Needles totally dislodged?!?

[wsn03]

MODS PLEASE MOVE THIS TO OIL COOLED, POSTED HERE BY MISTAKE 

My bike was last used 2019. 1100 G cv cabs.

2020 it sad idle, 2021 I fired it up in the summer and took her for an mot.

Not running great, kept stalling when I shut off etc.

Finally took the carbs out last week - found this (see pics) needles have somehow come out and gone into the slide air holes.

I've dropped the circlip one notch as I can kind of see how the washer/ spring might come off being at the top, plus I want to rich up the mixture on acceleration anyway (not convinced top is the right place, but bear in mind totally bespoke set up on  rolling road) - carb set up not standard, 1100G with dynojet needles and mains, runs very well normally, I think slightly too lean on full throttle so all good to change. Can't say 100% I remember needles being top notch om the needle, but I also can't say I've ever touched the clips since its rolling road session back in the late 90s - always run very well with balancing, v slight hesitation on opening up (hence going to be ok slightly richening)

However, set up is not my question, and bear in mind I overhauled the carbs not that many miles ago and it ran really well until I put her away.

 

Question is - how the fuck could this happen? Slides sticking after being left standing?? But even that doesn't make sense. Its almost as if someone vandalised it, but no normal human being would torment themselves this much to even go inside a slabby airbox. Only person with keys to the garage was the decorator, and whilst being a bit of tosser and a bit odd he was too busy smoking weed to attempt anything half this difficult.

Anyone seen anything like this before?

Edited January 29, 2022 by wsn03

[TonyGee]

what holds the needles in place on them carbs ? 

[wsn03]

2 hours ago, TonyGee said:

what holds the needles in place on them carbs ? 

Long springs push onto a big plastic spacer which goes over the needle. The needle circlip is the resting point for the spacer...each spacer must have come off the top of the needle as the top notch is too high. I can't believe it should be on top notch anyway, gone down one, see how she runs on full chat

Edited January 29, 2022 by wsn03

[fab]

did all needles do this or just the one?

can only be a couple of things

installed wrong, maybe from backfiring and running bad  

[wsn03]

2 hours ago, fab said:

did all needles do this or just the one?

can only be a couple of things

installed wrong, maybe from backfiring and running bad  

 

3 out of 4... I'm completely lost, I am Mr Carbs - meticulous in my preparation, especially with carbs, build loads of them. Built the bike in 2013, ran like a dream every summer until I stopped in 2019...2 year lay up, fired up and ran like crap. I never leave bikes idle for more than 2 months - that'll teach me!

Edited January 29, 2022 by wsn03

[TonyGee]

it is a strange one   the only thing i can think of is like whats been said, maybe a backfire and the needles have bounced up against the springs and dropped back into the wrong holes ???????  then when the slide drops down they have got bent. 

[wsn03]

1 hour ago, TonyGee said:

it is a strange one   the only thing i can think of is like whats been said, maybe a backfire and the needles have bounced up against the springs and dropped back into the wrong holes ???????  then when the slide drops down they have got bent. 

Yep...that sounds like the only plausible explanation. Bloody strange, never seen anything like it