Help with 97 FLHT Electra Glide
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 13,410
Likes: 34,346
From: Pine Flat Dam/South Bay Area, CA
The vacuum plunger diaphragm may have a very small hole in it. Visually check it and make sure the plunger is raising when you open the throttle with the engine running.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,539
Likes: 692
From: magnolia tx
Like the guys have said, make sure the slide on carb is opening, carb is clean not plugged up, good fuel flow out of petcock, have good spark, make sure timing is set correct and advancing "VOES switch is working"
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Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 122
Likes: 21
From: WI
Well went out today after letting it sit overnight, and garage smelled of gas.
Nothing under the bike, no obvious overflows. Wil pull the air cover and look, make sure accelerator pump is working and all that. If nothing obvious, will just drain and pull tank and check everything while that is off. gotta be something just off with fuel delivery at this point. Probably will do a manifold leak test before i take the tank off too in case i have a leak there
Carb clean and diaphragm check
replace all fuel lines since they are so old
quick carb and needle clean, check needle seat for wear on float
Test the coils
Nothing under the bike, no obvious overflows. Wil pull the air cover and look, make sure accelerator pump is working and all that. If nothing obvious, will just drain and pull tank and check everything while that is off. gotta be something just off with fuel delivery at this point. Probably will do a manifold leak test before i take the tank off too in case i have a leak there
Carb clean and diaphragm check
replace all fuel lines since they are so old
quick carb and needle clean, check needle seat for wear on float
Test the coils
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 122
Likes: 21
From: WI
ok got out over lunch, pulled the air cover. Accelerator pump works great. Diaphragm has a good vacuum when you manually manipulate it.
Whole right side of the carb (when you are staring at it from the air filter side of the bike, so essentially the side of the carb that faces the front tire) was covered in the green slime of old burnt on /dried out gas. So definite leak somewhere, and there was a drop of gas pooling on the bottom of the accelerator pump. I think that pooling there is just because it is the lowest point, as the staining went much father up the side of the carb than the pump. The green slime was also on the backside of the carb, and to a lesser extent the opposite (rear tire facing) side.
Because of the coverage all over, its is really hard to tell where the leak is coming from. The fuel line and its connection point were bone dry, so not there. I spray tested for manifold leaks, and there was nothing indicated, but it seems a lot of the gas leak residue is on the underside of the intake manifold, where it connects to the back side of the carb. Known leak point? could be leaking there and running down both sides of the carb?
Whole right side of the carb (when you are staring at it from the air filter side of the bike, so essentially the side of the carb that faces the front tire) was covered in the green slime of old burnt on /dried out gas. So definite leak somewhere, and there was a drop of gas pooling on the bottom of the accelerator pump. I think that pooling there is just because it is the lowest point, as the staining went much father up the side of the carb than the pump. The green slime was also on the backside of the carb, and to a lesser extent the opposite (rear tire facing) side.
Because of the coverage all over, its is really hard to tell where the leak is coming from. The fuel line and its connection point were bone dry, so not there. I spray tested for manifold leaks, and there was nothing indicated, but it seems a lot of the gas leak residue is on the underside of the intake manifold, where it connects to the back side of the carb. Known leak point? could be leaking there and running down both sides of the carb?
Last edited by mikejjmay; May 4, 2021 at 12:04 PM.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 122
Likes: 21
From: WI
got it. I ordered a carb rebuild kit today, and it comes with a new rubber flange for that spot so ill try that. Heard of leaks getting air in there, never heard of one so bad that fuel flows back out and down the carb!
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 8,852
Likes: 2,493
From: Decatur, Alabama
Do you turn off the petcock when you shut down the bike? It also could be the needle is sticking open allowing the float bowl to overfill. Or even a small piece of trash holding the needle open. I'm no stranger to a garage full of gas fumes.
carl
carl
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Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 122
Likes: 21
From: WI
I got the carburetor off. Do these carbs not have overflow tubes in case the float gets stuck in the bowl floods? There are only two ports on this carb one is the fuel line coming in and the other one comes off the top om the back and leads to the vacuum system and the petcock. I know Sportsters have the bowl drain on the bottom of the carb, but on this one where that would be is totally sealed up and cast in not even a covered plug or anything like that. if this is the case is it just supposed to dump out the airbox or into the engine intake if you have a stuck float?
Also noted that my fuel tank was able to be drained on the bike when i set it to reserve. Meaning my vacuum petcock must be shot? This coupled with no overflow on the carb and possibly a sticky float needle could explain a lot
Also noted that my fuel tank was able to be drained on the bike when i set it to reserve. Meaning my vacuum petcock must be shot? This coupled with no overflow on the carb and possibly a sticky float needle could explain a lot
Last edited by mikejjmay; May 4, 2021 at 09:51 PM.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,539
Likes: 692
From: magnolia tx
That is the EPA's idea, so instead of the gas leaking on the ground if the float is sticking or the needle is not seating it fills the cylinders with gas, they always come up with great ideas!, you should be able to replace the float bowl with one with an overflow tube and that could very much be why you have gas leaking out of your manifold. Id check you float, float height, needle and seat
Last edited by mike131; May 5, 2021 at 07:27 AM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,539
Likes: 692
From: magnolia tx
If you want to replace the float bowl with one with overflow tube OEM #27159-92, https://www.tomscybershop.com/harley...-oem-27159-92/ , $25.00, also CV Performance is a good placed to get quality CV parts
Last edited by mike131; May 5, 2021 at 06:21 AM.