What are the symptoms if the VOEs isn't working? Yesterday I was cooking down the interstate, came to a slight hill and gave it some throttle and it began coughing through the carb, every time. In fact, it felt like the ignition cut out completely for a second or so. Then, off of idle it would do a rapid cough through the carb like every second in rapid succession. Once the rpms got up it was fine. I'm having trouble getting the accelerator pump set. It coughs and stumbles off of idle.

 

You can electrical disconnect the voes and run it to see if three problem persists but it sounds more like a rich condition to me. I would start by checking float level then carb adjustments from there.

 

I don't think the VOES would cause your problem. Here's some info about the working of the VOES.


http://www.wildwestcycle.com/f_voes.html

 

Also consider your ignition pickup, your symptoms sound similar to my experience, several years ago now. I rode it for several months, until I got let down in the outside lane of a busy highway, in the rush-hour. My rescue by the Police with blue lights and sirens was very dramatic!

 

I'm going with a clogged jet. Either intermediate or idle circuit.

 

I have had a sneaking suspicion that I've been running too rich for some time. I'm going out to pull the plugs and rejet right now. The Intermediate jet is a 031. From what I have read that's a shade big for a stock 1340 with just mufflers. The main jet is a 70. I'm going down one size on each and give it a try.

 

Coughing thru carb is Not rich...it is Lean...
I'm going with intake leak...

 

Did it used to run right and it doesn't run right now? Or did it never run right after the carb swap?

Intake leak is a good idea to check before swapping jets out.

 

Well, the plugs are black and fouling. It has run pretty decent until yesterday. It runs normal, most of the time out on the road, except that time pulling a hill yesterday out on the highway. Then it started that coughing and backfiring. I went down one size on the jets and that didn't really change anything. The plugs are fouling and way too black. The front is worse than the rear but both appear to be fouling. I think maybe the cooler weather has impacted this situation. The carb setting has been the same, 031 intermediate and 70 main for a year and has run pretty good. I don't know why things are fouling up now. Maybe I got some bad gas or have a weak spark?

This bike has never liked cold weather. On really cold days it has never started. I do think ambient temperature affects it, which sucks. I used to have a 1991 Heritage that started all the time. I once rode it at 17 degrees at 4am. It fired right off. It had the same carb and a screaming eagle ignition. Perhaps it's time to consider a new ignition system (once I get this carb dialed in).

What would be the brand of ignition system that would last a long time? Reliability is the name of the game for me.

 

I installed some clean iridium plugs and took the bike out for a ride. It ran perfectly except a little hesitation when I blip the throttle off of idle. I think I have/had a rich carb tune issue. I do want to entertain replacing my ignition though.