Amal Monobloc Reconditioning

[bl**dydrivers]

Is there a company out there I can send my Amal 389/47 carburetor to and have it completely reconditioned?
In England or USA.

I hear the new Amal carbs are not to the same quality as the old original carbs.

Thanks

[KiwiGF]

I have a new Amal, quality seems fine to me  and I've not heard bad things from those that have bought one personally but more to the point, if an Amal is reconditioned by sleeving the slide I would regard THAT as a poor quality fix! It must weaken them mustn't it?

Also, most old original monoblocs (apart from having worn slide bores) have distorted bodies from the bolts being done up too tight, it's a weakness they have, whilst this can often be fixed there must come a point when it's better to replace them not fix them, given that is now a option....just my 2 cents worth 

[Tomcat]

Ive just put a new Monoblock on the Super Rocket and other than an idle adjustment it has been fit and forget. 
Sounds like someone who re-sleeves carbs doesn't sell new ones???

[Slippery Sam]

+1 for new Amal.
My new Amal - fit and finish is superb, service was good (excellent actually) and it operates perfectly (like Tomcat mine needed a tiny bit of idle adjustment and nothing else).
You'd barely get an hour of labour and 2 way shipping for the cost of a new one far less the cost of spares and service parts.  A very quick google and I see clean and re-build services offered for around £60 not including parts (or machining time for sleeves or any other repairs) or shipping.
Go on treat your self to a new one!
Raymond.

[jachenbach]

I had the Concentrics sleeved by Fair Spares (USA) many years ago and results were fantastic. A friend in Nampa, ID who has a business restoring classic Brit bikes has told me the new Amals are far superior to the old ones, but I as yet have no personal experience with them.

[metalflake11]

New Amal (concentric) for me, two in fact over the years. Both only needed tiny mixture screw adjustments and idle adjustment. Only buy from Burlem though, the W****** ones are not good.

The new version of the concentric is a massive improvement on the old ones. I had a blockage in the pilot jet, and being able to take it out of the body is a big bonus. Also the slide and body don't wear out anything like the old ones.

I wouldn't even consider a rebuild personally.

[morris]

New for me thanks.
Only if it where a new needle, jets and gaskets I would consider a refurbish.   
Burlen offer good quality parts. Had a new monobloc from them a couple of years ago. Still leak free and no need of fiddling whatsoever.
Ordered a Burlen refurbishing kit for the SU on the Morris also. It badly leaked, but since then dry as a bone.

[ellis]

Bought my 389/45 new from Burlem. A great company to deal with and a 1st rate product. I would not even consider a refurb. Buy new and just enjoy the riding experience.   

[frozennorth]

I agree with the general concensus here: my experience of the new Burlen Amals has been excellent, and I've had a few; concentrics, monoblocs, and the 276. I've also reconditioned my own, back in the days when new ones weren't available; sleeved slides, bored bodies, flattened flanges, etcetc; I've still got the fixtures I made to hold them. Very fiddly work, and not worth the effort now. The new ones are significantly better quality than the originals too, the standard of manufacture compared to the originals is obviously better when sat side by side........ not everything old was that good, I've still got a BSA Dandy! 

[BSA_54A10]

Well you have to remember that the old ones were made using 1930's tooling that got automated.
New ones are made with modern carbide tooling that does not wear or allow the aluminium to build up on the tool so the surface finish is much better than the originals.
Metallurgy has leaped ahead so the actual alloy used , free machining Aluminium ( around 10% Zn ) produces a much finer finish than the originals.
Good chance the holes are all made with plasma water jets again producing a much more consistant product.
And of course the new ones are designed for occasional use so they do not require the oxide coating to be full of adsorbed fuel to lubricate the slide.

[groily]

Another vote for 'new' from Amal. Haven't been so happy with Concentrics as some people are (maybe just me), but the Monoblocs, of which I have 2 389s, seem pretty OK. There has been a lot of criticism of some of the 'Wassell' copies though.