Check your Amal float bowl drain plugs

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I've removed/reinstalled my OEM (metal) bowl drain bolts uncounted times and I reuse the SAME gasket. Never had a drain plug loosen or leak. It's another case of not being able to understand why some folks have problems with certain items and other don't! ;) Go figure...
 
I have never had one fall off before. I got 13k miles now on my MK3. I need to go through everything again and make sure nothing else is about to fall off. I do thrash around on it, 80 mph all day is comfortable the way I have the idolastics set. Anything below 2500 revs it vibrates a bit. I had a spare drain plug but no fiber washers. I found some copper ones that work well along with loctite thread sealer. Neil sent me a good idea to do a better fix. I will update later on that. Now all my carb drains have copper washers. Will keep an eye on the little buggers and am going to get a spare drain plug to go in my jacket pocket with the spare plug I never used
 

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Randy Baxter- Brass drain plug and blue o ring Ask for Logan and he'll fix you right up They don't leak and don't work loose
 
These are taper fit. They did not leak, did not work loose, and are simple to tighten. Also provided more fuel around the mains. Might require a time machine to go back 30 years or so and get a set. Somebody must make something similar today. Not for a prefect restoration obviously.

Check your Amal float bowl drain plugs
 
I can’t stand those plugs. I sourced a nice pair of original float bowls without the plugs. Problem solved.
 
Lineslinger said:
Easy boys, tongue in cheek, ..didn't mean to mislead.
I have a clue as to the influence of JB weld.
My grandkids of 3 and 5 have been here all day...they are now gone...gummies and beer may be in play...its all good.o_O:)

Motorcycles are my hobby.
Recent build was this block find still wrapped in cosmoline. 1968 427 Ford side oiler. Very hard to find. I sleeved all 8 cylinders due to skinny casting walls, sleeves in liquid nitrogen to insert, all that spooky stuff.
I don't use JB unless there is a crack in my concrete slop sink.

Fiber washers on the Amal drain plugs have done well after 2000 plus.


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God bless you for bearing the blue oval torch in a bow tie world .
 
Schwany said:
These are taper fit. They did not leak, did not work loose, and are simple to tighten. Also provided more fuel around the mains. Might require a time machine to go back 30 years or so and get a set. Somebody must make something similar today. Not for a prefect restoration obviously.

Check your Amal float bowl drain plugs
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Looks like the bottom plug off a monoblock carb.
 
do I have to go back 30 years to get the big head adjuster screws? I'll take a dozen for the slide adjuster.
 
seattle##gs said:
do I have to go back 30 years to get the big head adjuster screws? I'll take a dozen for the slide adjuster.
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I had them on my bike for a brief period. They didn't work for me - tended to vibrate out of adjustment so I removed them and went back to OEM.
 
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Mike40M said:
Drain plugs came in 1970.
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illf8ed said:
Actually my ‘72 does not have drain plugs.
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Carbs with drain plug float bowls (and extended ticklers) were introduced on the Commando from serial number 208628, so about mid-'72 although modern replacement carbs appear to come with drain plug float bowls, regardless.

(Introduced on Triumphs during 1970 but the carbs didn't have the extended ticklers at that time.)
 
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Andover Norton supply this set including the tool mentioned by Olympus: https://andover-norton.co.uk/en/shop-details/20796
I went the route of using a hexagonal headed plug. Much easier to tighten - with care!
Several are available including one from Amal http://amalcarb.co.uk/float-chamber-drain-plug-6969.html
Stateside they are available from Steadfast Cycles and others. I quite like these brass ones from Lowbrow Customs https://www.lowbrowcustoms.com/products/brass-float-bowl-drain-plug-for-concentric-amal-carburetors which I have fitted to my Commando and work fine.
Andy
 
I had one fall out, I didn't know why it suddenly was running on one. Was on a stretch of highway near home, opened it up to see if it would still do the "ton", it did but when I let off it started running on one. I figured something broke and headed home. It wasn't until I was on my drive that I realized my leg was getting wet with gas.

I drilled and safety wired the plugs, problem solved!
 
MexicoMike said:
I had them on my bike for a brief period. They didn't work for me - tended to vibrate out of adjustment so I removed them and went back to OEM.
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Vibrate out of adjustment is the definition of owning a Norton. :)

I can't remember exactly how well the big head adjusters worked. They were certainly easier to get at. It wouldn't surprise me if the idle slide height adjuster vibrated out of adjustment. The idle mixture screw didn't. Although that probably didn't prevent me from checking them far too often.

Don't all the cool kids have the madass gantry setup for their Amal carbonators?

I took those delightful carburetors off my Norton before the madass gantry existed. Obviously, I'm not cool.
 
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I take out the drain plugs when i know i'll not be riding for several weeks Even though i have ample 14mm dowty washers i have been re using the same ones for the last year or so .... and the plugs have never slackened.
Using the Amal tool does make the job a lot easier & avoids damaging the plugs
 
The bonded sealing washers have worked really well for me on "no leaking allowed" applications.

I installed the Madass gantry and am really happy with it as I am able to make desired adjustments on the fly and eventually, find the sweet spot...but somehow my kids still laugh when I speak of any association related to being "cool". :cool:


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I have to agree for me the gantry is also a no brainer as it makes setting up the carbs a doddle
Did you have the inlet manifold & float bowls powder coated??
 
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