New to HD, need help!
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Joined: May 2010
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New to HD, need help!
Hello all, I recently bought a 74 XLCH, I don't know where to start so....a little about the bike
1974 XLCH, turned rigid with a DNA springer front end, elec/kick start, pretty much just turned into a cool bobber. I've put a good bit of miles on it and it's always been really cold natured and a pain in the rear to start, but once it's running, it restarts with one kick and does great. Recently its getting harder and harder to start. So, I have a tech manual, and the ignition all tested out OK, its getting good spark, but the carb looks rough, just really dirty and looked like it wasn't bolted on or sealed tight, I'm always adjusting the idle on it, so I took the carb off and cleaned it up and reinstalled it and it kicked right over. It just runs rough as heck and any tiny touch to the carb makes it run wildly different. The carb body had some really bad looking seals and the throttle cable is all chewed up. Additionally the carb body has a heli-coil in it, apparently it was stripped at one point and I just don't have a good feeling about it bolting up tight. So, one problem is....I know little to nothing about Harleys, I've ridden all my life and owned almost every kind of bike, but never a harley, so I don't know what I'm looking at, and with all of the aftermarket stuff out there....who knows! So, I gather that I have a bendix carb, and I intend to replace it, but how do I know what throttle cable to get? Are they standard lengths, or just a cable, or do they come in an assembly? Sorry for the ignorance here, all of the miles I've put on my bikes, none of them have ever required more than routine easy maintenance and they were stock so a service manual was easy to follow. Any ideas for the rough running? Am I on the right path? Thanks all.
1974 XLCH, turned rigid with a DNA springer front end, elec/kick start, pretty much just turned into a cool bobber. I've put a good bit of miles on it and it's always been really cold natured and a pain in the rear to start, but once it's running, it restarts with one kick and does great. Recently its getting harder and harder to start. So, I have a tech manual, and the ignition all tested out OK, its getting good spark, but the carb looks rough, just really dirty and looked like it wasn't bolted on or sealed tight, I'm always adjusting the idle on it, so I took the carb off and cleaned it up and reinstalled it and it kicked right over. It just runs rough as heck and any tiny touch to the carb makes it run wildly different. The carb body had some really bad looking seals and the throttle cable is all chewed up. Additionally the carb body has a heli-coil in it, apparently it was stripped at one point and I just don't have a good feeling about it bolting up tight. So, one problem is....I know little to nothing about Harleys, I've ridden all my life and owned almost every kind of bike, but never a harley, so I don't know what I'm looking at, and with all of the aftermarket stuff out there....who knows! So, I gather that I have a bendix carb, and I intend to replace it, but how do I know what throttle cable to get? Are they standard lengths, or just a cable, or do they come in an assembly? Sorry for the ignorance here, all of the miles I've put on my bikes, none of them have ever required more than routine easy maintenance and they were stock so a service manual was easy to follow. Any ideas for the rough running? Am I on the right path? Thanks all.
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Joined: Dec 2007
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You need to check your flyweights, for and signs of adverse wear, and insure your points are in good shape and set properly, and go through a valve adjustment.
That should certainly help with the starting of that.
If the "cold blooded" nature of it still exists, then up the pilot jet until that symptom is cured.
Let us know how you make out.........
Scott
That should certainly help with the starting of that.
If the "cold blooded" nature of it still exists, then up the pilot jet until that symptom is cured.
Let us know how you make out.........
Scott
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 4,919
Likes: 23
From: Seattle, WA
If the throttle and idle cables need to be replaced, they make varying lengths ... you could take a tape measure and just find the length of your existing cables to get the measurement for replacements ....
When changing the handlebar setup or risers (adding 'ape hangers' or drag bars, etc.) some folks take a length of cord and run it from the hand grip to the carb along the route they wish to run the cable and use that measurement ... should not be too much trouble to replace the throttle and idle cables ....
R/
'Chop
When changing the handlebar setup or risers (adding 'ape hangers' or drag bars, etc.) some folks take a length of cord and run it from the hand grip to the carb along the route they wish to run the cable and use that measurement ... should not be too much trouble to replace the throttle and idle cables ....
R/
'Chop
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