1993 Fatboy Running Rough
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Novice
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: Syracuse, NY
I hope I found the problem, I am going to check a few other things before I purchase the ignition module. I have replaced the plugs wires and ignition coil, since those parts were inexpensive.
Would it be possible that if the ignition module is faulty that could cause the knocking sound if the spark plug is not firing when its suppose?
Miacycles, thanks for the input on the exhaust spring I will try to look at that, is it a big to do to look at the exhaust spring? Ya were getting the rain here also, it stinks, but as long as it not snow I can deal with it.
How far are you from Syracuse?
Would it be possible that if the ignition module is faulty that could cause the knocking sound if the spark plug is not firing when its suppose?
Miacycles, thanks for the input on the exhaust spring I will try to look at that, is it a big to do to look at the exhaust spring? Ya were getting the rain here also, it stinks, but as long as it not snow I can deal with it.
How far are you from Syracuse?
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,468
Likes: 12
From: Bluffton, South Carolina
I hope I found the problem, I am going to check a few other things before I purchase the ignition module. I have replaced the plugs wires and ignition coil, since those parts were inexpensive.
Would it be possible that if the ignition module is faulty that could cause the knocking sound if the spark plug is not firing when its suppose?
Miacycles, thanks for the input on the exhaust spring I will try to look at that, is it a big to do to look at the exhaust spring? Ya were getting the rain here also, it stinks, but as long as it not snow I can deal with it.
How far are you from Syracuse?
Would it be possible that if the ignition module is faulty that could cause the knocking sound if the spark plug is not firing when its suppose?
Miacycles, thanks for the input on the exhaust spring I will try to look at that, is it a big to do to look at the exhaust spring? Ya were getting the rain here also, it stinks, but as long as it not snow I can deal with it.
How far are you from Syracuse?
Just take the covers off and look at the spring with a good flashlight. Look at the spring when it is relaxed and compressed. Have a friend turn it over and look at both springs as the valves go up and down, depending where the spring is broken it may be hard to see.
Hope this helps.
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,123
Likes: 43
From: NJ
You said that it runs fine with no noise when cold and starts to run bad and make noise after it warms-(2min). If that is the case then your issue is thermal related more than likely.
If your ignition tests bad as you said, try testing it dead cold and then after you have warmed it up, based on your symptoms you should see a difference. The sensor in the nosecone is known to have issues when it gets hot as opposed to cold, you can test that with a heat gun or hairdryer. If you have ignition troubles one of those inline spark testers should show a bad or intermittant spark when the bike is warm as opposed to cold.
Try to isolate the noise with stethoscope or screwdriver to the ear. I'm thinking that a broken spring is possible but that should make the noise when cold or hot, but anything is possible. Now a bad lifter can work differently between cold and hot and if it collapses it will make noise. Also, with the engine running rough, you may have a rattle comming from some part of the bike not related to the internals of the engine, heat shield, something between the tanks, exhaust leaks make funny sounds but probably would not make it run that rough, hard to tell from here.
With your kind of mileage and you only had it a few months, what the PO did as far as maintenance is suspect. I bought another used evo this year and went over everything I could. I took the carb off and cleaned it out, it looked clean until I had it apart. I also replaced all three intake gaskets and one of them was shot. I would not rip into the heads, lifters or anything like that until I covered all the basics, odds are they need attention anyway.
Doug
If your ignition tests bad as you said, try testing it dead cold and then after you have warmed it up, based on your symptoms you should see a difference. The sensor in the nosecone is known to have issues when it gets hot as opposed to cold, you can test that with a heat gun or hairdryer. If you have ignition troubles one of those inline spark testers should show a bad or intermittant spark when the bike is warm as opposed to cold.
Try to isolate the noise with stethoscope or screwdriver to the ear. I'm thinking that a broken spring is possible but that should make the noise when cold or hot, but anything is possible. Now a bad lifter can work differently between cold and hot and if it collapses it will make noise. Also, with the engine running rough, you may have a rattle comming from some part of the bike not related to the internals of the engine, heat shield, something between the tanks, exhaust leaks make funny sounds but probably would not make it run that rough, hard to tell from here.
With your kind of mileage and you only had it a few months, what the PO did as far as maintenance is suspect. I bought another used evo this year and went over everything I could. I took the carb off and cleaned it out, it looked clean until I had it apart. I also replaced all three intake gaskets and one of them was shot. I would not rip into the heads, lifters or anything like that until I covered all the basics, odds are they need attention anyway.
Doug
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,468
Likes: 12
From: Bluffton, South Carolina
doug,
The valve spring that we had would make noise only when it felt like it. It did start to make noise more and more, but it still was quite more than noisy. It drove us crazy as we were thinking like you are. Until we pulled the rocker box cover off and saw it, then BINGO we knew what it was.
The valve spring that we had would make noise only when it felt like it. It did start to make noise more and more, but it still was quite more than noisy. It drove us crazy as we were thinking like you are. Until we pulled the rocker box cover off and saw it, then BINGO we knew what it was.
