Ihavea question to help me figure this thing out. My bike is a 2000 FLHTC with a S&S E carb. Bike also has 510 gear drive, air cleaner and slipons. Rode the bike to work this morning, bike was running great. As soon as I left work, the bike started acting up. I was heading to the Dream Cruise in Detroit. Bike started fine, but idle was running high (about 1200-1400 rpm, normally runs right at 1000) and the rpms stayed high for a while before they would drop down when I would pull in the clutch at a stop. Kinda seemed like I still had the enrichener on, but it wasn't. I even moved the enrichener lever up and back, and then the bike didn't want to idle at all, dropped to about 600 rpm and had to blip the throttle to keep the bike running. I pulled the air cleaner cover off tonight and didn't see any bolt missing or any linkage loose or anything. When I got back to the freeway, bike ran pretty well (using the mid range circuit?) until I had to stop again. Any idea what I should be looking for. I'm gonna see if anybody put some crap in my tank at work (nice guys huh?) but didn't see anything on the console. Intakes leaks? Carb jets loose? Vacuum lines leaking? Where do you think I should start? Thanks for any help.
Jerry

 

Check for a vacuum leak. Spray some WD-40 or carb cleaner around all the junctions/lines while the motor is idling and listen for a RPM change. I don't know what kind of mounting arangement your bike has, but it is probably one of the connections either from the carb to the manifold or the manifold to the head(s).

 

Well, you were right, Dr. I did the WD-40 spray and couldn't really find a good sense that the rpms were going up, but occasionally it would. I was aiming at the manifold seals, and gasket between the carb and manifold. Hmmmm, what's that rubber cap on top of the manifold vacuum fitting? Touched it and it fell off! Wahla! There's the vacuum leak! I put a new cap on and started the bike, runs much smoother and even rpm now. It's raining like hell here now, but will test it out on the road later or tomorrow. Thanks a bunch! I think we got it. And my brother-in-law said I should buy a new bike! Ha!
Jerry