51 ES2 starting issues when hot

Grant,

This video shows the starting procedure that works best, my ES2 actually prefers a double tap on the carb and a bit of throttle, with the choke OFF. Personally I would not recommend full advance for start-up. It might be worth checking your carb float if you think it's flooding and I presume you have a new spark plug. Another trick I learned from an old chap is that when you arrive at your destination, turn off the fuel tap with the engine running and run it for a short period of time as you park up. This will drain the fuel in the carb so that when you restart the carb has fresh fuel in it. Also make sure the fuel tap is off when parking to reduce the chance of flooding. You are right, every bike is different so you'll soon find out what works best.

Hi Grant, your bike is practically identical to mine in condition and year and also in its starting idiosyncracies. What I've learnt is that it doesn't need much fuel in any permutation to get it going, in fact, quite the opposite. If I flood it from cold on the tickler, forget it. From hot, get the ignition a touch off full advance and leave the throttle alone until it's actually fired, that's the key for me, 100% success, every time. Unless of course someone is watching.

Adam

Hello Grant, your bike should have an little 'easy start' attachment on the idle speed screw on the carburettor. This will lift the air slide just enough to make the engine fire generally first pop with out touching the twist grip. Ittook awaythe guess work of how muchto open the throttle when kicking the motor through.

If I could work out how to post pictures here, or the link, I would show how it works!

Also, have the bike upright and not on the side stand because leaning over to the left will lower the fuel level around the top of the needle jet making it possibly harder to start.

Paul

The easy start makes it very easy! However the thread in my carb is quite worn so I try to start it without using the easy start(unless theres a crowd, then I play it safe). Barely take the slack out the cable and off it goes. Anymore than that and it doesn't want to know.

Enjoy

Andy

Is it possible to get the "easy start" t bars for the concentric a? They don't appear on the Amal site.

Previously grant_macneill wrote:

Hello NOC members

I have my 1951 ES-2 on the road at last and am having a great time !

Valves done, timing, compression, spark etc are all as it should be and it starts cold first or second kick.

The magdyno was rebuilt. The technician (who by the way is a genius in my humble opinion) discovered that my magneto was from a year or two later and rotation is backwards which will give a spark but a weak one. So this is corrected too.

But like every old bike Iâve had, starting the bike hot is an art-form to be learned by trial and error. Iâve found with my bikes that you only have one or two chances, then its flooded. Inevitably this happens at a gas station or a coffee shop when I have an audience. When alone the bike starts one kick. (grin)

Then I kick it over a few times at full throttle with the decompressor to clear it out then try again.

Eventually I triumph and get the bike startedâ?but at my age, if I have to kick the bike more than 10 times, I need to take a nap !

Soâ?any suggestions or advice would be welcome.

Iâve been told to still give it a touch of throttle but â?start hot with full advance for the best spark possible. That seemed to have worked for me a couple of times this week.

But Iâve only started it hot perhaps 20 times and seem to get varied results. And the hot summer weather is not here yet.

I realize that no two bikes are the same but any suggestions of what works for others might be useful for me.

Grant MacNeill, Toronto

Previously richard_richardson wrote:

Previously grant_macneill wrote:

Hello NOC members

I have my 1951 ES-2 on the road at last and am having a great time !

Valves done, timing, compression, spark etc are all as it should be and it starts cold first or second kick.

The magdyno was rebuilt. The technician (who by the way is a genius in my humble opinion) discovered that my magneto was from a year or two later and rotation is backwards which will give a spark but a weak one. So this is corrected too.

But like every old bike Iâve had, starting the bike hot is an art-form to be learned by trial and error. Iâve found with my bikes that you only have one or two chances, then its flooded. Inevitably this happens at a gas station or a coffee shop when I have an audience. When alone the bike starts one kick. (grin)

Then I kick it over a few times at full throttle with the decompressor to clear it out then try again.

Eventually I triumph and get the bike startedâ?but at my age, if I have to kick the bike more than 10 times, I need to take a nap !

Soâ?any suggestions or advice would be welcome.

Iâve been told to still give it a touch of throttle but â?start hot with full advance for the best spark possible. That seemed to have worked for me a couple of times this week.

But Iâve only started it hot perhaps 20 times and seem to get varied results. And the hot summer weather is not here yet.

I realize that no two bikes are the same but any suggestions of what works for others might

hi grant I have oned an es2 for for about 50 years starting .turn on the petrol prime the float turn on the easey starter if you must retart the ignition lever turn the engine over using the valve lifter find compression take the piston over onits way down give it a kick should start pirst time. hope this helps dick richardson.

Assuming that your mag and carb is all up to scratch I guess your problem is that you are starting it on full advance. At low engine speeds ie when starting, engines need little advance.

For my singles hot stars are no choke or tickle, get the piston over compression, a whiff of throttle, and half retard the lever. First time most times.

Also, very important is have you got a bakelit heat insulator between the engine and carb to prevent engine heat soaking into the carb?