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,123
Likes: 43
From: NJ
John,
Was it broke near the end? I've seen compression springs break and can not figure why, man they look so strong.
My point to Knuckles was that it pays to cover all the basics on a used bike that old, rather than fixing things one at a time. Plus he may just find something simple that is his issue. If not then when he does fix it, everything else is taken care of. One never knows what a PO did to the bike, my last one was a 99 FXSTS that ran poorly until fully warm and then rich when hot, low range. Had the carb off, jetting looked proper, everything looked good. Finally had a few beers with the guy who owned it befor me and he admitted that he took a small drill and "widened" the low speed jet. Now I should have just rebuilt the carb but who would of guessed that he did something like that.
BTW: Thanks for the Autolite link in the other thread, totally explains why my bike likes them so much.
Doug
Was it broke near the end? I've seen compression springs break and can not figure why, man they look so strong.
My point to Knuckles was that it pays to cover all the basics on a used bike that old, rather than fixing things one at a time. Plus he may just find something simple that is his issue. If not then when he does fix it, everything else is taken care of. One never knows what a PO did to the bike, my last one was a 99 FXSTS that ran poorly until fully warm and then rich when hot, low range. Had the carb off, jetting looked proper, everything looked good. Finally had a few beers with the guy who owned it befor me and he admitted that he took a small drill and "widened" the low speed jet. Now I should have just rebuilt the carb but who would of guessed that he did something like that.
BTW: Thanks for the Autolite link in the other thread, totally explains why my bike likes them so much.
Doug
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,468
Likes: 12
From: Bluffton, South Carolina
Douf,
I agree he should look at the easy stuff first, but it looks like he did. The spring in question was the outer spring and it failed on the second coil from the top towards the front. At first it looked ok until we turned the engine over and noticed there was someting not right with the way it moved.
We also have had some pretty weird things done to carbs over the years. It seems there are a lot of "mechanics" who love to take drill bits to portions of the carb that should be left alone. Thay really make life miserable for us, until we replace the carb with a known good one.
I agree he should look at the easy stuff first, but it looks like he did. The spring in question was the outer spring and it failed on the second coil from the top towards the front. At first it looked ok until we turned the engine over and noticed there was someting not right with the way it moved.
We also have had some pretty weird things done to carbs over the years. It seems there are a lot of "mechanics" who love to take drill bits to portions of the carb that should be left alone. Thay really make life miserable for us, until we replace the carb with a known good one.
Thread Starter
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Novice
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 22
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From: Syracuse, NY
So heres where I am, Started the bike last night to try to pin point the sound, tried the screwdriver thing and I could not tell anything. Going to pick up a stethoscope today.
The bike would run decent with the choke on but once the choke was turned off the bike would cut out, if I tried to save it with the throttle it would still die, seems like it was not getting enough fuel. So I took off the carb and in the process of looking it over and giving it a cleaning.
This is the first time I have ever messed with a Carb, so should I use carb cleaner or sea foam to clean, or tear it down and just do a rebuild?
The manifold seal that holds the carb looks good. The thin rubber diaphram piece also look good. Even the screw heads and hardware look good, and I noiticed a Arlen Ness Big Sucker intake on the bike. Iam starting to wonder if this bike has had work done, there was also a washer missing on one of the crankcase breather bolts. The bike was real clean when I purchased it from a HD dealer, also was just recently repainted, it seemed like it was taken care of by the previous owner.
Iam starting to lean more towards the Ignition Module.
Once again thanks for all the input, I appreciate it!
The bike would run decent with the choke on but once the choke was turned off the bike would cut out, if I tried to save it with the throttle it would still die, seems like it was not getting enough fuel. So I took off the carb and in the process of looking it over and giving it a cleaning.
This is the first time I have ever messed with a Carb, so should I use carb cleaner or sea foam to clean, or tear it down and just do a rebuild?
The manifold seal that holds the carb looks good. The thin rubber diaphram piece also look good. Even the screw heads and hardware look good, and I noiticed a Arlen Ness Big Sucker intake on the bike. Iam starting to wonder if this bike has had work done, there was also a washer missing on one of the crankcase breather bolts. The bike was real clean when I purchased it from a HD dealer, also was just recently repainted, it seemed like it was taken care of by the previous owner.
Iam starting to lean more towards the Ignition Module.
Once again thanks for all the input, I appreciate it!
Last edited by Knuckles; Oct 26, 2009 at 09:09 AM.
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Thread Starter
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Novice
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 22
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From: Syracuse, NY
So I cleaned the carb and reinstalled, the bike will stay running better and theres better throttle response. But now the carb leaks fuel out of the overflow tube when the bike is not running.
The noise is still in the front cylinder, I listened to each rocker cover and there is definately something going on in the front, sounds kind of like a rattle coming from the inside.
The noise is still in the front cylinder, I listened to each rocker cover and there is definately something going on in the front, sounds kind of like a rattle coming from the inside.