1972 450CR

The ignition you have is the one on the 72 450cr I have and it starts and runs as it should. The mounting holes on the stator plate in the top picture looks like they're correct even though the plate look a little different from the one on the bike. If theres enough current the bike will start and run with no problem even at 16 - 17 degrees BTDC plus you won't break your foot from a kick back.

Keep in mind that when these ignitions get old they don't have a very strong current so its easy to flood the combustion chamber. In my experience it doesn't take much fuel to douse the flame especially when having to use the Bing tickler as a choke.

Heres where I got mine set at. Hope this helps.

Thanks Crash! I looked closer at your photo and realized my stator plate is slightly different. Taking this into consideration I removed all but one of the stator adjusting screws. This allowed me to get the pin to align through the flywheel and into the stator at TDC. I was then able to rotate the flywheel and stator assembly CCW to 16 degrees BTDC.

Locked it all down, trickled a little fuel in and she barked like a pissed Rottweiler.

John at vintage husky said the pin should drop into the stator at 2.5mm BTDC....I had not read that anywhere but I have it noted now!

Awesome, I'm glad you got it going. Heres an ignition timing chart that I found among all the Service Bulletins that others may find helpful.

Well it wouldn't be a restoration if you didn't hit a few snags now would it.

Today I went out to my very chilly 28f garage to putz on the Husky. I turned the fuel on only to find the carb dripping fuel from the drain hub so I did the rookie thing and put a wrench to it, fortunately I have enough experience to not strip the housing.

Next I pulled the carb and checked for a cracked overflow tube, didn't find a crack, then I checked the float needle and seat, sealed tight so no issue there. This leaves my float as a possible culprit. It felt heavy in my hand so I weighed it. 12.12 grams. Doing a search now to see what it should weigh in at but I think this is my problem.

I'll have to rethink the float saturation. They weighed in at 12.12 grams which seems to be okay from post I have read and they floated fine in gas. So I revisited the float needle valve. Holds pressure fine, float was set properly I measured roughly 45 cc of fuel in the float bowl. I reassembled the carb and filled it with fuel, no leak.

Then I used the tickler and before fuel came out the tickler overflow it began running out of the float bowl standpipe.

So, I started looking at the standpipe. I couldn't see any cracks and it protrudes about 3mm above the float bowl. I pressed out the brass standpipe and it is a 2mm diameter by 37mm length. I wonder it the standpipe needs to be higher above the float bowl or do I have a blockage somewhere that is not allowing fuel to run into the engine when I use the tickler and is going out the stand pipe instead?

Let me know what you guys think.

I'm a little lost on the terminology. When you speak of fuel coming from the drain hub are you referring to the area at the bottom of the float bowl where the brass overflow tube seats into? I guess I'm not clear on whether something is leaking fuel or if the float bowl is overflowing. Sorry for my lack of comprehension.

On the Bing 54 carbs I've worked on the overflow tubes have always been slightly higher than the rim of the float bowl. I've also had the Bings drip fuel out the overflow when cold only to stop once the bike was warmed up. I've also heard that float needle wear is a concern and changing out the needle on an old carb is a good idea.

sounds like a blocked vent, when you pump the "tickler" it seems to me you're pressurising the float bowl and forcing fuel out, i could be wrong but let me know how you get on, i'm right behind you with my progress and i'll learn from you getting it sorted

Thanks guys.
Crash, fuel is leaking out the overflow tube but only when I use the tickler.
Looney, I pulled the carb and put through an ultrasonic bath, checked every passageway
And all are clean.
As to the float needle and seat, those are new.
I noticed the replacement seat and needle are much different from what I took out. The new seat has no holes drilled for better fuel flow. The needle is spring loaded and slightly smaller than the one I took out.
I'll reassemble the carb tomorrow and see how it goes.

Looney, the tickler isn't like a pump its only a pin that when depressed forces the float down allowing the needle valve to open and fill the bowl until the pin is released. So I guess my point is that there wouldn't be any pressure created from using the tickler.

With the new needle valve and seat in place this sounds like a stuck float, i.e. the float hinge is hanging up somehow.

This is expected to happen as the fuel bowl fills above its shutoff point. The top of the tickler tube is far above the height of the overflow tube so when the tickler is pressed they would both leak if the flow of fuel from the tank is strong enough.

Glad to hear that the needle valve and seat are new, that eliminates those as possible problem sources. Fixing stuff is just a process of elimination. Check the float hinge for interference and if it looks okay just run the bike for a while and it may remedy itself. I also have had this happen for no apparent reason and it just fixed itself after running the bike a bit.

I did disassemble and clean the carb.

Set it all to spec which really isn't much of anything, float height air mix screw.

