how do you adjust the idle on a 1990 tour glide. mine is idleing to low. thanks

 

Try standing on the right side of the bike in front of the air cleaner and look in behind the air cleaner on the right side of the carb, that is the front side of the carb toward the front of the bike where the throttle linkage is attached - you may need a light to see well enough. Look inside and watch closely as you twist the throttle open, giving it a little gas and watch which way the lever on the carb moves. When you let the throttle go back you will see the lever where the end of the cable is attached has a phillips head adjustment screw that serves as the stop. Do it several times, open the throttle and watch it come back to the stop, after you look at it several times and sure you have the right screw, just turn it in clockwise and watch the tach. You may only need to turn it a small amount to get it about 1000 rpms. Also, the screw is at an angle that may be a little difficult to get to, you will probably need a long screw driver, I used to use a thin slotted head screw driver, it doesn't take much effort to turn the screw in to increase the idle. You can observe it while it is cold, but it's best to adjust it after it is up to full operating temperature or else it will idle too fast once it's hot. It usually does not take much, 1/8 inch turn or less , and there are no lock nuts or anything like that. You better carry a screw driver with you the first time you ride because you may set it a little too high and after the bike is running a while it will idle too fast or after replacing the plugs with something like Autolite 4265 at the local Advance auto parts store that are pretty cheap plugs and work OK it may idle better with new plugs an need to be put back.

The only bad thing of it all is once you start doing it, you will have a hard time stopping, every day you will think it could be better. Then there are other things you will find that need to be done, like changing the plugs and soon you will be buying a service manual and doing more and more and after a while replacing cams and pushrods - it becomes addictive and starts with turning a little screw.

One other word of caution: If you turn anything and nothing changes, put it back because you are turning the wrong screw.Turn it but don't lift the screwdriver up until you are sure it is where you want it, if it ain't right put it back where it was right away or you may forget what you turned.

I think the service manual number is 99483-90, parts manual is 99450-90A - both are needed as one gives you instructions and the other gives you detailed pictures of each part.

 

thank-you for the information. on my kawa it has a screw at the breather that you turn. I guess it work by restricting or increasing air though the filter. I wasn't sure how a harley was design. thanks again, you were a big help to me.