely, pinging on both pots with an even note. The smoke is evenly balanced on both sides and the tailpipes are reasonably dry.
       Learned a lot in the process, main things being, you can't tune a dragged cylinder, only the lead cylinder. Raise tickover to 2000 rpm for the pot you want to tune. A dragged or misfiring  pot will smoke. The pipes spit water droplets when cold, don't confuse with oil.

  I was close to giving up and just running it as it was. The lesson? - never assume new items are OK. Don't know when the overtightening occurred, the airscrew NOS springs don't help being a bit too strong for the job they do. Got it booked in for it's MOT test (annual goverment check) on Friday, so I can get it UK registered and start to enjoy being back on a Bridgestone after 45 years.
            Brian ,  now a happy bunny  :D ;D :D
« Last Edit: July 25, 2017, 02:20:25 PM by BRT-GTR »
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Offline hardy

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Re: 350 Engine - Tickover adjustment problem
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2017, 07:45:04 AM »
A good read, good advice and a great result. Best of luck for your MOT.

Hardy
« Last Edit: July 26, 2017, 07:48:06 AM by hardy »

Offline moonpup

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Re: 350 Engine - Tickover adjustment problem
« Reply #2 on: July 26, 2017, 10:04:17 AM »
I agree with hardy.... good catch Brian!  8)
Confucius say... "Better to have Bridgestone than Kidneystone"

Offline slawsonb

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Re: 350 Engine - Tickover adjustment problem
« Reply #3 on: July 26, 2017, 12:17:16 PM »
Great guidance, Brian. I have been pondering how best to clean check valves. How did you do this?
...bert

Offline 666jon

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Re: 350 Engine - Tickover adjustment problem
« Reply #4 on: July 27, 2017, 04:33:32 PM »
Great info, well done, always satisfying to get it right in the end.

Offline BRT-GTR

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Re: 350 Engine - Tickover adjustment problem
« Reply #5 on: July 30, 2017, 06:28:59 AM »
            The GTO passed the MOT and I  sneaked a couple of extra laps round the block on the way back home. My first ride on two wheels for the best part of 45years and on a BS, what could be better, was 19 again  ;D ::)

      Should be able to ride it legally in a few more weeks when UK registered. Couple of items to look at, a bit of play in the steering head bearings and the engine vibrated more than I remember it should at 4000 rpm (didn't go over this, new pistons). Any suggestions ?

  Bert,        As you will know, not a lot you can do with the check valves. Just rinsed them in kerosene, put the banjo back on with an 8mm nut and blew them through, forwards with a foot pump. (Have to be careful how I phrase this) You can check how easily the ball is lifting off it's seat by sucking at the bottom end. You will hear the valve open. Also, thinking the valve might have been allowing oil to drain into the crankcase at rest, I used a short piece of wire to give the ball a very light tap to make sure it was seating fully.
                                 Brian.
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I'm so glad I grew up in the 60s & 70s. I did so much stupid stuff and there's no record of it.............Anywhere !!

Offline BRT-GTR

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Re: 350 Engine - Tickover adjustment problem
« Reply #6 on: July 31, 2017, 02:21:49 PM »
          Despite having a little play in the head bearings the steering felt stiff at low speed.
      Bit the bullet yesterday and pulled the forks. Found a total of 42 balls in the races, should be 38 !! :o  Cleaned and repacked, steering is now as sweet as a nut and I have 4 spare balls for the clutch pushrod - result.
                     Brian
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I'm so glad I grew up in the 60s & 70s. I did so much stupid stuff and there's no record of it.............Anywhere !!

Offline slawsonb

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Re: 350 Engine - Tickover adjustment problem
« Reply #7 on: August 01, 2017, 12:32:59 PM »
Nice job avoiding suggestive phrasing, Brian! Thanks for all these good pointers.
...bert

Offline moonpup

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Re: 350 Engine - Tickover adjustment problem
« Reply #8 on: June 05, 2018, 12:33:54 PM »
     
 ....snip....  Whipped the airscrew out to find it had been overtightened, the 2.5mm hole at the bottom was opened out - damn, new carb required ?. Nothing to lose, I was able to press a short length of one eighth od brass tube into the seat to restore it back to size. A bit fiddly but it worked.  ....snip....     


Hey Brian, I've attached a pic of 2 carbs side by side (left carb upside down  ;D ) with the pilot air screws screwed in to the point that they first meet resistance. As you can see, the right carb screw has a couple threads still showing, while the left carb has virtually none.

