I'm still learning about my 1994 Softail Springer which I purchased about 6 months ago. Recently while riding, I had a ton of fuel coming out the overflow tube on the CV carb. I pulled the carb off on the side of the road and noted there was a ton of silty residue in the fuel bowl and gummed up where the float needle is. I cleaned it out best I could and rode it back home about 35 miles and park it.

I decided to order some rebuild parts and clean it all up. I replaced the fuel bowl gasket, pump diaphragm, the little o-ring, etc from CV Performance. I also replaced the fuel mixture brass screw for one you can twist with your fingers, a new "choke" cable, and the idle screw which you can also screw with your fingers instead of using a screw driver. I also replaced the gasket between the manifold and carb, but not the gaskets on the manifold to heads.

Unfortunately, I did not check how many turns out the fuel mixture screw was before I removed it.

I noticed the small jet is a 46 and the main jet a 165. II also noted it has the 88 Sportster style needle and the little hole had been drilled out larger on the slide.

I have an S&S teardrop intake and Sampson pipes. It has a cam in it, but I dont know what cam. Bike has 42,000.

After putting the carb all back together, it took about 4 1/2 turns with the fuel mixture screw to get it to idle smoothly. I'm concerned about the screw falling out. It is also too many turns. Should be 2-2 1/2, correct?

Should the main jet be sized up for what has been done to it?

It also coughs a little now through the carb as well as having decel popping. I've put about 3,500 miles on it and this has never happened. The bike ran great prior to this.

I'm not sure what to do. I've taken the carb off and put it back on three times. All with the same results.

I must have changed something and didnt realize it, but I'm not sure what. Sorry I'm kind of all over the place, just typing as my thoughts come to me....I literally just got done riding it.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

I believe cv performance has some great directions on their website, seems what i usually read is the main jet is usually fine, the small jetlarger keeps the adjustable screw fewer turns out, and that's usually what needs larger. Most of what I read says don't upside the hole in the slide.

 

I don't have time today for a play by play but for now, you need to start over. Don't lose the adjuster screw you took out.

Take apart whatever you have to so you can have plenty of room and time for patience to remove the manifold and replace those o-rings.

Disassemble the carburetor and take apart everything except the float, leave it alone for now. The get back to us...

*** Also, make sire the manifold is centered between the heads as you tighten and that it's pointing up or down. A level will work if you have it on a table or a magnetic angle finder ($12.00) works great if you can't get the bike straight up.

 

Okie doke. I figured I would have to take it apart again....thanks!

 

Additionally, go here for CV information. Directions for Sportster CV Carbs are the same as Big Bore CV Carbs.


https://sportsterpedia.com/doku.php/techtalk:evo:carb02

As stated CV Performance also has good information.

https://cv-performance.com/instructions-guides

 

When you say sportster style needle what do you see that makes you say that?

 

I ordered this needle from CV Performance. It appears to be the exact same needle as the one in the carburetor already, so I did not change it out. I may have mispoke when i said the Sportster style needle, however I am under the impression this needle from CV Performance is the '88 Sportster style needle. I could totally be wrong.

 

CV performance do make a copy of the "sportster" needle, they also make the one you pictured there, I'm not trying to corner you, just trying to work out what you have, CV performance don't advocate for the slide port to be drilled out either so I'm wondering what other little "enhancements" have been done by the previous owner.
Edit, Also the 46 idle jet is a CV performance item.

 

I appreciate your input. This is only the second carburetor I've "rebuilt", so Im totally new to this. The only other carb Ive torn apart and replaced wear items was an S&S Super E Shorty, so this is my first CV. I did see CV Performance does not recommend the drilling out on the slide. I did purchase a new slide/diaphragm, but I didn't install it. Maybe I should? Because the bike was running well, my main goal was to make sure it was clean and purchased the air/fuel mixture screw and idle screw more for convenience. As I mentioned, after I put it all back together, it now pops on deceleration and struggles at idle. I work all weekend and wont get back to taking it all back apart until Monday or Tuesday. Thanks again.

 

Main jet currently in it.

Pilot jet currently in it.

Previous owner had these installed. I took these pics so I didnt forget what sizes are in there. After cleaning them, I re-installed them. On my next days off from work, I'll provide a Pic of the spark plugs, seems to be running a little lean which is why I was thinking to upsize the main jet. Carb tuning is new to me, Im just going off of what I read in the manual, here, and other sources....