Villiers MW Carb

[kerabo]

Has anyone had experience with the Villiers MW 2 lever carb?
I have one on a 1936 Francis Barnett.
The bike although old has done  little work. The jet and needle is correct according to the book.
If I set it to idle correctly it's trying to 4 stroke when on the last 1/4 throttle.
If I set it not to 4 Stroke it's weak at idle and slow to get away.
I was wondering what part the 2 Compensating tubes play in this?  I assume they let air in .
Would changing these for smaller make it richer at low revs?
Thanks Ken

[R]

I'll bite, and show my ignorance - what does an MW carb look like when its at home ?

[33d6]

It’s a rider problem Ken, not a carb problem. Villiers take a few miles to warm up so you start off rich and slowly lean it off as it warms up. It’ll take you a few hundred miles to get really familiar with it. In six months you’ll wonder why people have a problem.

Compensation tubes only come in one size. As long as they’ re clear they’re fine.

Stop faking about. Get out and ride the darned thing.

[john.k]

Old 2 strokes do four and 8 stroke.........its the Japs that sorted them out and got them running smoothly and evenly.

[33d6]

Ken, I suspect most of your problem revolves around how you have your throttle set up. Villiers intended your engine to be controlled by their factory throttle lever. Not a twist grip. They also intended the engine to stop when the throttle lever was closed.
Standard road bike twist grips in those days had a friction adjustment that you tightened up to give a similar action to the factory lever. It did not close when you took your hand off it. You still want the engine to stop when you completely close the throttle. For an idle you just don’t quite turn it right off.
This set up makes a hand gearchange much easier to use and allows you to give good clear hand signals without the engine dying. Completely closing the throttle on the over run also eliminates most four stroking.
Give it a try.