1930 AJS R8 Carburettor

Information relating to Matchless and AJS Models built prior to 1939
upperstoker
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1930 AJS R8 Carburettor

Post by upperstoker »

What would be the most suitable carburettor for a 1930 AJS R8?
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thornebt
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Re: 1930 AJS R8 Carburettor

Post by thornebt »

I've got no idea but this photo of a 1930 R8 might help? Cheers. Bruce.
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upperstoker
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Re: 1930 AJS R8 Carburettor

Post by upperstoker »

Great image, many thanks. Very nice looking machine, is this your R8 Bruce?

I see you are posibly Somerset based, I am in west Wiltshire may be not so far away.
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Rob Harknett
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Re: 1930 AJS R8 Carburettor

Post by Rob Harknett »

There is little info in Instruction books and workshop manuals on what type carbs were used Alan. As you have probably discovered. Carbs and parts are not even listed in parts lists. The only literature I have that gives any clues is Amal. Which states carb types used on various engine c.c. and types. For 1930 500 c.c. OHV it is Amal Type 27 carb. Type 29/004 was used in 1932 with 80 jet, 29/4 throttle valve on needle position 2. I do not know how that differed from earlier type 27. All the Amal literature is in the archives. Perhaps someone with an R8 in the prewar e group will advise what they are using for todays fuels, which are about 20 octane higher than fuels used in 1930. This relates to 1930 bikes and type 27 carb.
http://archives.jampot.dk/technical/Car ... -_1930.pdf
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Rob Harknett
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Re: 1930 AJS R8 Carburettor

Post by Rob Harknett »

thornebt wrote:I've got no idea but this photo of a 1930 R8 might help? Cheers. Bruce.
The carb looks odd to me on this bike, with its mixing chamber on the right. Perhaps the owner just fitted it the wrong way round.
Perhaps it is the 1931/32 carb that did have the mixing chamber on the right.
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thornebt
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Re: 1930 AJS R8 Carburettor

Post by thornebt »

upperstoker wrote:Great image, many thanks. Very nice looking machine, is this your R8 Bruce?

I see you are posibly Somerset based, I am in west Wiltshire may be not so far away.
No, it's not my bike. I wish it was. I just Googled AJS R8 and got this:-

http://www.vintagebike.co.uk/pictures/1 ... R3jJdy1vcs

Of course it may not be the original carb as Rob says. There are quite a few photos of R8s in Google Images and the carbs look similar on all of them as far as I can see. Cheers. Bruce.

P.S. I'm in Cheddar.
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Rob Harknett
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Re: 1930 AJS R8 Carburettor

Post by Rob Harknett »

Not much of that R8 Bruce and not much of it R8. Note that does have the mixing chamber on the left, but a single port engine is not R8 which was twin port. Forks pre 1929 type. Not looked further.
upperstoker
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Re: 1930 AJS R8 Carburettor

Post by upperstoker »

The archive pdf on Amal & Binks Carbs is very interesting so thanks for the link.

Type 27 cab looks like it was used for grass track racing machines particularly as it appears to have twin float cambers. A little sporty for my R8 combo!

I have another lead which suggests Amal Type 6/024 but this sounds like a part for a carb rather than the complete assembly. I will try Burlen in Salisbury to see if they have any info.

Thanks for your help.
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Rob Harknett
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Re: 1930 AJS R8 Carburettor

Post by Rob Harknett »

I cannot find out what 6/024 fits however it would be a later Amal carb, circa 1933 onwards. 29/004 was used 1932. AJS did use racing type cabs on OHV models. Your best bet is to get info from an owner in the e group. I am sure Swen will respond eventually, maybe some one else. There is a lot more info in the archives. I only gave one link. Look under technical / carburation. where you see a number, that is just one file. Where you see DIR if click on those titles will open another whole list of files. Not so long ago I had loan of about 100 Amal items, which made Amal a very large section. So the files were grouped in various directories, hopefully to ease navigation trying to find what you want. Settings, being lists of carbs parts and what bikes they fit, also hints and tips directory , related parts DIR for levers etc. These old carbs are difficult to find and costly, so worth being patient to discover what is best for your bike, so you get what you can use. If you have a carb that is not correct offering that as a swap for what you need, is better that a pocket full of money..
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Rob Harknett
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Re: 1930 AJS R8 Carburettor

Post by Rob Harknett »

I knew I had it somewhere. Just had a look to see if I could find the missing 1930 AJS info. This could take a day to find or miss it in the stack of crates and boxes in the loft.. In just 5 mins and I found my 1930 carb list for all marques. Plus the 1930 supplement for the 1929 2nd edition Haycraft workshop manual.
Your lead was 6/024 , should that had been 6/004 ? forget it anyway, that's for R9 500 SV. I did discover 29/004 was used in 1932, I can now confirm that is also correct for 1930 R8. The 1930 Amal document I found was not even printed. It was a type writer copy. I think they used to type them out then roll off like stencilled copies on a machine made by Gestetner. The print is very faint so I will have to scan and photo shop it. It does also show, bore, jet size, needle position, throttle valve and float chamber type. So info to follow when its scanned a readable.
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