Triumphrat

PaleForce · 07-12-2007

To make a long story short... by the time I finished my like 1800 mile hike to and from Tennessee, I concluded my bike was now running like garbage. Thinking I had taken on some "bad gas" or water or something small time like that... I drained the float bowls and the tank. With the filters removed, I noticed something strange... when reaching into the back of the left carb and lifting the slide, it raised about half way before having to be forced up. In my ignorance of how this thing was supposed to function, I closed her up, put in some fresh gas, and took to the street. Naturally, it ran like fecal matter. I got back in there, and found that it was not the slide, but the needle that was getting stuck. I pulled the bowl, unscrewed the Needle Jet Holder, only to find this little nightmare...

I don't know if this is the best angle, but let me just tell you... this thing is bent. Bent enough that the weight of the slide on the needle will get it stuck in there. It's actually slightly worn away on one side of the hole in the top from the needle trying to muscle it's way out.

So alright, before I go and replace this thing... anyone have any ideas as to how this might have happened?

PaleForce · 07-12-2007

Here's something else to consider...

I've never seen the "collar" come out of the bottom of those carbs. So let's say, hypothetically speaking, they weren't in there... would the bike still run?

'Cause if that collar helps to guide the needle down into the holder... I could see how it would get mangled in the absence of said collar.

So what do you think...?

RedBird · 07-12-2007

Hmmm, the needle sits in the needle jet--a very small brass sleeve that is only a few mm tall. I believe it has a "ring" around it and it does only go into the carb one way, correctly. When you look into the throat of the carb from the air cleaner side, you can see the top of the needle jet and the needle going into the needle jet. I don't know if one could bend the needle jet holder if the needle jet were put in backwards or not. You didn't say whether the needle jet fell out when the needle jet holder was removed. There should be nothing holding it in the carb with the needle jet holder removed. If it doesn't come out easily, I would suspect it is jammed in the carb and possibly damaged also.

It sounds like you still have one "good" carb to compare with. I would suggest taking the needle jet holder out of the other carb--be careful and catch the needle jet before it drops so you can mark which way it goes back into the carb. Compare the parts, etc., and maybe you can get a good idea of what went wrong. If I were to guess with what info you have provided, I would guess that there were two needle jets put into the "bad" carb, somehow...but that is a wild *** guess on my part.

Also, when you "fix" this carb, don't forget to buy a new needle for it--the current one has probably worn a lot getting through that bend.

Good luck,
Larry

PaleForce · 07-13-2007

I called up my local Triumph dealer to enquire about parts, and after a couple minutes debating over the existence of the "Needle Jet Holder," they sent me a PDF of their parts diagram, and I can see why we were having this problem...

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Yeah, it's not there.

Dang mystery parts...