Ok, so Ive been having some issues with my 91 Softail. Its got a HD Carb, aftermarket air cleaner and the past week Ive been noticed small "hiccup". Started the bike up Sunday to go on a ride, started fine, warmed up fine, when we took off to leave it was missing and running like crap. Turned around, pulled into the garage, pulled the plugs, and they were charred black. Switched my plugs out, started great, took it around the block, ran great, so we headed out. We took off up to the mountains, did about a 100 mile loop and as we came back into town we came to a stop light. At the light we all took off sorta quick, about 200-300 meters after the light my bike started hiccuping, missing, spitting, sputtering etc. I lost the 2 guys I was with as they took a turn I didnt see. I pulled on the shoulder. Shut it off for a quick minute, started it up, it ran rough and crappy, but I wanted to get off the busy highway. I checked the plugs and they looked great. The next exit was about a mile up, so I limped her there, got into 2nd and 3rd gear 10-30mph sputtering and missing the whole time. Once I got off onto the side road it snapped out of it and took off. I was nervous so I headed straight home, and for the last 15-20 miles it ran great. Got home, checked the plugs again, still good to go. When I get home tonight, Im gonna drain the gas and put some inline fuel filters in it.

What do you guys think? Bad gas/ water in the gas/carb? Any help is much appreciated. I dont think its the wires or coil, because it starts up fine. This is my first HD, but I've owned a bunch other ones. Hopefully, this wont be too serious.

Oh yeah...after doing some reading. I believe I fouled my plugs because I left the enricher open too long while idling up that day. Also the tank of gas I ran that day had seafoam in it, but Ive never had it cause any problems before.

 

Plug wires snapped on tight?

 

how long did you let it idle with the choke on? sounds like its either too rich or you use the choke too much. on mine i pull the choke start engine and then push it in half way, then after 20-30 seconds i push it in all the way. use the star **** to hold the throttle open a bit to keep the motor from stalling untill she warms up. use the choke as little as possible.

 

Sounds like a problem I had recently on a metric I got rid of. Turned out to be a carb jet that got screwed up from the corn gas. Sta-bil or Sea Foam didn't seem to help.

 

So I took off half a day of work because this is eating at my brain. Drained the gas into a clean bucket and let it sit. It didnt seem like there was any water in the gas. I also spliced a universal inline fuel filter in it. Checked the plugs just to make sure, they are good. Double checked that the plug wires have good a connection (any of you guys use that dielectric grease?). I also got 2 gallons of gas from a different gas station. Bike started up great, warmed up fine, idled great, took it around the block and it ran fine. I'm gonna try to go on a little ride after a while and see what it does after 20 or so miles. Hopefully it was just some crappy gas.

Also, when I fouled the plugs, I let it run too long with the choke/enriched pulled out. Ill be more careful from here on out. Other bikes Ive owned wouldnt foul plugs unless they were ran with the choke out. So yeah, learned my lesson there. I knew better anyway.

 

Hello..I have exactly the same issue with my 94 classic and never used the choke.
It happens at random at about 65 mph.
Plugs and gas are good so this is a weird thing without a clear diagnose..so far.
Keep posting your experiences with the engine and I'll post mine.

 

If it runs great, then suddenly turns to crap, and runs good again after sitting for a little bit, I bet its the ignition module. Mine did exactly that for a while. New module cleared it right up.
BTW- the Screamin Eagle module is a good bit cheaper than the OEM module.

 

iwas thinking the same thing for the op. ign module.

 

Have you ever taken the petcock out and checked the screen, it might be gunked up.

 

My bike did this sorta think Saturday, but hadn't happened since.. some times its like starving for fuel, and once it just shut off, like I hit the kill switch, then started back up and ran great.. I'll through out what ever I find.. corroded ground contacts under dash.. tightened those up and put no ox on them. Can't hurt.