CV Keihin
Thread Starter
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1st Gear
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Rock Springs, WY
CV Keihin
Greetings! I have a 2001 Road King that I ought last summer. Is has roughly 29K miles on it. I put about 900 on it last year. However, the bike sat in a garage for 2 years so there are some things I need to do to it. The stock carb has never been apart and the bike was originally in Tuscon. AZ. I live in Wyoming at 6,200 ft. I am going to rebuild the carb and need to get some advice on what jets to put in it for the elevation. Any rebuild advice would be greatly appreciated! Also, what is recommended for cleaning it (carb cleaner, etc.)
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 21,736
Likes: 17,577
From: Driftless Area
If the bike is mostly stock, you should be good with a 165 or 175 main, and a 45 slow jet.
I've been in the mountains a lot with mine. Never noticed much difference. CV stands for constant velocity, and shouldn't be affected by elevation.
Carb cleaner is fine. If the bike is cammed, maybe a 180-185 main.
I've been in the mountains a lot with mine. Never noticed much difference. CV stands for constant velocity, and shouldn't be affected by elevation.
Carb cleaner is fine. If the bike is cammed, maybe a 180-185 main.
Thread Starter
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1st Gear
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Rock Springs, WY
It supposedly has Stage 1 upgrades but has Vance and Hines 2 into 1 Megaphone exhaust. The local Harley dealer adjusted it last summer and leaned it out but it is fouling the plugs and still runs rich.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 4,315
Likes: 1,663
From: Tampa
You may not need to tweak the carb, aside from raising the idle a bit. The CV slide compensates for altitude based on the lack of air for each intake gulp by not sliding up as far when compared to sea level conditions.
If you think about it, the CV slide goes up based on how much air is flowing thru the carb, not by how much you have the throttle open. At altitude, since there is essentially less air (not just less oxygen, which is also true, but less air overall) so as this "less air" goes into the venturi the slide won't be driven up as far, therefore the needle that's attached to the slide won't let as much fuel in.
It's a great design, really.
If you think about it, the CV slide goes up based on how much air is flowing thru the carb, not by how much you have the throttle open. At altitude, since there is essentially less air (not just less oxygen, which is also true, but less air overall) so as this "less air" goes into the venturi the slide won't be driven up as far, therefore the needle that's attached to the slide won't let as much fuel in.
It's a great design, really.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 4,377
Likes: 647
From: Santa Clarita
That's a highly underrated and unrespected carb. Should work fine for 95% of owners out there.
I'd take it apart, soak for an hour or so in carb cleaner, spray with choke cleaner, then compressed air, and use the jet recommendations here as a baseline, and dial it in.
I'd take it apart, soak for an hour or so in carb cleaner, spray with choke cleaner, then compressed air, and use the jet recommendations here as a baseline, and dial it in.
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Road Master
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 992
Likes: 143
From: eastern NC
If you want the carb to look like brand new, I learned from an old small engine builder to cook all of the parts in a crock pot on low heat in anti freeze for 2 days. Rinse with water and spray everything with WD40 and I promise it will look like brand new. Trust me on this one. I have seen some nasty stuff with baked on grime sparkle like a jewel in a goats azz.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 11,226
Likes: 3,049
From: St.Louis Mo.
those carbs can be tuned to run pretty good, but they have some plastic and rubber parts and just to many pieces to them. put an S&S E on it and it will be a different bike. many of those CV's on bikes out there, but i've seen lots of problems with them too. S&S is easy to tune and is simple.