Dellorto PHM 40, how to separate needle from slide?

[Anders Pedersen]

I'm taking the carburettors apart for cleaning and for a looksee of sizes of jets, position of needle clip etc.

But I'm stuck at separating the needle assembly (needle/plate/slide bar/spring/internal rod) from the slide. My best bet is the internal rod has to move sideways to enter the adjacent cutout in slide and plate, but I can't make it do so. 

Therefore before breaking stuff I thought it prudent to stop and ask. What's the trick?

[SED]

Are these lever top carbs?  My experience is with lever top and flat top PHF36s, but should be similar.

Is the rod you speak of connecting the lever top with the slide and there is a spring between them?  If so it sits in a detent in the slide and has to be pushed out the bottom of the slide before moving to the adjacent cutout.  The cable or rod is trapped by both the detent under spring pressure and the slot in the plate that sits under the spring.

Compress the spring against the top with the fingers of one hand and turn the whole assembly upside down.  The plate will fall out of its recess in the slide.  Push the rod or cable up through the slide about 1/4" (6mm) and then you should be able to move it to the adjacent slot.

Pretty sure I'm not mis-remembering this! 

Tell us how it goes.   

[Anders Pedersen]

That went well, thanks to your advice.

The spring only needed a little more compression + being upside down, easy-peasy, literally a flick of the wrist operation. But when you don't know that..

Thank you SED!

Regards, Anders