Float lvl adjustment help

[erkishhorde]

So I decided to tinker with the float levels and I've got a question. I've been following the Ducati Suite guide. Before I started tinkering the floats were slightly springy and if I pushed on them they'd spring back up a bit. But now that I've bent the tabs to adjust the height they are no longer springy.  Is there a special way to bend the tab?

I pretty much took this:   fixed end l___      and made it this: fixed end l_              not that exaggerated but you get what
                                                                                                   \
I mean. Should I try to flatten it out like this:    fixed end l_           so that the spring on the end of the little fuel adjuster
                                                                                \_
rod thingy touches a flat area instead of an angled area?

Or does it not really matter at all that it's not springy while the unit is upside-down and I'm working on it?

[Howie]

I'm having a hard time following your diagrams, but you do not want to upset the float tang to needle angle.  The needle should be perpendicular to the tang.

[erkishhorde]

I'm having a hard time following your diagrams, but you do not want to upset the float tang to needle angle.  The needle should be perpendicular to the tang.

Yeah, that's what I was trying to get at. When I bend the tab, the float tang is at an angle to the need. I figured that was bad. I'll need to play with bending it some more. Thanks.

edit: Just finished setting it as howie mentioned (keeping the back of the float needle perpendicular to the float tank) and the spring works properly now. Now I just need to put it back together to see if I adjusted it to the right level.

[ScottRNelson]

Just finished setting it as howie mentioned (keeping the back of the float needle perpendicular to the float tank) and the spring works properly now. Now I just need to put it back together to see if I adjusted it to the right level.

I must be missing something here.

When I adjust the height of a carburetor float, I measure the height, pull the pivot pin out, remove the float, bend the tab a little bit, put it back, put the pin back in and measure again.  The entire process takes about a minute.  It usually only takes three times at most to get the float height where I want it, so five minute at the worst.

What is it that you have to put back together to see if it's adjusted to the right level?

Normally, if the measurement is correct it's at the right level and you don't need to touch it again.  It's a separate issue if the carburetor is jetted properly.  If you've done all you can with changing jet sizes and adjusting the metering needle height, sometimes as a last resort you adjust the float up or down by a millimeter or two to get it a tiny bit richer or leaner.  But that's normally only a last resort action.

[erkishhorde]

Normally, if the measurement is correct it's at the right level and you don't need to touch it again.  It's a separate issue if the carburetor is jetted properly.  If you've done all you can with changing jet sizes and adjusting the metering needle height, sometimes as a last resort you adjust the float up or down by a millimeter or two to get it a tiny bit richer or leaner.  But that's normally only a last resort action.

Yeah, that last part is what I'm trying to do. Make it run just a little bit richer.