I just modded a screw driver to do the adjustment. I was thinking about one of the external ones but never got around to it.

 

i think I may have stumble across the problem. looking at the carb i notice fuel leaking around the needle jet. I didn't touch the needle jet, so I know it isn't in upside down, so what else could cause fuel to leak around it? I did have the main jet and holder out cleaning it, maybe I didn't get it seated right on the needle jet. I'm going to reinstall it and see what happens. I'll let you know.

 

Possibly not seated or float set too high.

 

well I got carb back together and fire her up. still leaking a little out of the needle jet. don't appear to be as much as before. I had bike at 1500 rpm when i notice the leak. I didn't think to check it out at a lower rpm or should that matter at all? I did reset mixing screw to about 2 turns out while I was at it. took it down the road and it seam better. I don't know if I'm being to picky about a 20 year old bike. I would like for it to run good enough to put a smile on my face. it runs ok now, but something still don't seam right.

 

Just checking if the little O-ring and tiny washer next to the spring on the needle jet
are still present, they do get lost, if the O-ring is broke or lost (I know) they can leak
a little gas around the threads of the needle.

 

I've been working on mine all year trying to get it just right, nothing wrong with reaching for the stars.

 

I went by the dealer today and bought the 88 sportster needle. they had it in stock for 10 dollars. when I got back home I went on line to research the performance gain I may get off this needle and I read alot of things about bad fuel mileage that comes with using this needle. scare me away from using it. for those that are using this needle, what kind of mpg are you getting? will it have a big effect on mine mpg. I would like to have it more peppy, but at what cost. I should at least put it in carb and just see, seeing how I have the needle anyway.

 

I get around mid 40's depending how I ride it. I usually hit reserve around 160 miles. nightrider.com has some good cv bike tech. If you want more info.

 

I just wanted to update you all on my bike. I installed the 88 sportster needle and that same to have done the trick on the hesitation. I rode over 300 miles today. highway and mountain. I"m getting around 46 mpg. I don't believe i was getting much better than that to begin with. overall I am please with everything. with the sportster needle she comes up through the gears really well. "I had a big ole smile on my face". I did notice that when I was running 70-75mph she seam a little slugish when I roll on the throttle. don't know what that could be. overall I am happy with the results. thank you all for your help.

 

It is my understanding that the sportster needle also makes the carb run a little rich so you may need to drop your main jet down a size. This is from the nightrider website:

"To test the main jetting, you must be in fourth or fifth gear and running fairly high RPM (4000+) then open the throttle all the way to the throttle stop, noting the feel of the bike. Immediately let off the throttle about 1/8 turn and note the feel of the bike. If it seems to accelerate some when you let off the 1/8, your main jet is too lean. If it hesitates or the top speed is poor (i.e. less than 80 MPH) you are too rich. Adjust your main jetting accordingly by increasing or decreasing the jet size by 5. Use your common sense and seat of the pants feel and you will get close enough to do plug reads."

http://www.nightrider.com/biketech/hd_cv_mods.htm