Re:What is the right way to adjust the float height?

ok

from memory

pull the carb float bowl off and lay the carb on the belmouth face. check that both floats look to be square and true and that one isn't buckled around. this should put the pivot pin for the float below the float. gently tap the float in until it starts to put pressure on the fuel valve (looks like a plumb bob) this is where, in a moment, you'll measure.

having done that you need to look at the flat 'base' on the underside (if it was stood normally) the nearest float and that flat base line should be parallell with the face that the floatbowl fixes to on the carb.
if the two aren't parallell you must remove the float by drawing the pin out of the pivot with pliers, and by holding the float still just bend the metal tab in the middle that fits the fuel valve. best done where you can hold everything down bar the tab so as to isolate your actions.

double check the floats being parallell and then check with the carb on it's face again.

then reverse fit, get a big station wagon and tow start the bloody thing!

Taffy

wildbill,

Taffy's explanation covers partly the procedure required when you have connected floats (i.e. the floats don't come with the float bowl when you remove it :wink: ) and the thing is you can get the same Dellorto models with connected or disconnected floats.

If your carb has connected floats you need the Dellorto specified measurement as, for example, on the PH series carbs the correct measurement is anything from 15.5mm to 24.5mm. With connected floats you would follow Taffy's procedure but measure the distance between the face of the carb and the bottom of the float as it lies on the bellmouth side. Sorry, I don't have those for the VHSA/B

If you have disconnected floats life is a lot simpler and you merely lay the carb upside down and make sure the arms are parallel to the carb body.

You should also check the operation of the float valve just in case this is sticking and causing problems.

Hope this helps,
Simon

Even better, I've uploaded (from the kind Dellorto folks) the specs for you:

Setting Float Height

Cheerio,
Simon

well said simon and i, like you, couldn't find numbers for the float to carb body but parallell is the rule anyway.

Taffy

Bill, that's great news. Look forward to hearing a ride report from you tomorrow

thanks,
json

RE: goofy kickstart

you might find some help in THIS thread.

thanks,
json

Wildbill,

Sounds almost exactly like the problem I was having with my '02 550. If you read the link json provided you will get a better explanation of what I was experiencing. The only problem though was that I never found out what was causing the issue. Wish I could be of more help but it does sound like something to do with the decomp mechanism. I had every other bit and piece aligned with the stars and planets, checked and double checked, and the decomp was the only thing I had never messed with as I was unfamilure with it and did not want to open a can of worms. Hopefully your luck will be as good or better than mine and it will "snap" out of it. Sorry I can't be of more help.

Best of luck,
Sandskipper

needle valve spring

When adjusting float height on the Dell-Orto with the two floats attached in the bowl, it is said to look for parallel between the arm and the mating surface of the bowl. Within the needle valve is a spring, do you check for parallelism with the spring free standing or do you compress the needle spring and check for parallel?

thanks,

Mark Piechowski

With the spring free standing on my Dellorto PHM 40.

Joe

thanks Joe,

The arms were not paralell either way, I set them strait, now we will see if it makes a difference in the running.

thanks,

Mark Piechowski