Hello all,
Just some background; I am helping a friend with their "chopper". The situation is its supposedly an 98 motor on a jammer softail frame.

Bike wouldn't start so I rebuilt the carb, then it would start and was badly misfiring and had already been changed to a single-fire setup so I replaced the ign with a compufire hd2, an accel coil, new wires and plugs and also replaced the right handle bar controls b/c "someone" shorted out a bunch of the wiring in there so I wanted to start fresh.

Now it starts if it has fresh plugs and has sat for a while; normally a couple hours before I have a chance to get back to it to test fire it.
But it won't restart after shutting it down. I have been trying to dial in the carb and idle and whatnot but once it stalls or shuts down it will not restart.
It will turn over and I have good spark both cylinders w/a spark tester, I tested compression and hitting 120 both cylinders.

It has a kuryakin air cleaner; not hypercharger but a big v-looking thing.

It is currently jetted 42/175 as it was when I originally rebuilt it but I did replace the 42 jet as the original was clogged beyond me trusting it once clean. I also replaced the needle w/ a cvp n65 needle as the original was badly scored.

I also replaced both seals into the heads.

I have never seen this bike run but was told it "ran great" before it was parked; don't they all?

Anyway, I'm looking for any other suggestions or ideas I haven't tried or maybe something I have tried but a better way about doing it! I am an experienced mechanic both marine and Harley but this one is baffling me.

I have heard of the slide needle wallowing out the emulsion tube but personally have never seen that and don't know how to diagnose that or repair; I'm afraid of having to tell them we need to change the carb and that it keep doing the same thing. I know the original ign system needed to go but that's a big enough expense to not have solved the problem in my friend's eyes.

Thanks again and please all suggestions are welcome, Tim

 

also, when i pull the plugs after it does start they look carbon fouled more than anything but frankly it really doesn't get above idle or off choke so I don't know if I can really trust their "readings"

 

CV carb? Timing is correct? There are others here that know ALOT more than I do. If its a CV, did you check for holes in the rubber membrane....that does really wierd things to it.

 

Yes, Kowboy, timing is correct and when it does start its instantaneous; I did inspect and clean the slide diaphragm and didn't notice anything but this situation really has me baffled. I wids I had a known good carb to test with. I may break down and get one to throw in the toolbox. Thanks for the response and suggestion...T

 

I only use the enricher for first start, no more than 10-20 seconds. Then throttle up to about 2K and drop out the enricher slowly, which drops idle back to around 1100 rpm. Start with the idle screw around 2-3 turns out and see how it does. Make sure that your getting fuel and that your maniflod rubber is sealing.

Thats about all I have.

 

loosen your gas cap, turn the tank to reserve just to rule those 2 potential issues out. Breather off & a spray bottle with some fuel in it. see if you can keep it running with the fuel bottle. Sounds like starvation to me!
Pull the cover off the nose cone & make sure the wiring isn't grounding out as the rotor turns. the compression is acceptable but low. It should be around 180 lbs. Is the VOES line hooked on? I ask this in case no vacuum line is attached & you have a leak.
Hatch.

 

Thanks for the replies,
No tank on it, using a test tank setup; replaced the petcock and fuel line on original tank due to corrosion and rust etc, but had to pull tank last week to redo wiring and have left it off to ease testing etc so I know the fuel system is good. As far as jetting I don't know what it needs; like I said it has 42/175 now which was in it when I originally rebuilt carb; I think p.o. may have drilled the emulsion tube But I hope not. I have a new slide/diaphragm on order so hopefully I will see improvements when that arrives as the od one does look worn but no apparent rips/holes.
Comp seems low due to fact I Didn't do at wot due to handlebar controls being removed at time of test; I was looking more for variance between cylinders; I will do a correct comp test when I get back out to shop now that throttle is reattached.
Ignition is brand new and double insulated and routed w/ corrugated plastic wire loom cover because I have seen them short out in the past so as rue of thumb I protect them a little more whenever I install them.

there is no voes(chopper) but there is a vacuum port I have both plugged and tried to get a vacuum reading off of but has been too eratic to really diagnose.

Like I said earlier it will start and run fine for a few minutes then it will not restart for a couple hours; I am pretty confident it is not fuel system before carb.I am pretty confident I have ruled out manifold air leaks both at carb and heads. Ign condition and timing is great as when it does start it usually does instantly.

Right now I am truly hoping its the slide/diaphragm as my next course is a replacement carb I neither have nor my friend has funds to really support.
Thanks to all with suggestions and Rufus, If you are seeing this I am going to call you on Monday sometime as I don't want to interrupt your weekend.

Thanks again to all, Tim

 

Have you checked that the little silver needle jet is in place? it sits above the emulsion tube and protrudes into the carby throat.....it goes in big hole facing upwards....the buggers fall out and get lost real easy.