Diagnosing not start condition
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 8,590
Likes: 3,362
From: Cental, MI
removing plugs and cranking is a good way to instigate "run-on"
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 166
Likes: 13
From: Beaufort, NC
If you've got spark and she has a carb, double check that you have fuel while cranking...
Sometimes a carb float can hang with the needle closed and not let fuel into the float bowl. If you have no fuel, you can smack the float bowl with the handle of a screwdriver and most of the time it'll drop the float.
If you still have a vacuum petcock, double check that you have vacuum... And if you've been cranking it with the throttle open, keep it shut so you develop some vacuum out of the motor to open the petcock.
Not all petcocks give fuel on reserve without still needing vacuum from the motor to prime.
If the petcock doesn't give any gas, you can take the fuel line loose at the petcock and squirt some gas into her fuel line till it won't take any more, and try her again.
Sometimes a carb float can hang with the needle closed and not let fuel into the float bowl. If you have no fuel, you can smack the float bowl with the handle of a screwdriver and most of the time it'll drop the float.
If you still have a vacuum petcock, double check that you have vacuum... And if you've been cranking it with the throttle open, keep it shut so you develop some vacuum out of the motor to open the petcock.
Not all petcocks give fuel on reserve without still needing vacuum from the motor to prime.
If the petcock doesn't give any gas, you can take the fuel line loose at the petcock and squirt some gas into her fuel line till it won't take any more, and try her again.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 9,332
Likes: 3,873
From: Upstate New York
Are you sure your battery is fully charged? If you've run the battery down too far for the bike to run, a "battery tender" won't charge it. It's not designed to. A battery tender is meant to maintain a battery at full charge, not charge it. Try putting the battery on a charger for a few hours at the 2 amp setting.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 8,590
Likes: 3,362
From: Cental, MI
If you've got spark and she has a carb, double check that you have fuel while cranking...
Sometimes a carb float can hang with the needle closed and not let fuel into the float bowl. If you have no fuel, you can smack the float bowl with the handle of a screwdriver and most of the time it'll drop the float.
If you still have a vacuum petcock, double check that you have vacuum... And if you've been cranking it with the throttle open, keep it shut so you develop some vacuum out of the motor to open the petcock.
Not all petcocks give fuel on reserve without still needing vacuum from the motor to prime.
If the petcock doesn't give any gas, you can take the fuel line loose at the petcock and squirt some gas into her fuel line till it won't take any more, and try her again.
Sometimes a carb float can hang with the needle closed and not let fuel into the float bowl. If you have no fuel, you can smack the float bowl with the handle of a screwdriver and most of the time it'll drop the float.
If you still have a vacuum petcock, double check that you have vacuum... And if you've been cranking it with the throttle open, keep it shut so you develop some vacuum out of the motor to open the petcock.
Not all petcocks give fuel on reserve without still needing vacuum from the motor to prime.
If the petcock doesn't give any gas, you can take the fuel line loose at the petcock and squirt some gas into her fuel line till it won't take any more, and try her again.
the choke is Not really a Choke...
Odd, but if ya open the Throttle an enricher won't work.. an enricher, only functions with the Throttle plate Closed...
Thread Starter
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 3,784
Likes: 100
From: Pasadena TX
Thanks for the tips guys. I've looked at a few things, but it looks like a fuel problem. I still haven't checked for spark, but it runs if I spray starting fluid in the carb. Haven't had time to address it yet. It's really odd this happened at the same time the stator was unplugged, but maybe it was a fuel problem all along and I still had enough battery left to run one ignition. I'll report back with details later if I can get some free time to look at the petcock.
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 4,315
Likes: 1,663
From: Tampa
Do NOT get one of them cheap shitty ones off eBay. Get a good one.