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Coughing and Sputtering EVO

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Old Aug 19, 2015 | 01:24 PM
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Default Coughing and Sputtering EVO
Greetings Everyone, New Harley Owner / bike rider here. I have an 1997 Softail with an Andrew's EV-27 Camshaft and a Mikuni 42 Carb. The bike has always seemed to be a little rough in the low rpm range but once it got some rpm's into it, it would smooth out. Lately it has been coughing and sputtering all through the range. It has even been cutting out at wide open throttle. I changed the spark plugs, hoping it was just a plug fouling out. No such luck. Any ideas or suggestions as to where to look next?

Thanks,
Ben
 
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Old Aug 19, 2015 | 02:11 PM
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Clean carb, check connections at coil, check plugs, plug wires.
That's all I got for now.
 
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Old Aug 19, 2015 | 08:51 PM
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Most likely suspects include:
Intake leak
Water in fuel
Debris in carburator
Coil dying
 
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Old Aug 19, 2015 | 09:25 PM
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could be as simple as loose battery connections or grounds , Good luck

Dave
 
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Old Aug 20, 2015 | 05:17 AM
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Default Coughing and Sputtering EVO
I had one do something similar. It was kick only and first started giving me signs of trouble starting. Then it progressed and got worse rather rapidly while riding continuing with the symptoms you explained. Eventually I found it to be that my charging system was dying
 
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Old Aug 20, 2015 | 11:50 AM
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Gets worse over time..? My money is on an intake leak. I had those symptoms and it was an intake leak. Got progressively worse over the period of a year.
 
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Old Aug 20, 2015 | 12:29 PM
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Everything that has been suggested. Good hunting.
 
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Old Aug 20, 2015 | 05:45 PM
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Default Thanks for the suggestions
I'm currently tearing the carb down to clean it. Previous owners or somebody rounded out the Phillips head. Hate it when they do that and no one replaces them. Grrrrrr.
 
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Old Aug 21, 2015 | 08:46 AM
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Originally Posted by benihanna_77
I'm currently tearing the carb down to clean it. Previous owners or somebody rounded out the Phillips head. Hate it when they do that and no one replaces them. Grrrrrr.
What a Vise grips isn't for phillips screws? I feel your pain!!
 
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Old Aug 21, 2015 | 10:59 AM
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Originally Posted by benihanna_77
I'm currently tearing the carb down to clean it. Previous owners or somebody rounded out the Phillips head. Hate it when they do that and no one replaces them. Grrrrrr.
That's the hardest part about trouble shooting and working on something old. You never know how badly the previous owner bolloxed something up.
 
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