[Captain Bob]

fyi - i do not use the choke on either my single or twin Enfields - winter or summer.

I am thinking I am tickling the carb too much.  Will try it again tomorrow and see what happens!

[grumbern]

It is esential that you neither drown the plug (too much tickling, too little air), nor give it too much air by opening the throttle too much.
Most machines need a slightly higher throttle for starting, but that will eventually weaken the mixture, so it can be a very delicate procedure getting it all together right, if you don't have enough experience to "read" the engine. By that I mean the feel to guess if your giving it too much, or too little throttle and if you should close, or open your choke slide, and if you should tickle the carb once more, or leave it as is.

This highly depends on the temperature of the engine. When the engine is warm, it might even need up to 1/2 throttle for it to start reliably.

If your engine starts cold without choke or flooding though, your setup is way too rich on idle and/or the needle jet+needle are worn and need replacing.
Have a nice weekend!
Andreas

[Lorenzo]

It is esential that you neither drown the plug (too much tickling, too little air), nor give it too much air by opening the throttle too much.
Most machines need a slightly higher throttle for starting, but that will eventually weaken the mixture, so it can be a very delicate procedure getting it all together right, if you don't have enough experience to "read" the engine. By that I mean the feel to guess if your giving it too much, or too little throttle and if you should close, or open your choke slide, and if you should tickle the carb once more, or leave it as is.

This highly depends on the temperature of the engine. When the engine is warm, it might even need up to 1/2 throttle for it to start reliably.

If your engine starts cold without choke or flooding though, your setup is way too rich on idle and/or the needle jet+needle are worn and need replacing.
Have a nice weekend!
Andreas

  +1 to all of that

[Captain Bob]

It is esential that you neither drown the plug (too much tickling, too little air), nor give it too much air by opening the throttle too much.
Most machines need a slightly higher throttle for starting, but that will eventually weaken the mixture, so it can be a very delicate procedure getting it all together right, if you don't have enough experience to "read" the engine. By that I mean the feel to guess if your giving it too much, or too little throttle and if you should close, or open your choke slide, and if you should tickle the carb once more, or leave it as is.

This highly depends on the temperature of the engine. When the engine is warm, it might even need up to 1/2 throttle for it to start reliably.

If your engine starts cold without choke or flooding though, your setup is way too rich on idle and/or the needle jet+needle are worn and need replacing.
Have a nice weekend!
Andreas

No argument from me!  I do have the "feel" you speak of.  Just going through the process of getting all the variables in the correct order.   

[Captain Bob]

Quick update....  Finally figured out my starting problem.  Turned out to be the pilot jet.  I had cleaned it previously but apparently, there was still some crap in the system.  Perhaps the bottom of the cap that covers the pilot jet.  In either case, all is good.  Once cleaned she fired up quickly and purred like a kitten. 

[AzCal Retred]

Glad you found the culprit! My carbs are all happier since I installed 10 micron gas filters.

In the 1960's JC Whitney (Warshawsky & sons, East Coasties...) used to sell inflatable hills for the HD folks...might come in handy!

https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/nostalgia/jc-whitney-the-rise-and-fall-of-an-automotive-icon/

[Captain Bob]

Glad you found the culprit! My carbs are all happier since I installed 10 micron gas filters.

In the 1960's JC Whitney (Warshawsky & sons, East Coasties...) used to sell inflatable hills for the HD folks...might come in handy!

https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/nostalgia/jc-whitney-the-rise-and-fall-of-an-automotive-icon/

Too funny.  I very well remember JC Whitney's.  Ordered a bunch of stuff from them in the old days.  I remember ordering a set of chrome rails that mounted on the side of the bed of a Ford Ranchero (Which I owned at the time).  They got the order screwed up and sent me the wrong rails.  I called them and explained the problem and, in a week or so, another set of the wrong rails showed up.  Funny thing is, every week for the next 4 weeks I would receive another set of the wrong rails.  I had only called them the one time.  I ended up with a half dozen sets of (the wrong) chrome rails for my Ranchero.  I gave up and just gave the sets away.  Never did mount rails on the bed of the Ranchero.