[Adrian II]

The Woodsman engine was in a higher state of tune than the Stock Bullet, so I'd go for a colder plug (i.e. one meant to run in a hotter engine), N4C or N3C, NGK B7ES or B8ES if you can get good ones and not cheap copies. Champion for preference!

UK 500 Bullets had 1 1/8" 389/9 Monobloc carbs with 30 pilot jets, 3½ throttle slides, 106 main jets, needle position 2, 200 main jets with air filter. For 1959 with the big head Bullet engine this was changed to a 1 3/16" 389/34 Monobloc, same pilot jet and slide but with the needle in position 3 and a 220 main jet, with a recommendation to go up to 250 if running without an air filter. That might not be exactly right for your Woodsman engine but it ought to be pretty close. Are your float needle valve and its seat in good order?

A.

[Captain Bob]

Thanks very much for that information.  That is extremely helpful.  I believe the needle valve and seat are in good shape and have adjusted the float level.  The carb has a pod filter on it and the filter is enclosed in a sealed airbox.  I may try starting it without the cover on the airbox.  So, a NKG B7ES or B8ES are equivalent to the Champion N4C and N3C?  I may have a few of the NKG's around.  I have used them in Meriden Triumphs.  I am thinking the previous owner just installed this carb without doing any kind of tuning.  Float level was way too high.  I thought initially, that was my problem but, apparently not.  Thanks again for this info Adrian.  Not sure what I would do without you! 

[Captain Bob]

Good news.  I installed a B7ES I had laying around from my Meriden Triumph days and without turning on the fuel gave her a few kicks.  She fired up!  I ran her out of fuel.  I had also removed the airbox cover.  I think my ignition timing is pretty close.  Before I made the timing adjustment, there really wasn't a lot of difference in the engine idling at full retard or advanced.  Maybe just a little.  It is quite different now.  I manually advance the timing and it goes from a slow idle to a nice purr.  I am thinking the other fellow may have had the timing too far advanced.  Before, it would kick back when trying to start it, even in the manual retard mode.  Now it's time to remove the carb and check the needle position and jetting situation.  Progress is being made!

[Captain Bob]

A final update!  I finally got this bike sorted out.  As you may recall, among other issues, it was having difficulty starting.  It would flood immediately if you crack the throttle when kicking it over.  I went through the carb, cleaned all jets and dropped the needle one position.  I can now, turn on the fuel, tickle the carb, and without touching the throttle, give it a kick or two and she will fire right up and sit there idling.  The choke has been eliminated from the carb. She seems to be running great and pulls through the gears much better than before.  As I stated in an earlier post, I think the PO had the timing advanced too far.  No more oil leaking from the timing chest pinion seal.  I think (knock on wood) I have all of the issues that came with the bike when I got it taken care of (for now anyway).  Took it for a ride today and all is good.  I would have completed this project sooner but had some more life interruptions.  One of the biggest was recently having my gall bladder removed.  I needed to recover from the surgery before I could kick the bike over.  Not an experience I would recommend.  lol

[Adrian II]

Good news with the bike, now you need to make sure your health is fixed!

A.

[Captain Bob]

Thanks Adrian.  Been working on the health thing.  Almost 100% recovered!  Now it's time to take the bike for a ride.   

[royaloilfield]

You should bring the Woodsman down to BRITJAM and show it!

https://www.ctbritiron.org/britjam36.htm#about