Moto RenzoJetting database

Dell'Orto PHF 30 – jetting & tuning

Dell'Orto range with accelerator pump; jet needles of the K series. Fitted from the factory to 8 documented models from Ducati, Moto Guzzi; with accelerator pump (pump jet).

Dell'Orto PHF 30 (example picture)

Dellorto PHF 30

Dell'Orto range with accelerator pump; jet needles of the K series.

Complete carburettor

We don't stock the complete PHF 30 at the moment. The individual parts are listed below.

Fitted as standard to

All figures at a glance (table)
Factory jetting PHF 30 at a glance
ModelYearMain jetPilot jetStarter jetNeedle (clip)AtomiserSlide
Moto Guzzi California 219861255075K 23 (3)264 AB503
Moto Guzzi California 319861255075K 23 (3)264 AB503
Moto Guzzi California 3 (Germany / Austria)19881255075K 23 (3)262 AB503
Moto Guzzi California 3 (Switzerland)19891254875K 27 (3)261 AB1503
Moto Guzzi California 3 (USA)19881354875K 27 (2)261 AB1503
Moto Guzzi Mille GT (USA)19881354875K 27 (2)261 AB1503
Moto Guzzi 1000 SP II (USA)19881354875K 27 (2)261 AB1503
Moto Guzzi Mille GT (USA)19881354875K 27 (2)261 AB1503
Moto Guzzi 1000 SP II (USA)19881354875K 27 (2)261 AB1503
Moto Guzzi 1000 SP II19861255075K 23 (3)264 AB503
Moto Guzzi 1000 SP II (USA / Switzerland)19861354875K 27 (2)261 AB1503
Moto Guzzi 850 T519841305075K 23 (3)264 AB503
Moto Guzzi V1000 Convert19801125075K 27 (2)262 AB1503
Ducati 350 XL – left carburettor (BS)19821226075K 2 (2)260 AB60/3
Ducati 350 XL – right carburettor (BD)19821186075K 2 (2)260 AB60/3
Ducati 350 Indiana – carburettor reg. 465919861225275K 2 (2)260 AB60/3
Ducati 350 Indiana – carburettor reg. 466019861185275K 2 (2)260 AB60/3
Factory jetting PHF 30 at a glance (swipe sideways)
ModelMoto Guzzi California 2Moto Guzzi California 3Moto Guzzi California 3 (Germany / Austria)Moto Guzzi California 3 (Switzerland)Moto Guzzi California 3 (USA)Moto Guzzi Mille GT (USA)Moto Guzzi 1000 SP II (USA)Moto Guzzi Mille GT (USA)Moto Guzzi 1000 SP II (USA)Moto Guzzi 1000 SP IIMoto Guzzi 1000 SP II (USA / Switzerland)Moto Guzzi 850 T5Moto Guzzi V1000 ConvertDucati 350 XL – left carburettor (BS)Ducati 350 XL – right carburettor (BD)Ducati 350 Indiana – carburettor reg. 4659Ducati 350 Indiana – carburettor reg. 4660
Year19861986198819891988198819881988198819861986198419801982198219861986
Main jet125125125125135135135135135125135130112122118122118
Pilot jet5050504848484848485048505060605252
Starter jet7575757575757575757575757575757575
Needle (clip)K 23 (3)K 23 (3)K 23 (3)K 27 (3)K 27 (2)K 27 (2)K 27 (2)K 27 (2)K 27 (2)K 23 (3)K 27 (2)K 23 (3)K 27 (2)K 2 (2)K 2 (2)K 2 (2)K 2 (2)
Atomiser264 AB264 AB262 AB261 AB1261 AB1261 AB1261 AB1261 AB1261 AB1264 AB261 AB1264 AB262 AB1260 AB260 AB260 AB260 AB
Slide50350350350350350350350350350350350350360/360/360/360/3

“–” means: not fitted on this model, or not documented in the source.