So, I can only surmise that the left carb pilot air screw has been over tightened.

Now to just toss this out there, the left carb is also a later (after 21H) vs the right carb which is an earlier GTR smaller float needle valve carb. Was there a difference between the 2 in how the passage for the pilot air screw was drilled out and tapped? The screw itself is the same for both carbs. I still think the left has been over tightened but was hoping I might get lucky and find it was just a difference between model years.  ::)

Anyway, how difficult was your brass tube repair? What length did you use?  And finally.... what do you mean when you say it was a "bit fiddly"?
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Offline BRT-GTR

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Re: 350 Engine - Tickover adjustment problem
« Reply #9 on: June 05, 2018, 03:55:21 PM »
       Mike,
                Can't answer your question re the two carb versions but suspect you are right about the left carb being overtightened. A 2.5mm drill should be a good fit in the hole at the bottom of the air screw drilling. If it wobbles the hole has been expanded.

   Bit fiddly = extremely difficult but I'm a sucker for punishment and had nothing to lose (apart from pair of NOS carbs ;D). Pilot screw seat/orifice sits between the two drillings on the front of the carb (Open hole and blanked hole in your photo) so there's only 4mm of metal in which to insert a brass liner. You can't see what you are doing and are working blind, hoping the liner ends up in the right position and doesn't get pushed too far in.
    Thought afterwards, if I was to attempt another repair, think I would look for a tubular brass rivet with a bore of 2.5mm, like the ones on the side panel badge. That would have a flanged head and give a positive stop for the insert. A pop rivet might also work.
     Note also the open drilling on the front of the carb does not sit on the centre line of the pilot screw, the pilot drilling comes in at the bottom, so drilling out the damaged seat means visually judging at what angle to hold the carb,  aaaaaaaaarrrrgh :o
   
      Over to you Mike but you're on your own with this one. Good luck, Brian.     (Currently watching the TT superstock race on TV)

PS, I came to the conclusion that with a tickover speed of 1800rpm, the idling engine is very close to coming on to the needle jet circuit. If you find the hole is expanded, put 22.5 pilots in, set the airscrew 11/2 turns out and just run it as it is. Fine tuning the airscrew doesn't really make that much difference.
« Last Edit: June 05, 2018, 06:49:53 PM by BRT-GTR »
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Offline moonpup

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Re: 350 Engine - Tickover adjustment problem
« Reply #10 on: June 05, 2018, 07:23:46 PM »
I think I'm going to take your advise and just leave them the way they are and run the 22.5 jets.

Just spent 4+ hours experimenting on a couple of trashed out carb bodies I had laying around and couldn't come up with anything I felt comfortable with.

If anybody else has any ideas.... jump in!  ;D
« Last Edit: June 06, 2018, 01:51:54 PM by moonpup »
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Offline moonpup

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Re: 350 Engine - Tickover adjustment problem
« Reply #11 on: June 05, 2018, 09:39:29 PM »
Ok, further research has me back to thinking there might be a difference between the "before 21H" and "after 21H" carbs.

Checkout the 2 photos below.

The first photo is the one where I started with a "after 21H" carb (my GTO carbs) and using a center punch, I marked off the depth to where the screw would begin to seat using a piece of masking tape.

The second photo is a "before 21H" carb (67/68 GTR) with the same center punch used in the first photo. Clearly it doesn't go in as deep as the GTO carbs.

Did something get changed between the end of production for the GTR's and the start of the GTO's? All I know, is that all my early GTR carbs have the shorter depth and all my GTO carbs have the deeper measurement.

I'm leaving them alone!  :o
Confucius say... "Better to have Bridgestone than Kidneystone"

Offline BRT-GTR

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Re: 350 Engine - Tickover adjustment problem
« Reply #12 on: June 08, 2018, 10:20:11 AM »
     Mike,
             Can you see/measure any difference in the centre to centre dimension of the two carb openings IE, blanked and open drilling.
           If not, I suggest the difference is simply due to machine settings at Mikuni when the carbs were produced. If I've got my logic right, the later carbs were drilled deeper (say 1mm+) . Doesn't sound much but with only 4mm of metal behind the airscrew seat it may have weakened the seat resulting in the seat being more susceptable to overtightening damage.
             Brian.
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I'm so glad I grew up in the 60s & 70s. I did so much stupid stuff and there's no record of it.............Anywhere !!

