Spit and Sputtered after a 100 miles!
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Joined: May 2011
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From: holland
Location on the bike..costs for replacement etc...
Sorry..stupid questions maybe..but I'm totally new with the bike.
Banned
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 52
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From: holland
My bike did this sorta think Saturday, but hadn't happened since.. some times its like starving for fuel, and once it just shut off, like I hit the kill switch, then started back up and ran great.. I'll through out what ever I find.. corroded ground contacts under dash.. tightened those up and put no ox on them. Can't hurt.
Hope to find a way to cure this not so nice behaviour.
Thanks for any input guys.
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 52
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From: holland
I don't think plugs are the prob...
Found this article about the issue and it makes a lot of sense to me.
http://www.harley-performance.com/stage-1-carb-kit.html
Found this article about the issue and it makes a lot of sense to me.
http://www.harley-performance.com/stage-1-carb-kit.html
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Joined: Apr 2011
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From: DENVER
Ok, so the weather finally cleared enough today to go on a ride. I just got back and put around 60 miles on it. Since, I was a little nervous about going to far out of town and getting stranded I pretty much did loops on the Interstate around the city, which sucked but its better than nothing. So.....I started the bike up, warmed up and idled fine. So I took it out on the interstate, it was running great, I did hear the little "backfire/cough/hiccup" out of the air cleaner a couple times, then on around mile 40 I took an exit so I could turn back around. At the light I took off and it immediately started sputtering, so I didnt get back on the Interstate and took a frontage road. The bike was sputtering but I could effectively cruise at 35-40, but when I gave it gas to go faster than that, it would bog down big time and loose speed. I kept limping the thing towards home, stopping at a couple stop signs I did notice it was idling pretty well. After a 1 to1.5 miles of running like crap, the bike snapped out of it again and ran great. Again I did hear a couple hiccups from the air cleaner throughout the last 20 miles. I tried to recreate the problem, starting and stopping, going fast/slow etc and could not do it. Most of the time I heard the hiccups I was running 50-65 mph. I guess from all this I think something in the carb may be gummed up or something, just because when it was running like crap and I tried to give it more gas, it was either getting too much or too little. What are you guys' thoughts? Any help is much appreciated!! It sucks, I bought this bike to commute on a save gas and its only 30 miles each way (up in the mts) but Im afraid to take the damn thing because I dont want to get stranded. Again, any help is much appreciated. I usually try to do things myself, but I may end up bringing it in somewhere.
Thanks
Matt
Thanks
Matt
Elite HDF Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,927
Likes: 5
From: Midwest
I had a similar problem with a 90 FXR. As long as the tank was full it ran fine, but after 60-70 miles it acted like I was out of gas. This problem started after a gas stop on the way to Daytona, and it was a real pain to fill up every hour all the way down and back.
Although I can't be sure because I couldn't tell by looking, my problem apparently was water trapped somewhere in the carb from some bad gas. I took the carb off the bike, cleaned the float and needle, sprayed it with carb cleaner, shook it really well, blew in it (manually, not with compressed air), then dried it out with a hair dryer, taking care not to get it too hot. Then I let it set on the bench for a couple of days under a lamp. When I put it all back together, it ran fine.
Although I can't be sure because I couldn't tell by looking, my problem apparently was water trapped somewhere in the carb from some bad gas. I took the carb off the bike, cleaned the float and needle, sprayed it with carb cleaner, shook it really well, blew in it (manually, not with compressed air), then dried it out with a hair dryer, taking care not to get it too hot. Then I let it set on the bench for a couple of days under a lamp. When I put it all back together, it ran fine.
Last edited by Sharknose; May 20, 2011 at 04:41 PM.
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Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Bluffton, South Carolina
How about the tank vent??? Next time it acts up loosen the cap a little and see if that help. Do not loosen the cap if the tank is full as this could be dangerous, try to be down at least 1/2 way.
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 47
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From: Washington
Had this same problem with my 1990 FXSTC. Just rebuilt and rejetted the carb and put hotter plugs in. Presto, almost like new.......
It all depends on the type of riding you do, for me city traffic, stop and go. So it need hotter plugs and more fuel in the bottom end.
It all depends on the type of riding you do, for me city traffic, stop and go. So it need hotter plugs and more fuel in the bottom end.