Ariel Owners Motorcycle Club

On my 1955 VH500 with alloy head I have very little room under the tank for the cables exiting the monobloc carb. The tank rubbers are the standard ones supplied by Drags with the thicker rubber between the tank and the frame bracket. Even so, the throttle cable is squashed where it leaves the carb and the choke cable is worse. Does anyone have a similar problem and if so were you able to find and use cable elbows?
I thought I had seen monoblocs with cable elbows on the top but a search on the internet has failed to find any.
Dennis

Perhaps try a plain ferrule into the top with an online adjuster?

Simes,
Thank you for the suggestion I'll consider giving it a try.
I wonder if anyone has raised the tank height using additional spacers?
Dennis

Hi Dennis

As per Simon, I use plain fittings into the carb top and mid cable adjusters, if all else fails, Burlen can supply:

https://amalcarb.co.uk/cable-ferrule.html

If you want to investigate ferrule bends, Venhill are a good starting point:

https://www.venhill.co.uk/cables-and-co ... bends.html

Regards Mick

I have used exhaust mount rubbers fora mini (car) to replace the bolt and rubber spacers used originally. This has the advantage of completely rubber mounting the tank, but the disadvantage of raising the tank height and affecting the clearance with the yoke on full lock. I made a small bracket to wrap around the frame stops to restrict the amount of steeking lock, a bit inconvenient when manouvering in a tight space but not a major hinderance.

Pete and Mick, thank you for your advice. Following Simon's suggestion I have bought cables with mid adjusters. I already have a spare carb top suitable for ferrules. I am loath to raise the tank in a new way as I have already fitted new bolts and rubbers. Also I had not thought about the steering fouling the tank. Looking more closely I do not think there is room to use cable elbows without raising the tank therefore ferrules seem to be my only option.
Dennis

The rule is one adjuster for the carb cables, either on top of the carb or in the cable. The other rule is that they are on top of the carb unless there isn't room. The correct set up for the 500s is with adjusters in the cables. All this is listed on the Draganfly web site.

Roger,
Many thanks for the information. I have bought air and throttle cables with mid- adjusters.
I am having problems starting the bike and I think it is carb related. I have bought a used monobloc carb and when it arrives I will see if that improves starting. I think it is a carb problem because on the few occasions I have managed to start the bike it runs for a few minutes and then cuts out. That leads me to believe that the timing is correct.
I inadvertently put E10 petrol in the tank. I don't know if that will affect starting and running so I have drained the tank ready for E5 or E0 if I can get it. Almost every petrol station I have used in the last few weeks only sell E10 or "Performance E5" at some inflated price. 'Normal' E5 seems to have vanished.
I have a '55 VH500 with alloy head and i think high compression piston. Not sure if I have a "performance" cam.
Dennis

Dennis,

For what it's worth I use E10 without any obvious issues and I usually have first-kick
starting. I think that with the right technique a big single, well set up, should be
one of the easiest things to start with a kickstart.

Your problem could well be carburettor-related but in my experience bad starting
often features a poorly magneto. A fat, blue spark at the plug with the plug out
is no guarantee that the magneto is sparking properly with the plug in place in the
head.

You say if you can get it started it stops after a couple of minutes - how does it run
while it's running: do you have to keep blipping the throttle? Does it spit and pop?

Not part of the question but when the monobloc came out it had a few detractors and the concentric is a far better thing IMHO. Nev