could float height be a factor?

 

As a last resort, i pulled the valve cover and checked timing. Intake cam off just a smidge. not enough to stop the bike from running, but enough to make starting hard. Corrected...and i've got him back.

45 degrees outside bike started immediately with no choke and settled into idle within seconds.

/thread

 

Lets be clear, you checked the clearance, if you had the timing off, that would just be so wrong.

 

Is that a question or a statement? I dont understand...

I had a lengthy discussion with Bill Blue and we went over a few possibilities, one of which was cam timing. It turned out that my intake cam was rotated a few degrees out when i installed it after the rebuild ie the timing marks werent flat with the head. Now its correct.

 

OK, well that is what you did. But when you say it is off a smudge, that is just plain wrong then. Your either off one sprocket tooth or your on target, there is no 'smudge'. Glad your piston survived.

 

Couple more questions about this carb setup:

1- the throttle tube doesnt snap back with authority like it did; more like a lazy return. What controls this? I lubed the throttle tube and cable. I checked the return spring on the carb itself and it is not the problem - i assume maybe the cable is bound someway?

2- possibly related to the above - due to the geometry of this carb, the cable (sheathing) actually contacts the valve cover and ever so slightly bends on its way to the carb mechanism. I dont recall it being like this before, but it also seems like maybe the stock carb was rotated slightly to the left, which would give clearance here - but would that cause a float issue?