'54 18S won't start

[Andy51]

Hi, Last year my '54 18S wouldn't start but a fellow E Berks member (thanks very much, Roger) came over with his electric starter rollers. He rapidly diagnosed valve timing 180 degrees out, re-set it and got the bike started with his rollers. It then started easily with the kickstarter, a job well done! Alas, there has been a lot going on in my life and I haven't ridden it since then. I got the bike out today to prep it for the forthcoming Jampot but couldn't get a cough out of it. The engine is untouched since last year, fresh petrol, good spark, petrol certainly getting through to the tickler, but zero result. Any suggestions/thoughts? Thanks, Andy.

[clive]

Clean the points, they oxidise if the bike is left a long time. Just some fine wet and dry folded over and pulled through the closed points a couple of times. Hope that's all it is.

[Tazmantic]

Hi, was the carb drained? Because this modern E fuel blocks up the carbs in no time at all.

[1608]

re-check the timing.

[Andy51]

Thanks for your suggestions. I cleaned the points and carb, and replaced the nearly new Amal monobloc with an Amal Concentric Mk 1 (both cleaned thoroughly with carb cleaner) that was on the bike a few years ago, flooded it using the tickler - result! It started 1st kick. I realise I have committed the cardinal sin of changing 2 factors at once, so I don't know what the fault was, but who cares, it runs. Cheers, Andy