Hi all
I have a 1980 ironhead that i have recently put back together and am now having trouble with. i got the motorcycle 3 months ago it ran fine until i took it apart. I was planning on putting the motor in a rigid frame that i had. took the motor out of the stock frame and mounted it in the new frame but never hooked up the wiring or oil lines. I let it sit for about a month and a half and then decided to put it back in the stock frame. I hooked the wiring and the lines back up and filled it with 3 quarts of 10w 40 and it started on the first attemp. I rode it for a little while that day about 30 to 45 mins until i ran out of fuel and killed the battery on accident. i put gas in and charged the battery and it fired right up the next day again i rode the bike for about 10 minutes and brought it back to the house so i could tighten the shift linkage and wen i started it back up it ran for a few minutes and then began running rough, puffed a couple puffs of black smoke and died. I tried to start the bike again and it did the same thing again.i let it sit overnight and switched the oil lines the next day fearing that i had them hooked up wrong. turns out i didnt they were hooked up right all along so i filled the bike up with 3 quarts of straight 50 weight and a little bit of ring sealer oil additive and fired the bike up it started on the 2nd or 3rd attempt it startded to idle rough and i revved the bike several times and then let it sit to idle again. agin it did the same thing it began running rough blew a couple poofs of black smoke and died. The bike does not blow any smoke when i rev it up and it doesnt seem to miss or be out of timing wen reving, it just begins to idle rough then smoke briefly and die.
I hope i have not fried the cylinders or piston rings. I am not sure whats wrong
Any help appreciated
thanks
tyler

With that black smoke and the rough idle it sounds like you have a carb problem. When you rev it and it stops smoking, you're getting enough air through the carb to lean it up some. Check that carb.

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'81 XLS Roadster 1000 (1,660 built)
'04 FLHTCUI Ultra Classic Electra Glide
'81 XLH pile of parts project

Why in the hell should I have to press "1" for english?

I'm with mojo.Sounds like the carb to me.

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75 Ironhead..Ride hard..You can rest when you die.

Thanks for the info guys.
I am also trying to sell the bike if anybody is interested.
I have listed it in the classifieds.