She filled with fuel fine, no problem there and no overflow.

Depressed the tickler and fuel runs out of the overflow tube before it flows into the carb throat.

So I not being real familiar with a tickler system have to ask is this the norm or not. Thinking this through, what if I put a taller float bowl overflow tube in? If I did this is what would happen. If the float stuck there would be a flood effect similar to having the tickler depressed.

By nature of this design I think anytime you use the tickler you will have fuel flow out the overflow tube until the engine is running and pulling fuel from the float bowl through the jetting; looking at the holes in the jets this is a large amount of fuel.

The overflow tube is just 2mm od, ID is very small so perhaps the greater amount of fuel takes the least path of resistance; that being the jets yet still runs out the overflow tube.

I don't like any kind of leak. I know there is a float bowl vent so I have to ask why have an overflow on the float bowl, can I do away with it?

While I ponder the carb I turned to the fuel tank. I haven't been able to source an affordable tank of the correct style for my 72. I did find a 73 CR tank, it is small and edgy compared to the 72 tank but will have to do. I de-rusted the interior and that came out pretty good. No bad rust and no leaks. Has a few small dents in the knee area but I'll leave those. I don't have the skill or tools to massage those out. I'll rattle can the paint, can't see speeding $450 to have it painted right when it's not the right tank for the year bike.

If I ever source a quality task for the year I'll spend the money and have John paint it. That is the goal.

The float bowl vent sits quite a bit higher than the overflow so the bike will flood terribly before fuel ever runs out the vent and besides the fuel will come out the tickler tube first. When pressing the tickler the fuel leaking from the overflow is the signal that the bike had been choked enough to be started when its cold. The fuel overflow is part of the Bing 54 legacy.

Back in the day I remember race bikes having mud on top of the engine from the fuel overflow mixing with the dirt. Its not that its necessary for the Bing carb to leak constantly, only a little when they're cold started. Since you don't like the leaks theres an aftermarket intake adapter you can find on Ebay once in a while that accepts a 38mm Mikuni. It helps performance as well.

The tickler holding the float down should easily exceed the amount lost out the overflow tube and continues to raise the level of fuel until it enters intake. On my 400 when cold starting, push tickler, once fuel is coming out the overflow continue to hold the tickler about 3 to 4 seconds. I judge the time by when the fuel starts dribbling out.
As you noted, after tickling, there is a volume of fuel that has to be burned off before getting to correct float level. The temporarily higher fuel level helps richen the cold engine since there is no cold enrichment circuits on the carb (other than the tickler).
Just did some work on the 400, was going to start it this evening. When I turned the fuel on, sure enough fuel starts running out the overflow (without pushing the tickler). So, the overflow let me see a problem that I would not have been aware of until I tried to start it and helped to prevent a flooded crankcase. I would be hesitant to eliminate it. Seen it too often with these carbs. Haven't pulled the float bowl yet.
By the way, I now have the correct #1 billet machined slide (from Bing Agency) like you have. I have a problem with the needle retainer not seating properly into the machined area in the bottom of the slide, as if the machined recess is not quite large enough diameter for the needle retainer. Are you having the same problem?

great post, thanks for the explanation, the last carb i played with was an electronic keihin FCR41MX on my TE so i'm not very knowledgeable, the Bing looks archaic by comparison!

Steve, excellent point for not eliminating the overflow.

All the conclusions I came to as well in regards to the overflow. I am ordering a 2mm OD brass standpipe with a .45 wall thickness. That should do well and I'll have to learn to live with the fuel overflow.

Steve I also had problem with that slide recess. I do not remember how I fixed it (old age) but I will look at it tonight and get back with you.

Yeah, short term memory doesn't serve me well anymore either. But I do still remember the 1st 450 Husky I ever saw...

If you rattle can the paint and you get fuel on it, it will come off. I use this stuff for gas tanks and it is fuel resistant. It looks wet when it is dry. Amazing stuff. You can get it on ebay all day for around $20 a can. I've done three tanks with it and it is a great product. Much cheaper than buying all the stuff to spray clear which would cost you at least a couple hundred $$$$$.

Spraymax 2K

http://usa.spraymax.com/index.php?id=851

Hey Scott! I was just thinking of you.

Sorry I haven't got back to any of you, My job has taken a different pathway and my work shifts have been bleeding into 16 hours on duty. Right now it's okay because it has been to cold the work in the garage.

So Steve, I wasn't sure how I got the needle holder in the slide but I pulled it apart and now know why I got it to fit. I used a needle clip that the Bing Agency supplied. The original did not set in there. Once I get a cord for my phone I'll upload a photo.

Scott! Thanks for the heads up. I'll see if they have a color close to the orange the 72 was painted if not I'll opt for the Husky Red.