[fredgold52]

You all probably all know about this, but I didn't.

I was talking with Jim at CMW this morning, making some last minute changes to an order I had put in.  (Broke my darn windshield.)  ((No, everything's fine, thanks for asking))

We started talking about kick starting the Bullet (as my sprague clutch seems to be 'spragued')  I mentioned that is was not my idea of a good time trying to get the thing started in 40 degree or colder temperatures.  He suggested I turn in the idle screw about 1 1/2 turns before going through the starting ritual.

I did it.  IT WORKED LIKE A CHAMP.  One kick and running.  The bike will let you know when it's time to unscrew the idle adjustment.  You will get tired of sitting at a stop with your engine turning 3500 RPMs and people staring at you like you're some kind of dweeb.

But in spite of all that, the trick works great and I wanted to pass it along to the 2 or 3 people who don't already know about it.

Thanks,
Fred

[LJRead]

Thanks Fred - now how about sending a bit of that cold weather so I can try it

[Bankerdanny]

Interesting tip. It is supposed to get to around 40 this weekend here in Chicago so maybe I will put the battery in and give it a shot.

[cowboysculptor]

For those who don't know, bankerdanny meant up to around 40. We're all very excited. Thanks for the starting tip!

Peter

[t120rbullet]

Thanks Fred - now how about sending a bit of that cold weather so I can try it

You don't want it!
Trust me on that one.

[LJRead]

Been rough there, hasn't it guys?  What happened to Global Warming and what is happening with global weather?  We've had a milder summer here (seasons reversed) and by that I mean we haven't had the heat we generally have. 

Well the good weather will come and all this will be forgotten - keep on thumping!

[stipa]

Here's what I do in colder weather.  Especially if I haven't had the engine running for a week or so. 
Yes, definitely turn the idle screw in a turn or so.  After checking my fluids I kick through, (no compression), 15 or 20 times, get some oil back up in the top end. 
Then on with the gas, enrichener, a couple kicks to prime it, then (usually) 1 kick to start.  Sometimes 2.  Haven't had a problem yet. 
After a few minutes (when the oil warms up, engine starts running a bit faster, I just back off on the idle 'til is sounds right. 

[Spitting Bull]

The idle screw is also useful when running in your engine from new.  With a new engine, everything is tight, so tickover is slower when cold, and speeds up when the engine gets warm.

Turning the screw in a turn or so on cold startup will give slightly more revs to enable the new engine to pick up and hold a tickover.  After a couple of minutes, when you come to a stop, you'll notice that the tickover is now quite fast, and that's when you can turn the screw back in.

The screw is designed to be turned in and out with the fingers in this way.  My Velocette has an Amal carburetter, and there is a little bar on the idle screw, enabling it to be turned to a pre-set place and back.  This is described as the "easy start device".

Tom

[LotusSevenMan]

Tom.
A little bar on the Amal? I think I can feel a mod coming on here with some brass plate and the soldering iron!!!!

[Spitting Bull]

The Velo is packed away for the winter, but I'll try to get a photo for you, L7.  My brother-in-law's Norton ES2 has the same carburetter, so it might be easier to get a photo of his.  I'll do my best.

Tom

[LotusSevenMan]

Thanks Tom. That'd be great. I fancy sometyhing that would look like a half circle/cut washer soldered into place would do the job though it might be a bit fiddly to sort the tick-over while riding!!!!! Yes, I have done this 'trick' for a while but find it a pain with gloves on to alter the knurled screw.
KIDS. Don't try this at home ha ha 

[Spitting Bull]

We can't get a good picture of the Amal carburetter on the Norton - always somthing which reflects light and causes flare.  So here's a picture of the carburetter body from my Velocette MAC owner's Handbook.

You can see that the throttle slide screw which usually has a slot on the end for adjustment and a lock-nut to hold it in the chosen position, is replaced by a screw with a little tommy-bar on the end (K in the drawing).  Instead of the locknut there's a little clamp (M on the drawing).  The clamp is tightened onto the throttle stop screw itself by means of a grub screw.  If you loosen the screw, you can turn the throttle-stop without moving the clamp.

The idea is that you unscrew the screw in the clamp while adjusting the throttle-stop to the required position and then hold the clamp over to the left and tighten the screw.

You now have a correctly -set throttle-stop, but you can turn it in clockwise about two-thirds of a turn, and back, with the little clamp acting as a stop at either end of the movement, as it comes up against the carburetter body and won't turn any more.  The spring above the clamp stops the throttle-stop from turning through vibration when the engine is running.

The idea is that you turn the whole thing to the right while starting and it increases the revs by a small amount and holds it there, to give a better start-and-run.  Then when the engine has warmed up a bit, you turn the whole thing back to the left.

So - an early version of the knurled screw we have on the RE!

Tom

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[LotusSevenMan]

Many thanks taking the time to post the info in such great detail Tom!!!
I have printed the picture and will see what I can fabricate this w/e. 
Cheers,   LSM

[sasquatch]

When my RE dealer showed me that trick, I just about flipped out.  I do alot of cold weather riding, and on my honda you could not reach the idle screw without removing several other components, and then it was a tight squeeze for anyone with larger hands than a seven year old.

[RagMan]

I start my Bullet with the turn screw trick.. when it doesn't break my ankle, it starts nicely..  But, I am 2,000 miles away from my Bullet, right now, so I can't play with it. (it is suffering -2 degree temperatures)

[LotusSevenMan]

Hi all.
 Well I tried several sizes of bar held in place with a mixture of tightly wrapped elastic bands as per your pic Tom but in the end I found the best extension device was a washer that was about an 1/8" wider either side of the knurled head. Larger just made it trickier to turn in large gloves which I found strange. The suitable washer was a fairly tight fit into the flat blade slot on the tickover screw. I filed a flat on it first to make sure it had maximum adhesion area then JB WELDed it into place. Anyway, after the experimentation I went with the above and........................

Easy?

You bet!!!
Seems to work really well and very easy to turn with a gloved hand too. Just gives that bit of extra leverage so you can set it turned in a bit at start up and then reset it on-the-run if required. 



PS The hole in the middle is actually a device to reduce wind resistance and save weight (ahem  )