Saving Old Seagulls

I have acquired a Bing Carb featherweight recently. At the moment it starts and then dies rapidly. And then won't start for some time again. So I have done the following:

New D16 plug and plug cap - spark seems ok.

Cleaned carb and jet very thoroughly- emptied fuel tank, fresh fuel, and replaced filter on the carb. Fuel is brand new, 25:1 mix.

Checked depth when starting in a tank of water all ok (actually starts and dies even when out of tank).

Checked block and head - no cracks or obvious defects.

So I still can't solve this which is very frustrating . Any ideas?

Thanks,

Mark

Are you starting with full throtle and choke on?

Well, I have tried all permutations, including that one!

The symptoms you describe seem to indicate fuel starvation.When the motor next stops unscrew the fuel bowl and see if there is fuel in it.
If not then check the air inlet screw in the tank cap,also the fuel tap has a fine gauze filter soldered to it (inside the tank),this could well be partially blocked,you could also check that the float needle is not sticking shut?
Good luck.

I had the same on an SJP. It has the villiers carb, not the bing. Everything was correct, start and die, every time! Found by trial and error (and lots of posts on SOS) the needle was set too low, even though it was correct?
Now runs like a dream. Hope this helps, but not sure about your carb.
Regards
Phil

Thanks for that. I am sure that the fuel lines and jet are clear. I was wondering whether the fault was somehow electrical - that the spark was too weak? Or maybe would an incorrect plug gap cause this fault? But your theory about the needle might be worth looking at. On the Bing, the level cannot be adjusted by a screw as it is on the villiers - there are grooved notches. It is on the second one from the bottom, which according to the manual is correct. So should I try it one notch up or down? I have to say, there is alot of play in the needle as fitted to the barrell/piston part of the carb (can't remember technical name!).

BTW, any views on Bing carbs? They seem quite rare. Should I cut my losses and look for a replacement Villiers carb?

Hi
best advice I can give is look at the plug after it starts and dies. This should help to decide if it is fuel or spark. Dry plug means no fuel, wet means no spark. I spent two weeks trying to get mine to run before moving the needle up to a very incorrect pos'n. Always started when flooded but then died.
From what I have been told the centre piece washer is too thick, meaning the jet is too high, hence having to raise the needle!
Regards
Phil

The story continues! I have just tried the featherweight again, having done nothing to it. And it started and ran - without stopping. So maybe it was just having an off-day last Saturday. But it sounds like it is four stroking. So still a mystery as to why it was playing up? What might be causing the four stroking, and is that related to its unreliability?

Hi Mark,
have you read my rantings about my 40+
It also had a day in the middle of my troubles where it ran ok, but it didn't last.
Four stroking is to do with mixture settings I think, after playing with mine for a while I could get it stroking all the time, but after getting the needle correct it tings along never missing once!
regards
Phil

But it sounds like it is four stroking

Four stroking is the result of a rich mixture. I use a Forty Featherweight with a Villiers carb with a 25:1 conversion on my tender. In order to get that to run without 4 stroking I have the needle set below the recommended lowest setting.

I must admit that the transom height is lower than it should be so that may be root cause in my case but I have not investigated, just pleased that I have been able to adjust it to run properly.

No mistaking four stroking. The sound and feel change from a continuous buzz to more of a pop, pop, pop, although not what I would call rough.

I agree with the others that the symptoms originally described sound more like fuel starvation. I would clean the jet yet again and clean it by poking a soft copper wire through it.

I seem to remember a fault i had a couple of years back(same as yours) same model etc. was caused by a previous owner re assembling the fuel filter incorrectly ie. the wrong way round........Just check and make sure its fitted properly.

Search the Main Forum for Bing Carb under Catigull author - that filter does only go on one way correctly, but I doubt that would stop it from running...

Couple of summers ago I found this out on Lake Cayuga in NY one night, and myself and SWMBO paddled our leaky Island 17 a mile or two...