Offline moonpup

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Re: 350 Engine - Tickover adjustment problem
« Reply #13 on: June 08, 2018, 12:51:05 PM »
Brian, Checking the center to center dimensions I basically got the same results as when I used the larger diameter center punch, only this time I used a drill bit that was just large enough to keep it out of the center hole. The first picture below shows this with the carb on the left being an "after 21H" and the right one is a "before 21H.

Next, I donned the my strongest magnifying glass headgear and my best flashlight and proceeded to try to get the best view I could of the innards!

The second pic is my best rendition of what I observed. Both have threads all the way down to where the blocked off air passage intersects the screw passage. This is where the difference begins.

In the "after 21H" carb, there is a larger gap/space to where the "floor" begins to slope down to the center opening.

Hopefully when I'm finished doing the cross-section on the "before21H" carb, it'll verify my observation...... at least on one carb.  Sorry, I don't have a "damaged" "after21H" to play with.  :(
Confucius say... "Better to have Bridgestone than Kidneystone"

Offline moonpup

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Re: 350 Engine - Tickover adjustment problem
« Reply #14 on: June 08, 2018, 02:36:24 PM »
Success & confirmation..... at least for the "before21H" carb.

Now if sometime in the future my observation for the "after21H" carb is likewise confirmed, we can say with certainty that there was indeed a change in the air flow screw passage, along with the previously known float needle valve change.
Confucius say... "Better to have Bridgestone than Kidneystone"

Offline moonpup

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Re: 350 Engine - Tickover adjustment problem
« Reply #15 on: June 08, 2018, 03:34:58 PM »

....snip.... If I've got my logic right, the later carbs were drilled deeper (say 1mm+) .   


After double checking my measurements, I'd say it's probably closer to 1mm exactly.

The increased depth would make it tougher to bottom out and damage the seating orifice since you'd probably also be close to bottoming out on the outside spring.

Just my thoughts...  ;D

EDIT: edited to erase some flawed logic on where I thought the screw tip would seat on the deeper passage. DOH!
« Last Edit: June 08, 2018, 04:31:01 PM by moonpup »
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Offline OldSwartout

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Re: 350 Engine - Tickover adjustment problem
« Reply #16 on: June 08, 2018, 03:49:22 PM »
This is a slight hijacking of this thread, but does anyone know the size number of the stock needles? I changed the needle jets back in the 70's on mine, trying to lean out the lower part throttle running, but my notes don't have the stock needle number.  I have the stock needle jet number, in fact, still have the stock needle jets. I'd like to go back to stock there and try the 22.5 idle jets now that others have found the issue.
Karl Swartout
Mooresville, IN
BS175 Roadracer. BS200RS, BS350 GTR

Offline moonpup

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Re: 350 Engine - Tickover adjustment problem
« Reply #17 on: June 08, 2018, 03:57:13 PM »
Karl, I have some nos needles and they have a square boxed symbol followed by 4D3. Hope that helps.  ;D
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Offline BRT-GTR

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Re: 350 Engine - Tickover adjustment problem
« Reply #18 on: June 08, 2018, 04:45:59 PM »
              Thanks very much, Mike, for sectioning the idle circuit, good job,very helpful
        What is the length of the 2.5mm section hole.   Looks like a shouldered rivet could be used to restore the seat and would make a better job than the brass tube I used. I was worried it might partially blank the the carb drilling that runs back to the pilot jet.

     I still feel the differences you are finding between the early/late carbs are just normal production variations. I can't really see any benefits from an engineering point of view. The needle has to be 'bottomed out' to be able to set the 'turn out'. The main problem is the spring strength which makes it difficult to feel when the screw tip just touches the seat and the carb alloy is quite soft, resulting in the orifice being easily enlarged. This makes it difficult, if not impossible to fine tune the idle mixture. My engine idled quite happily with the air screws fully closed.
       Another piece in the jigsaw,  Brian
« Last Edit: June 08, 2018, 05:03:42 PM by BRT-GTR »
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Offline OldSwartout

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Re: 350 Engine - Tickover adjustment problem
« Reply #19 on: June 08, 2018, 04:47:07 PM »
Thanks, that does help, mine are the correct ones.  That's one thing I won't have to look for.
Karl Swartout
Mooresville, IN
BS175 Roadracer. BS200RS, BS350 GTR

 


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