Not running right?Pick the symptom, we show the part responsible.
Pale, greyish-white plugs; flat and gutless at the top end; overheating
Throttle rangefrom ~1/2 to full throttle
Responsiblemain jet
What to dotry one size larger
Runs better on choke; popping/banging on the overrun
Throttle rangeidle to ~1/4
Responsiblepilot jet + mixture screw (check for air leaks first)
What to doricher: larger jet or screw further out
Hesitation/flat spot when opening the throttle
Throttle rangetransition (accelerator pump)
Responsiblepump jet/pump function, then needle position
What to dorichen, check function
Surging/leaning out at steady speed and mid throttle
Throttle range~1/8 to 3/4
Responsiblejet needle (clip) and atomiser
What to doraise the needle one notch (clip lower) = richer
Sooty black plugs; burbling running; smell of fuel; high consumption
Throttle rangenarrow it down: idle ↔ mid ↔ full
Responsibledepending on range: pilot jet / needle + atomiser / main jet
What to doleaner: smaller jet or needle lower
Gets worse the hotter the engine runs
Throttle rangeusually idle/part throttle
Responsibleoverall setup too rich; also check float level
What to dolean it out, check the float height

Always change in single steps (“one or two jet sizes, then check the plug colour”), judge only on a warmed-up engine and make just one change per test ride.

These notes do not replace a proper check. When in doubt use a lambda meter, a dyno or a specialist workshop – an engine running lean for long periods can be damaged.

Real-world setups from the community

Documented setups from forums, summarised in our own words and linked. They show what people actually ran on specific conversions – they are not a recommendation and do not replace your own testing.

User report, no warranty — not a factory figure

Moto Guzzi T3 (bored to 995 cc) — PHF 30

Condition/modifications: Open bellmouths with gauze, twin-plug ignition (DMC), hot camshaft

Jetting used: Main jet 120 (on the carburettor seller's recommendation), later 110 tried — pilot jet 65, later 60 (rest of the setup not stated)

Result according to the report: UNRESOLVED EXAMPLE: the engine ran rich on every combination tried (permanently sooted plugs). Community advice: take a lambda reading instead of carrying on guessing. Shows the limits of the spark-plug method on heavily modified engines.

Source: guzzisti.de

Further reading

Frequently asked questions

What does the atomiser do and why does it matter so much?

The atomiser (also called the needle jet or emulsion tube) is the sleeve the jet needle runs in. Together with the needle it governs the mixture in the part-throttle range — exactly where you ride almost all the time. Experienced tuners rate it at least as important as the main jet: a single step (say 262 to 264) changes how the bike rides noticeably. With Dell'Orto the number is the bore and the letters are the design (e.g. AB, AR).

Discussion: caferacer-de

What does the needle clip position do?

The needle hangs from the throttle slide and its taper opens up the cross-section in the atomiser. Move the clip one notch down (needle sits higher) and the part-throttle range gets richer, one notch up (needle lower) leans it out. The factory figure counts the notches from the top. The needle position acts roughly between 1/4 and 3/4 throttle — not at idle and barely at full throttle.

Discussion: caferacer-de

How do I set the mixture screw correctly?

As a starting point the Moto Guzzi workshop manuals for the carburettor models consistently give 1.5 turns out from lightly seated. Fine tuning on a warmed-up engine: turn the mixture screw on each cylinder slowly until the engine runs at its smoothest and fastest, then correct the idle speed and synchronise both carburettors. If the engine only runs cleanly at well over two turns, the pilot jet is usually too small or the circuit is dirty.

Discussion: 2-ventiler.de

The engine hesitates when I open the throttle — why?

When the slide is opened quickly the mixture leans out briefly. PHF and PHM have an accelerator pump for exactly that — if the engine hesitates, its pump jet is often blocked, the diaphragm is damaged, or the idle-to-needle transition is too lean. On carburettors without a pump (e.g. VHB, PHBH) only a clean transition setup helps. Check the mundane causes too: float level, fuel supply, worn slides.

Discussion: 2-ventiler.de

Do both carburettors need the same jetting?

Yes. Both cylinders need the same set of jets, and the factory figures always apply per carburettor. After every job the pair belongs synchronised (same slide lift, same mixture screw setting), otherwise one cylinder runs richer than the other and the plug colour becomes unreadable. Unequal jetting is almost always a sign of a previous owner tinkering.

Discussion: 2-ventiler.de