[bulletsixty5]

so, i just put on new plug, wire, bosch coil and some other stuff. im having a hard time getting the bike to idle at all without taking my hand off the throttle. it dies every time.

seems like it was running rich...black plug, black smoke, clunky idle, etc.

sooo....how can i adjust the carb: the air and throttle settings from scratch when the bike is cold? im a total newb and have only had this bike a few days. any step by step instructions to help me out? its an amal concentric carb.

[bulletsixty5]

im sure its more advanced that this, but on average, whats the number of turns the throttle and air screws should be positioned at? i have no idea where they are or where they should be at, just to get me in the ballpark.

[bulletsixty5]

well, my neighbor came out and helped me. we got it to run and idle! enought for me to be able to take it to a pro to get her tuned up properly and inspected, then i can take over from there. it is true, "A royal enfield turns a man into a mechanic"! well, its been a nice one-man conversation here, but  probably well deserved. ha.

[1Blackwolf1]

Thats basically how we all learned, trial and error.  But at least you got it to idle so you can ride it to the shop.  Wondering about your timing, if its has points.  From my Triumph experience(also Norton) Amals are always a pain to dial in w/o a vacuum gauge, they are very exacting little devils.  Basically very reliable afterwards.  I broke down and bought my first cheapo vac gauge after rebuilding the carbs on my old Triumph Bonnie chopper years ago, that was an experience.

Good luck, Will.

[bulletsixty5]

thanks! just took my first ride ever down the block and back! didnt die and idled fine...sounds like the tappets were loud, but dont know if thats expected or not. turning seems a bit heavy though...i suppose i just need to get used to the bike. feels like a complete weekend after my home tune-up and ride though.

[1Blackwolf1]

The tappets will be loud, sort of like an air-cooled VW bug.  Did you get an owners manual with the bike?  If not purchase one from the CMW store.  You'll need it, if you have it set the valve clearance by the book, it's a good place to start.  There are those that set them when the engine is warm, I do it cold and prefer that method.

But check them if you think they are to loud.  Do a search on the site, there are links to what the engine should sound like.  Hope all goes well, Will.

[bulletsixty5]

yep. got the snidel manual and the owners manual, so have some handy resources.

[dogbone]

I found a great amal bible called The Amal concentric  by the Victory library. Itis descriptive enough for a novice, and complex enough for the serious tuner.

[ace.cafe]

Here ya go, guy!

http://www.oldbritts.com/amal_tun.html

Remember these things about Amals.
They warp extremely easily at the flange where they mount to the head, so NEVER over-tighten them.
If you do overtighten them, you'll warp the body and you'll never get it to run right, unless you sleeve and  re-true the body.
The slide wears out in a short time, sometimes like 5000 miles. When the slide is worn, it passes air past the slide when it's supposed to be closed, and the idle is always whacky after that. You can get new slides, or get them plated for durability.
Little bits of dirt can clog the idle circuit, so keep it clean.

If you get disgusted after a while, get a Mikuni.
The Amal design is okay, but it is made out of junk pot metal and doesn't wear well.

[RAKe]

Ace.cafe, save the man some time and effort--scrap the Amal(s) and get a better carb.  Too many options available!.  Back when I was a peasant, I learned to make them run, but never well.  I wish I could go back knowing what I know now!  Also, Mikunis are complicated and difficult to dial in, but once they are set they are tough to beat.  I prefer Del Orto's, which are much less complicated, and while also being no-nonsense carbs, they DEMAND proper dial-in!  Italians understand high performance!!