Best carburetor to use?

[BoschZEV]

There isn't a Forum for Model F so I'm posting my question here. What is the group's wisdom on the best pre-WWII carburetor to use on an early 1920s Model F that will be ridden, not shown? The standard factors apply as to what constitutes "best" (i.e. consistent idle rpm, ability to tune to get reasonable mixture at all settings, etc.). Of course, whatever brand/model carburetor is identified it has to be available in a size appropriate for a Model F (whose inlet tract dia. I don't know at this moment).

Your help in answering this will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[T. Cotten]

There isn't a Forum for Model F so I'm posting my question here. What is the group's wisdom on the best pre-WWII carburetor to use on an early 1920s Model F that will be ridden, not shown? The standard factors apply as to what constitutes "best" (i.e. consistent idle rpm, ability to tune to get reasonable mixture at all settings, etc.). Of course, whatever brand/model carburetor is identified it has to be available in a size appropriate for a Model F (whose inlet tract dia. I don't know at this moment).

Your help in answering this will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Well, BoschZEV,...

"Consistent idle rpm, ability to tune to get reasonable mixture at all settings, etc." depends critically upon the security of the manifold assembly.
Thereafter, any thoroughly reconditioned carburetor that bolts up should do fine.

Naturally, your money is best spent on the original model (HX160?), but it is indeed cheaper to recondition a DLX, and much cheaper for a Linkert.
I suspect your manifold flange accepts nominal 1" models, and there were a variety produced, with the M-18 as late as 1958.

....Cotten

[BoschZEV]

any thoroughly reconditioned carburetor that bolts up should do fine.

Naturally, your money is best spent on the original model (HX160?), but it is indeed cheaper to recondition a DLX, and much cheaper for a Linkert.

Thanks very much for your response. Given what you wrote, let me ask a rephrased version of my question. If the performance of all properly reconditioned carburetors are about the same, which one goes bad faster with time (wear)? Ignoring the cost to recondition it, and given that you had complete freedom to use any pre-WWII carburetor you wanted on the H-D F, which would you use?

Given that people often "knowingly" repeat what they hear without actually knowing what they're talking about, I can only remember having heard bad things about Linkerts. However, I have no personal experience at all with any carburetors of that era, which is why I asked the question.

[T. Cotten]

Gosh BoschZEV!

I hear great praise for Linkerts, because now they can be fixed properly.
Those that b*tch about them either slopped them together, or over-looked the manifold aspect. No carb will run right with a vacuum leak (although modern designs can often mask problems, until it is too late. Then they blame the pistons, or valves, or headgaskets, yeah right.)

DLX Scheblers suffer from not only the ravages of decades longer duty, but they lacked a HS needle guide (which I remedy), and a slot between the idle bleed holes, that greatly improves tuneability when transitioning from the 'idle' circuit to the 'high speed'.
These two innovations pushed Linkerts to become the carburetors that fueled the true golden age of vintage American motorcycling.

The first thing to do before you shop for a carburetor is to make certain if you have the nominal 1" flange on the manifold, or perhaps 1¼".

....Cotten

[exeric]

Tom most certainly knows carburetors, and I would trust anything he says. Speaking from recent, and ongoing experience with Harley J model H series Scheblers, they are very difficult to rebuild, and can put you in the nut house trying to dial them in. Once they are correct, they seem to be quite reliable, as I have 4 motorcycles that use them. Parts for the H series Schebler can be difficult to find, and more difficult to find in good shape. The throttle shaft, and disk are by far hardest part to work on because the disk is always worn out, and it is soldered into place (hard to remove, and tricky to re-position, and solder the new disk). The throttle shaft is also a high wear item, and the carb body is not bushed so it will be worn out, and the body has to be drilled and bushed. I put up with the H model Schebler because I love the way they look, and I am a stickler for the correct carburetor

I'm sure Tom can recommend a good Linkert model # to look for. I've owned many H-Ds, and Indians with Linkerts, and it is "set, and forget". Very reliable carb, if you get someone like Tom to go through it.

[T. Cotten]

...Parts for the H series Schebler can be difficult to find, and more difficult to find in good shape. The throttle shaft, and disk are by far hardest part to work on because the disk is always worn out, and it is soldered into place (hard to remove, and tricky to re-position, and solder the new disk). The throttle shaft is also a high wear item, and the carb body is not bushed so it will be worn out, and the body has to be drilled and bushed. I put up with the H model Schebler because I love the way they look, and I am a stickler for the correct carburetor...

Exactly Eric!

Much of the ebay offerings are one-size-fitz-none.
That's why I must make discs and other parts one-off, and charge enormous fees, and turn away most because I am back-logged to the point of embarrassment.

But a Linkert is a bit easier!

Its still all about the manifold,

....Cotten

[BoschZEV]

I'm sure Tom can recommend a good Linkert model # to look for.

Thanks for the responses, guys. I now eagerly await Tom's advice on which Linkert model (or models) to look for.

[T. Cotten]

Folks!

Any Model M that bolts up can be made to service well..

But its all about the manifold flange... 1" for 61 inchers I am led to believe, and 1¼" for J's and such.

Each must be treated individually.

....Cotten

[BoschZEV]

Any Model M that bolts up can be made to service well..

Thank you!