Carby Temporary fix for needle C clip

[MrHungwell94]

Today I was working on my bike away from home, at my cousin's, and I broke the C clip on the needle of the carb while trying to raise its position on the needle to make it more lean. Determined to make a fix for it to be able to ride home, I tried a bunch of miscellaneous objects from literally anything I could find laying around, I won't get into that but I did eventually find something that worked: a beer cap. This is what I did
I took a pair of pliers and broke off a piece of metal from the beer cap's skirt (the piece that has the threads on it if its a twist off) the size of the tip of the pliers which is just a tiny square and squeezed it completely flat with the pliers. I then put it on a piece of wood and used the tip of a knife to poke a hole in it in a drill fashion by spinning it around with pressure. I had to continue to reem it a few times as I checked it against the size of the needle until it was close to the same size. Once I got it close I forced the needle into it until it slid on, and it "snapped" onto the needles groove almost perfectly. I almost think its a better fit than the original clip, but most importantly, IT WORKED!
This does not work well with a soda can tab as it is too thin and definitely not with any type of plastic- trust me I tried everything.
While I do not consider this a permanent fix (already ordered a new carb) I don't see why it couldn't be one. I just wanted to post this in case anyone else breaks or loses the c clip on their needle and doesn't want to wait for a new carb to be able to ride again- just use my fix!

 

[butre]

C clips are fiddly little things and I've got big sausage fingers so I've lost plenty of them. I usually just solder the needle in place when that happens.

 

[KCvale]

C clips are fiddly little things.
I usually just solder the needle in place when that happens.

You solder the needle to the Pacman washer?

 

[butre]

sure do. you sacrifice ease of adjustment but if you're not trying to adjust it you won't know the difference.

I only do that on personal engines by the way, on a customers bike I'll make a replacement. the replacements are a pain in the ass to make and just as fiddly. I'm sure there's a source for those small c clips like that but I don't lose them often enough to justify going out and buying a couple dozen of them. I probably lose one every other month

 

[KCvale]

You know, a threaded plunger and needle design would sure be welcome, you could just twist the needle to adjust gas/air mix and do away with the C-clip and Pacman washer all together.