Should your Bing sink?

[pketchum]

When I tickle my model 54 Bing carburetor on my '79 KTM 250 MC/turned GS, it fills the float bowl so full that fuel flows past the bowl gasket surface onto the crankcase.  In your experience is this normal?

I called Bing today and the VERY NICE lady I spoke with (the technician was at lunch) said this gasket isn't a fuel sealing gasket, but more of an air sealing gasket.  She said she'd sell me a gasket but didn't feel it would solve my problem.  All my prior experience has been with Mikuni's so I thought I'd ask for your opinion.


Thanks,

Phil

[Kip Kern]

Phil,  Are you sure its coming from the gasket area or is it coming from the underside of the carb where there is a drain tube in the/some bowl(s)?  If it is for sure coming from the gasket, I would change it (cheap insurance) and check your float level (see shop manual) to ensure it is at proper height.  While you have the carb apart, check the float needle and seat to make sure it isn't "groovy" baby:(  The purpose of the tickler is to push down on the float, simulating empty bowl syndrom, and opening the float needle so fuel will get in the carb ASAP.  CIAO

[tlanders]

Pentons need a lot of gas to start when they are cold. I was told a trick that seems to work. You tickle the carb until the gas pours out the overflow like what I think is happening to you Phil, then you grab the overflow and lift it up and keep tickling it so that more gas pours into (not onto) the crankcase through the carb. Or you tickle the carb until it overflows, then crank it a couple times, if it doesn't start right away, tickle it some more - then it will start.
Pentons always start right away except if you are cleaning out the inside of the engine with a shop towel, then it takes a bunch more kicks. See other post about Diamond Don's race.

Teddy

[pketchum]

Kip/Teddy,

It's definitely coming from the gasket area.  I told the nice lady at Bing about your unique starting procedure, that I've successfully adopted, and she'd never heard of that before.  She did suggest that I use a small diameter brass wire and run it through the choke circuit orifice in the bottom of the float bowl.

Phil

[AndyL]

P3,
If it is indeed leaking fuel at the gasket between the carb body and the float bowl, I would guess that you have a couple of possibilities.

One would be that you have a couple of loose screws:D!  Check to make sure that the carb bowl screws are tight enough.

Two would be that you have a kinked/rolled or messed up gasket on the bowl and it is allowing fuel to leak out.  The bowl gasket could "seep" some gas but it shouldnt "leak" it out.

Just drop the bowl and double check the gasket, while you are at it do like Kip said and double check your float height.

Also, I did get some time to mess with that green bike you left with me.  Carb issue is fixed and I will move on to the forks next.  Oh and Tim the UPS guy brought me a package.

Andy

[john durrill]

Phil,
 I would drop the Float bowl and check for cracks or warpage of the carb and bowl mateing surfaces. Replace the gasket. Its cork and can get dry and not seal properly. I would get 2 and have one standind by. The shipping would be a lot more than the gasket price.
 When you hold the tickler down it depresses the float and allow's fuel to fill the bowl . Fuel should run into the intake track. Thats normal. It would raise the fuel level in the bowl almost to the top as long as the plunger is depressed. Thats what the KTM engine need to Start cold with th Bing on.
 You can make up a gasket but its a job and buying one is a lot easier as long as you have the time to wait for it to arrive.
John D.

[tlanders]

Andy,

Are you coming to the ISDTVQ??

Phast Phil says you have no excuses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We need more Pentons than any other marque to win the highest number of any marque contest.

Teddy

[dkwkid]

Are you sure fuel isn,t coming out of the tickler itself? They are not sealed and fuel will come out when depressed-thats when you know its ready to go.Every Bing I have had will spew fuel out when tickled.
Out here in Calif we diconnect the choke circuit-it,s not needed.Some of the Desert guys used the choke cicuit on long fireroads or dry lakebeds to richen things up a bit so she wont sieze on the mainjet.
I know you guys back east wont understand what "topend" is!:D

[tlanders]

I don't know if you consider Oklahoma back East, but I was pinned in 6th gear many times during the ISDTRR last fall.

Teddy

[Gavin Housh]

Teddy, try this next time you need to start cold. Tickle the Bing until gas flows out the overflow tube. Then put the transmission into second gear. Now with the clutch out (engaged) rock the bike forwards and back. This will move the piston up and down pulling gas into the crank. Get a good boot on it and you should be able to get it to fire without to much trouble. Gavin