Adjusting float height cb550 f2

[JustcallmeMrT]

Before I go making a bunch of adjustments, I'm hoping the experts out there clarify a few things.  I'm ready to set the float heights on my carbs, 22mm from top of floats to mounting surface of the carb.  Problem I have is that the floats I have are a rounded top, whereas what I see in my haynes manual have a flat top.  If I measure 22mm to the top of the rounded surface, it seems like these floats have to move in by nearly 10mm, which doesn't seem right.  However, if I measure to where the line at which the rounded top begins, they're pretty close. Is this where I measure to?
Hope you can see what I mean in the pictures.
Can anyone advise?

[JustcallmeMrT]

[deltarider]

My advise: don't "adjust" anything. Float heights are always right in my experience unless PO messed with them (this ofcourse after reading "interesting stuff" in manuals). My floats are in there for over 130.000 kms and have never needed adjustment. BTW, this floattang bending has become epidemic in the International site. Please don't spread it here.

[Trigger]

I can not comment at the moment. Just came out a bar and on my way to a club. Tomorrow!

[Bitsa (Ralph Wright - RIP)]

Trig
So you do like the finer things of life
Cheers
Bitsa

[Trigger]

Bitsa,
I would not call it that. In a bar in Thessaloniki with a Turkish guy that has a CB750K1 and he wants the bike stripped, engine re-built and the frame stoved but, wants the rest of the bike kept as it is. Business as normal  

[JustcallmeMrT]

I can not comment at the moment. Just came out a bar and on my way to a club. Tomorrow!

I look forward to the wisdom, I'm a bit confused!

[JustcallmeMrT]

The measurement is taken from the top of the floats, so the upper most surface, round or not.

Also the measurement is taken with the floats hanging down not upside down like you have them. The idea is that when they reach the specified level it should just shut the fuel flow off, there is a few ways of doing this, you can adapt a float bowl lower drain screw to use a small piece of plastic piping which you mark at the correct height, switch the fuel on and you can see the level of the fuel in the chamber by holding the piping against the outside of it, harder to explain than to do. Or you used to be able to buy perspex float bowls which were marked. Very easy to see what height the fuel was at with those but I haven't seen those for some years now.

Float height can have a lot of effect on the bikes running if set incorrectly, however once set they very rarely go out of adjustment in my experience.

I thought the measurement was taken when the float tang was just touching but not depressing the valve pin?
I've seen a YouTube video of someone using the clear tube method to set fuel level on a carb from a KTM...

[Trigger]

Have you cracked MR T ? I stand the carbs up on there ends to do the float height.

[JustcallmeMrT]

Have you cracked MR T ? I stand the carbs up on there ends to do the float height.

I laid them on their sides, so that none of the weight of he float depressed the needle.  Then I adjusted to 22mm, measured from top of the float to the carb bowl mounting surface.  Hope its right?!?

[Spitfire]

This might help
http://www.salocal.com/sohc/tech/carb/asmpg_mgs/flthgt.htm

Cheers

Den

[JustcallmeMrT]

This might help
http://www.salocal.com/sohc/tech/carb/asmpg_mgs/flthgt.htm

Cheers

Den

Thanks spitfire!  I found that article too, as far as I can tell, I've done it right. 

[matthewmosse]

I suspect I will be doing this soon, the one bit of my bike that I suspect caused a few issues in its last few years on the road, and one job I have not yet got to grips with. I hate carbs (well working on them)

[JustcallmeMrT]

I suspect I will be doing this soon, the one bit of my bike that I suspect caused a few issues in its last few years on the road, and one job I have not yet got to grips with. I hate carbs (well working on them)

Well I have no idea if I've gotten to grips with it either, but it's the first bike related job I've ever done... hope they work!  Everyone here has been amazingly helpful, thanks to all for the responses!