Engine Mechanical Topics Discussion for motor builds, cams, head work, stripped bolts and other engine related issues. The good and the bad. If it goes round and around or up and down, post it here.

Stop The Pop!

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Feb 4, 2006 | 08:46 PM
  #1  
HDF Tech's Avatar
HDF Tech
Thread Starter
|
Banned
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 14,496
Likes: 156
From:
Default Stop The Pop!

One of the most common problems that people complain about is the spit-cough-pop from the carburetor as a Harley Davidson motorcycle goes from idle to ¼ throttle. This can occur on any motorcycle, any carburetor, but seems to happen most often with the stock CV Keihin carburetors used on the newer (90 up) Big Twins and Sportster models. This condition is not only annoying, but can cause the Harley Davidson motorcycle to stall dangerously at stoplights, and can damage intake seals parts. It is even possible to ignite oil or gas residue in the air cleaner causing a fire! If your Harley Davidson motorcycle has these symptoms, there are several causes and several easy fixes.

Common causes of motorcycle carburetor spit are as follows:

Problem:......................Solution:
Fouled plugs................Change motorcycle plugs, check gap.
Intake leak..................Spray manifold/head seals with carburetor cleaner, listen for RPM change.
Timing incorrect...........Check timing with light, lube/replace advance weights if used.
Idle mixture incorrect....Adjust low speed mixture screw/re-jet low speed circuit.
Accelerator pump bad....Remove air cleaner, check squirt, check diaphragm.
Bad coil or wires...........Check coil & wires with an ohmmeter, replace if bad.

Any of these can cause the problem, but luckily all are easy to fix.

We have found that the EPA lean setting of the carburetor is too lean for most applications. Through trial and error, we have settled on the #45/46 pilot jet as the best starting point for most engines.

The #42 used in most Harley Davidson motorcycle models is to lean to adjust out with out turning the screw so far out that it is no longer affecting flow.



Source: Directparts.com
 
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
TravelingTall
Harley Davidson Videos
0
Jan 12, 2019 11:20 AM
Macksun
Dyna Glide Models
4
Jul 26, 2007 03:29 PM
dynamike74
General Harley Davidson Chat
0
Mar 22, 2007 12:30 PM
HDF Tech
Carburetor Related
0
Dec 21, 2005 05:51 PM
HDF Tech
Carburetor Related
0
Jun 28, 2005 12:19 PM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:03 PM.

story-0
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson built its reputation on nostalgia, but every so often, the company took a hard left turn into the future.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-20 11:18:19


VIEW MORE
story-1
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-2
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-3
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-4
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-5
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-6
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-7
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE