1948 carb rebuild

Linkert related issues
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FFMedic
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1948 carb rebuild

#1

Post by FFMedic »

I have an original '48 FL, the previous owner (my father who bought it in '49) states that the carb has never been rebuilt. While in Sturgis last year I re-oiled the air cleaner element (due to the dust at the campground, and a sticking float) per the operators manual. Needless to say, the bike backfired the first time I turned it over and a FIRE occured :'(.... Luckily, a beer cooler was close by with plenty of water in it, a chemical extinguisher finished it off. A mechanic presented himself and without my knowledge "reset" the high and low idle settings, it hasn't run since. Needless to say, due to the fire, sticking float, and age, I have decided to rebuild the carb, and have no idea where the settings were before being "reset" by the "mechanic". How many turns should I bring them out as a good starting point? Where can I get a paper air filter to use with the original air cleaner? Only ones I can find replaces the housing, or is OEM.
dirtydistrict
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Re: 1948 carb rebuild

#2

Post by dirtydistrict »

Hi, original filter was copper mesh (Vtwin should have that part, WWcycle have it if you live in europe), K&N make some fine replacement made wtih paper; about setting your Linkert (i suppose it's about), some members here know how to tune them; you could also check in the Palmer book or Clymer.
Sidecar
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Re: 1948 carb rebuild

#3

Post by Sidecar »

FF

I bet you'd like to bash that clown that changed your carb settings !!!!
panfreak
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Re: 1948 carb rebuild

#4

Post by panfreak »

M74B
I think a good starting point would be :
- low speed- 5 complete turns from bottom (slightly rich)
- high speed- 3/4 turn from bottom
conditions such as displacement, cam,air leaks and timing will make it necessary to make minor adjustments from here. I have three pages of detailed setup and tuning instructions, I can scan them and send to anyone interested?
Chew.
Cotten
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Re: 1948 carb rebuild

#5

Post by Cotten »

An original float in modern fuel would be a hassle in itself.

Needle settings are never constant from carb to carb, bike to bike. If they were,... they wouldn't need knobs!
VintageTwin
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Re: 1948 carb rebuild

#6

Post by VintageTwin »

I got a setting thing written down for the Linkert M74-B, that's contrary to the 59-69 factory manual. When the manual says "Turn both low and high-speed needles all the way in (C.W.). Back out the low-speed needle five turns. Back out the high-speed needle two turns"......I only turn the low-speed needle out two turns instead of five. With only two turns, when i attempt to turn the low-speed needle in, one notch at a time (with the motor running) in order to get the motor to lean-out so that the motor misses and acts starved, I get a reaction from the motor. If you turn the low-needle out five turns, you don't get the starved affect they want you to find. So, at two turns out, you get the motor running, then you turn the low-speed in till it starves, then turn the needle out till it hits regularly. They yak on about the low-speed needle, but other than turning the high-speed needle out the two turns, they pretty much leave the high-speed needle out of the picture, except for a passage about using the high-speed thing as a "trimmer valve" if you are being chased by police during a high speed pursuit, but give no indication as to which hand would be left open to hold a gun.
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