94 Sportster 1200 won't start (sat for 11 years)

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Jun 30, 2019 | 02:16 PM

zachsirkin

Thread Starter

Stage II

Joined: Jun 2019

Posts: 2

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From: Southport, NC

94 Sportster 1200 won't start (sat for 11 years)

Hi there! I was just given this bike recently by a buddy who's been letting it sit for 11 years. I've been working on getting it to fire up, but I'm getting lost here and could really use some help! It's turning over, but not firing, not even with starting fluid.
This is what I've done so far:

New battery
Fully cleaned and rebuilt carb
1. New basic parts
2. New Jets (harley brand)
New hoses
1. from tank to carb
2. from carb to drain
Electrical
1. New Spark Plugs (harley brand)
2. New cables (harley brand)
3. New key and ignition

I thought spark

Ether won't even let it run
- It does make noise with ether as long as you're holding down the starter
dropped some fuel through the spark plug holes
- no start (though carb was entirely off)

Then I thought fuel, because I'm getting a spark from the plugs

I dropped the bowl and it contained some fuel
- I let the float drop and fuel came out
- I pushed up the float and fuel stopped
If there is a kinked vacuum hose, then I'm not seeing it.
I don't know what the hose that goes behind the petcock is for (goes to an old television dial lol)

sorry for the bulletined lists, it's easy for me to read my own thoughts when it laid out like that