Topic: Lowest possible float heights?

[camshaft1991]

I know for tuning bikes, float effects the performance of a bike. A higher float at rest is leaner, a lower float height is richer, and the opposite for fuel height.  If you lower your float height, can you counter that with jetting? Say you have a standard float height of 21mm like for a CB350F, what would be good theoretical minimum height? Also is there such a thing as extended/elongated jets? Sounds dumb but I ask because I’ve one time leaked gas before while riding a rough patch of road. They weren’t necessarily leaking but some gas would slosh out the overflow tubes. I live in New Orleans but I work on my bike in Baton Rouge. The one thing Baton Rouge has over New Orleans is smooth pavement. That’s saying a lot. Baton Rouge doesn’t have the best of roads but I can’t think of anything worse than New Orleans streets. I have an idea on the most comfortable routes in New Orleans, but that’s relatively comfortable. I’m not asking about what number jetting I should use but have any of y’all lowered your floats for situations like this?

When I’m back in Nola I post some pics to show you the nightmarish streets


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[Jessamine]

Oh man, I know those streets. Even worse on a bicycle, which was what I was on when I was there. Interested to hear responses to this-- I've never thought about it beyond getting it "correct"

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[MauiK3]

I’m no jetting guru but I think the bowl levels are fairly critical, you have to think about the pressures in the bowl, etc.
if the levels are too low it might lean out too much under a steady high load situation.

[camshaft1991]

I own a bicycle in New Orleans and I only ride it on the levy. I mostly drive for UBER/Lyft and I’ve seen too many cyclist get hit. Some had it coming like: riding without lights, riding down a one way the wrong way, running lights and stop signs, ect. But uh you can do all the right things as cyclists and still get hit.
I was driving Sunday night for a festival in New Orleans and I saw women and child on a bike get hit buy a guy running a light. Hit and run. I was at the same traffic light as the hit and run car a couple of cars behind. The cars in front of me took off after him. People started to swarm the two in the street, so I just blocked traffic until the police came. Thr boy was secure in the bike seat, somehow. Make me f-ing sick. I left because a cop told me to. And the dumbasses behind me kept honking even though I had hazard lights and blocked two lanes.
I love my city but Jesus Christ.


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[camshaft1991]

I’m no jetting guru but I think the bowl levels are fairly critical, you have to think about the pressures in the bowl, etc.
if the levels are too low it might lean out too much under a steady high load situation.

Steady high load like highway/interstate speeds, or high load for acceleration? The speed limits in the city are around 35mph or less, not including the interstate. However, if you merge into traffic you’re expected immediately to be at speed. Any less and you get some tailgating.

Really the best motorcycle for this city is like a track bike between 250cc and 450cc. You need to ride defensive and aggressive but not too much, because ultimately idiots have the right away . It’s a funny but sad truth


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[camshaft1991]

Don’t get me started on them 12 O’clock boys. It’s not as bad as Baltimore but it’s bad.


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[Spanner 1]

Lowest float setting for a 350F =21mm
Highest float setting for a 350F = 21mm.
Stop fcuking with floats. Need to be stock specs on every bike. Mess with jets if ya want, not floats

[PeWe]

Too high fuel level, fuel can flow into the engine when parked wiith petcock on and that is not good. Oil will be diluted with fuel.
If you'll see rich running idle you cannot jet away Probably too high fuel level (low height). Fix that by a fuel level 2-4mm under the float bowl gasket.
All carbs are not that easy to adjust this way. My Mikuni VM29 smoothbores matched this general fuel level adjustment.

My newer Mikuni TMR 32 had no problem with idle or signs of overflowing floats. I could not resist to measure all levels with 4 tubes at the same time to see them all at the same moment and bike leveled. I saw that carb 1 and 2 had higher levels so I adjusted them.
Later on I could not understand why same carbs ran leaner on the dyno at full throttle and higher rpm's until I remembered my fuel level adjustment. I bent the tangs back and next dyno showed better A/F ratio, not that lean anymore. The other way was to use bigger mains on those carbs.

[dave500]

#$%*ing hell the float height aint dead critical!what happens inside the bowls over rough roads,where does the fuel level go on long sweepers?what happens to the level on hard braking or hard standing start take offs?how about long steep hills up or down?what about dirt bikes?inside the bowl is like a washing machine!just get get em best you can,dont lose any sleep over half a mm or a whole one out!try holding a cup of coffee as you ride,get the idea?