Harley-Davidson Sportster 883 will not start!!!!!!!!!!!?

I am working on a Harley-Davidson Sportster 883 which sat in my parents garage for 7 yrs with gas in the tank...I removed the stock tank and installed a brand new one....The fuel filter looked good so I just cleaned it....put everything back together...Brand new battery and put new gas in the bike...Turned it on and all the lights came on then tried to start it.....3 times trying to start and it ran for 5 seconds then next try ran for 5 seconds...now nothing so I replace the spark plugs and still wont start....The I pulled the pulgs out to see if I a was getting a spark...seemed to have a spark cause i got a little shock thru the wire covering...Bike will still not start...So I tried some carb cleaner because it sat for more than 7 yrs....So I went to the Harley shop here in Raleigh, NC and picked up a new fuel filter to repalce, also I am going to take the fuel line off which feeds the carb....(Might be blocked) I did get the bike to fire but only on the carb cleaner so I think there is no fuel getting to the carb from the tank...Or so it seems since it fired on the carb cleaner...Jet might be blocked in the carb so i might have to take it apart as well...Hopefully it wont be to expensive....
Any advise would be most helpful....Thanks....Jim

 

the worst thing you can do is store a bike with fuel in it. Gasoline is notorious for gumming up.

Rebuilding the carb is a good step, it's probably clogged silly. Same as all the fuel lines to it.

It's been a LONG time since I took apart a carb but you'll have to make sure everything is squeeky clean. The float bowl, the inlets, the jets inside the throttle body, anywhere air or fuel have passed (or in this case, not passing).

 

I second the carb cleaning. What year is the bike? I gathered pre03'. I would check your pecock and make sure it drips and isnt fouled somehow if you reused your orginal. I'de check your voes also to make sure its working. Are you getting good spark after you replaced plug wires? Make sure your ignition coil is putting out 20-30K volts. Hope this helps and good luck.

 

Still having issues...I had the carb re-built bu a harley shop and the bike ran great for month but nowi have not be able to ride in about a month...Bike will not start and harley shop is out of business...If I spray some carb cleaner in the carb it fires....But will not stay running...I took plug out and they have a lot of carbon on the tips...cleaned and charging battery...Any advise?

Can not find A/F Mixture Screw on m 1998 Sporster 883....

Please help...

Thanks

 

Isn't the fuel mixture screw under a small metal cap that needs to be drilled out? Seems I remember that being a requirement when I upgraded my '01 XLH to Stage 1.

Do the non-EFI bikes have a TSM? I know that I had similar symptoms on my '07, which turned out to be a problem with the TSSM.

Also, are you sure that all of the battery cable connections are tight?

 

The petcock on your bike (if it's stock) is vacuum controlled. There's a vacuum line that runs from the backside of the petcock to the carb. If it's old, it may be cracked and leaking, and without enough vacuum the petcock won't flow fuel to the carb.

 

Dude! You started this thread in 2010 and you still haven't figured out the issue. +1 on checking all of the vacuum & fuel lines for dry rought/cracking. Probably have to rebuild the carb again if it's been sitting again with fuel in it for the past two or three years. Also, are you pulling the choke out.

 

Yes....I had the carb re-built back in 2010...Rode it off and on...

Will check the vacuum lines but when I pulled out the plugs the had alot of carbon on the tips and was suspect that the guy who re-built the carb maybe didn't or didn't do it right...

Thought I could adjust the A/F mix easy but was unsure of where the adjustment screw was...Didnt want to take the carb off yet to re-build

thanks

 

Fuel mixture screw is on the bottom side of the carb, and may need the plug drilled out to get to it. However, it should be drilled out since the carb was torn apart and rebuilt.

 

Check the vacuum lines. Pull the side not directly connected to the petcock. Clean it. Pull the gas line off of the carb. Suck on the vacuum line. Does gas run out? If so then probably not the vacuum line. Have someone else try and start the bike. Look in to the carb do you see gas going in to it. If so and still won't start it all leads to the carb. Do you have the choke on while you are trying to start it?