Starting

[ramwing7]

I have a 1969 BSA Starfire that ran a couple of months ago.   Sat for that couple of months, now won't hit a lick.  Has spark and fresh gas.
Any ideas before my leg falls off?   
Thanks. 

[om15]

Suggest you give the battery a 12 hour trickle charge, go for the easy stuff first!

[AdrianS]

Have you checked for a carb blockage?

If fresh fuel and a spark is present it should fire!
Try taking the plug out and putting a squirt of fuel into the engine, replace plug and kick over - it should fire!

[ramwing7]

I've done all the above plus taken the carb apart to clean and bought a new spark plug.  I guess progress has been made.  It now kicks the living daylights out of me thru the kickstart.  So fuel and fire are meeting.  Is that to be expected?
I've checked the points and they're spot on.  Reading how to set the timing in my owners manual gave me a headache with advance weights, etc.
  Should I go into the timing or is this spitting and kicking a "normal" occurrence?
Thanks.

[JulianS]

If it is kicking back on the kickstart sounds like the timing is a bit advanced?

[ramwing7]

Is there a consensus on whether an electronic ignition kit would help with my woes?

What's the current brand preference?
Thanks.

[ramwing7]

Julian, you were correct.  I retarded the timing a bit and it finally started.  Although I must confess I have a tremendous right leg from all the kicking.   

Of course something is not quite right.  The throttle cable is somehow wonky.  Anyway I move it affects the engine speed.  Peering in at the top of the carb exterior I see the two screws holding the top on, another doing I don't know what and not sort of adjustment where the cable enters.  So a couple of questions;

What's that 3rd screw doing?

Should there be some sort of cable adjustment that screws into the top of the carb?

As you can tell, I don't know squat about Amal's.   

[KEV441]

Have you checked the advance/retard is free to retard when engine is not running.

  Kev

[ramwing7]

Yup.  Free and working.
Thanks for suggesting it.

[KEV441]

You say you have cleaned the carb out, did you remove the idle air screw and poke the jet clean No 78 drill I think. Also look up Bushmans amal tuning on google.

  Kev

[JulianS]

There is a useful guide on rebuilding the concentric on the Amal website. Worth reading.

http://amalcarb.co.uk/rebuilding-mark-1-concentric-carburetter

[MICKREEVES]

I find with my C15 SS (also B44] , If I try to start with throttle slightly open, it is too much, and I get a kick-back.
ANSWER. - screw the throttle stop UP, about half a turn.  = one kick start, every time. Reset the stop after engine has warmed up.
Mick

[ramwing7]

Really dumb question here.
Do these carbs (928/5) have a choke?
Mine certainly doesn't, but there is a place on top where a choke cable might go.

[JulianS]

My 1968 Starfire was not fitted with a choke and started easily enough by use of tickler.

The 1969 parts book does not show a choke fitted but you can easily fit a choke parts to a concentric.

http://amalcarb.co.uk/mk-i-concentric-series/900-series/choke-parts.html

You will also need a lever and cable available from many dealers.

[ramwing7]

I owe everyone a big THANKS.  It now starts on the second kick, consistently.  Now I can get it to Brits in the Ozarks car and bike show coming up.  Chance to show it off a bit.
   
After riding it around and getting some of those good vibrations, both fuel taps now leak like sieves.  Can those be rebuilt or should I be looking for new ones.

Again MANY THANKS!