AJS & Matchless Owners Club

It definitely didn't have one to start with when I bought it a month ago! That's why I didn't know it was missing. It's an unknown still. I hope to have it running sweetly by the end of the week! Motorbikes and women cause me no end of grief!

Plugsnpoints wrote: Motorbikes and women cause me no end of grief!

Good luck.
As one of my girlfriends said: "If it's got tyres or t*sticles it's bound to be trouble".

Bikes do go without a main jet. I recall Jampot rally at Oakhampton Devon years ago. My little AJS 1936 250 started running awful. Not sure if it was 2 or 8 stroking, certainly did not run like a 4 stroke. Until you opened the throttle then it flew. As revs dropped going up hill back to the rally site two up, it almost died. Took the nut off the bottom of the mixing chamber and the main jet fell out. Not only that, I found the carb just hanging on the studs, nuts were only hanging by a couple of threads. I had to wonder if someone had been trying to nic its unusual, horizontal mixing chamber carb, while the bike was parked in town.

Anal carbs and nuts falling off, whatever next

1608 wrote:Anal carbs and nuts falling off, whatever next

The anal carb is a race version of the oral carburettor...

This is starting to get to me now!



The ignition timing is spot on (1/2" before TDC fully advanced), a new set of points (15 thou gap), condenser and plug. The HT lead is good and coil connections good.

The carb has been stripped, cleaned, blown out, it has new fibre washers. new float seat and new float needle. The main jet (correct one) is now installed. The mixture screw is 1 1/2 turns out.

I give it a little tickle and away it goes.


It pops and bangs but still won't rev. It dies when I open the throttle. It pops and bangs with the odd flame out of the exhaust.



Has anyone got any more ideas please? The advance retard unit is free but looks worn. Are these still available?

There's bags of compression


Thanks in advance (excuse the pun!)

Flame from exhaust = way too rich.

It's hard to determine the cause. If the float level is right, there is maybe something wrong with the metering needle. It does have needle fitted, yes? And it's on the middle notch?

Hi. yes the needle is on the middle notch. I have checked it but will make sure tomorrow. Thanks

Look at the magneto chain tension. If it is too tight the unit will not advance/retard. Try turning the unit whilst the engine is stopped. It should advance and then snap back. If it does not it is probably the chain too tight. It does need a fair bit of play. Unfortunately the pins holding the bob weights do wear. The club sells the return springs.

clive wrote:Look at the magneto chain tension. If it is too tight the unit will not advance/retard. Try turning the unit whilst the engine is stopped. It should advance and then snap back. If it does not it is probably the chain too tight. It does need a fair bit of play. Unfortunately the pins holding the bob weights do wear. The club sells the return springs.

Thanks Clive, it's a later points and coil model though.