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Messages - Harold 400/4
1
« on: September 01, 2026, 04:35:33 PM »
Pete. Just had another thought. It would be worth checking the choke cable as well. If the inner cable has corroded, or the cable is kinked, it may be fighting against the return springs on the choke shafts and not allowing the chokes to return to their fully open position??
Keep us posted!
Cheers
Harold
2
« on: September 01, 2026, 03:57:39 PM »
Hi Pete. I had my PD46A carbs apart a while back to sort a fuel leak.
The butterflies are on two separate shafts, one for carbs 1 and 2 and one for carbs 3 and 4.
These shafts link together between carbs 2 and 3, and there are two springs here which hold the two shafts so the flaps are in the horizontal position. You can see one of the springs to the right of the first photo in your post.It was a right fiddle firstly getting the shafts in the correct position, and secondly attaching the two springs.
I would check the springs to make sure they have not snapped, or become dislodged. Also make sure the two shafts are positioned/connected correctly.
I agree the screws on the butterflies look to have been replaced. The originals were peened to ensure they wouldn’t come loose, but it is tricky to do this with replacement screws. As a minimum, the replacement screws need a good dob of threadlock.
As an aside, if you do have to separate the carb bodies, I recommend you renew the O rings on the 3 tubes which allow the fuel to flow to each carb. It’s a 2 minute job once the carbs are apart but a right pain to do otherwise.
Hope this helps.
Cheers
Harold
3
« on: August 03, 2026, 09:54:09 AM »
I dropped in to Goodwood a while back on my bike. I was sitting in the sun enjoying a coffee when a guy wandered over in flying kit. We had a quick chat about bikes etc, and he walked off towards the aircraft parking area.
About 10 minutes later, he came back and said he was taking a Stearman up for a flight to keep his hours up, and had a spare seat, so would I like to go with him. I thought this man is a complete stranger, the aircraft is circa 1930s, I’d be mad to accept his offer. So I did. We went for a 45 minute flight out over the channel, and he let me take the controls for a spell. The seating in a Stearman is tandem, so I was in the front. It was incredible.
When we landed I offered to pay for the fuel, but he declined. I bought him a bacon sarnie and a coffee.
He said he was in the army, and when I pressed for more details, he just said he was in ‘logistics'.
That was quite a day!
4
« on: December 27, 2025, 08:23:55 AM »
Apologies, it’s not a Honda or SOHC.
Managed a blat on the Francis Barnett Merlin yesterday. It's 1948, Villiers engine, rigid frame, girder forks.
It’s 3bhp, but such good fun to ride. The hand gear change is still a bit of a challenge, but it’s one of those bikes that makes you grin ear to ear when you're on it. It’s happiest at about 30mph, although allegedly it will do 40mph. Weather looks great today here in the South but it is getting a bit nippy for me.
Hope Santa 🎅🏼 bought you those bike bits you were after. Happy New Year!
5
« on: October 01, 2025, 07:36:51 PM »
Hi Alex. A pal I volunteer with has just had exhausts chromed by an outfit in Alton, Hants. Not a million miles from you. He partially fabricated them, but used the original headers. 4 week lead in with good results.
Worth chatting to them. Silvabronz. Let us know how you get on.
6
« on: September 30, 2025, 04:29:31 PM »
Thanks Johnny. PM sent 👍
7
« on: September 30, 2025, 06:59:30 AM »
Hi James. Many thanks for the offer, but as it’s just the one spring I need, I will decline.
Good luck with the sale.
8
« on: September 29, 2025, 08:27:05 PM »
Does anyone have a spare mixture screw spring I could buy pls?
Carbs are PD46A and I’m currently overhauling. Took the 4 mixture screws out, and one of the springs is in two pieces. All the other parts seem OK other than the O rings which I’ll renew.
Many thanks
Harold
9
« on: September 28, 2025, 09:04:47 PM »
Thanks for the replies. Having read how tricky it was to get the push fit jets out, I thought it was pretty likely I’d damage them getting them out, so I’ve got a new set coming from Sirius in Canada. They are #38s.
As it happens, I used some Plusgas, put some fuel pipe over the jets and they came out fairly easily with some pliers with no damage.
I agree with you guys in that if it ran OK before with the #42s it should be fine. The jets I have taken out are pretty mucky so a good clean should improve things.
I got the O rings size from a previous post on here, and N Julie supplied them (Viton). Thanks NJ 👍
10
« on: September 28, 2025, 06:14:39 PM »
Hi all. I’ve got my PD46A carbs in bits, as I had a fuel leak which turned out to be hardened O rings on the fuel supply tubes between the carbs.
Thought I’d give the jets etc a clean up while I had them apart. Got the push fit slow jets out and they are #42 whereas the manual suggest they should be #38. I have seen some comments that the K3 did in fact have #42 jets from the factory.
I'm running standard pipes and air filter etc, and bike ran OK before the fuel leak started, although it was always a bit of a pain to start.
Is there any point in putting in #38 jets instead of the existing #42??
Any advice gratefully received.
Many thanks. Harold.
11
« on: September 08, 2025, 02:04:46 PM »
Looking for advice pls.
I’ve got an annoying oil leak from my sump bolt. It’s only a minor leak but I need to sort. The sump threads look fine and the bolt torques up OK. I have tried a new crush washer, but to no avail. There is no sign of any cracking to the sump.
What I have noticed is the surface on the sump where the washer sits is scored, and the old washer I took off is also scored. I am thinking this may have happened as a result of the sump not being properly cleaned of muck when previous oil changes were done??
Is this scoring enough to cause the slight leak I am experiencing? If so, what’s the best way to sort??
Cheers
Harold
12
« on: August 27, 2025, 02:37:30 PM »
Thanks guys.
Great to hear from you Ken!
All the best for a speedy recovery. 👍
13
« on: August 26, 2025, 04:21:43 PM »
Hi. Hoping for some help please.
My 550 K3 is leaking fuel from the carbs (the dreaded PD type 😎)
I have traced it to the metal fuel supply pipe between the carbs, and I think the O rings on each end have had it, and fuel is seeping out.
Nurse Julie has kindly supplied replacement O rings, thanks NJ.
My question relates to the screws on the choke flaps. Apologies if this has been covered before. I need to remove the choke flaps to separate the carbs, and the screws are peened if that the the right term??
I have found a Honda bulletin which says that when you put them back, you should use hex screws and a locking type washer which you bend up to stop the screws working loose and disappearing into the engine.
Has anyone done this, or has a source for the screws and lock washers?
Is there an alternative method?
Many thanks
Harold
14
« on: March 29, 2025, 09:35:05 AM »
Hi Martin. I have one of these going spare if you’re interested?
My brother in law has a carpet/flooring shop, and he very kindly laid a pukka vinyl floor in my shed. He also sorted me some squares of ply with carpet glued to one side. So for each bike, I put the centre stand on the section of ply, carpet downwards, and the bikes slide across the floor pretty easily. Hence the dolly is going spare!
Let me know if you’re interested in the dolly. I'm not a million miles from you, so could easily drop it off. Cheers
15
« on: March 05, 2025, 08:02:56 AM »
Very Spring-like yesterday with dry roads and 12C. Went for a blat on the 400/4 which is running well apart from a high tickover when hot.
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