My aching neck and back!
Tourer
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 388
Likes: 0
From: West Tennessee
you know it probably sounds repetitive when people come on a thread and say check push-rods but honestly about 85-90% of peoples problems with Ironheads not starting stem from push-rods not adjusted correctly.
I had a problem like yours not that long ago. Mine started happening on the way home from a ride. I'm cruising at 60 and then the bike starts to sputter. I pull over on the side of the road, start it back up and take off. Seems to be okay until I get up to 60 again. The all the sudden it starts to sputter worse and worse. Finally the bike stalls and won't start back up again. It was the middle of the night and I was really close to the house so I just pushed it home and looked at it in the morning. I must have gone through everything trying to see what the problem was. Finally, I pulled the timing cover off and the screw that holds the circuit breaker cam in place while it rotates opening the points had loosened just enough where the cam had lifted up enough and it wasn't contacting the points. Just another idea for yah.
I had a problem like yours not that long ago. Mine started happening on the way home from a ride. I'm cruising at 60 and then the bike starts to sputter. I pull over on the side of the road, start it back up and take off. Seems to be okay until I get up to 60 again. The all the sudden it starts to sputter worse and worse. Finally the bike stalls and won't start back up again. It was the middle of the night and I was really close to the house so I just pushed it home and looked at it in the morning. I must have gone through everything trying to see what the problem was. Finally, I pulled the timing cover off and the screw that holds the circuit breaker cam in place while it rotates opening the points had loosened just enough where the cam had lifted up enough and it wasn't contacting the points. Just another idea for yah.
Cruiser
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 149
Likes: 2
Don't pull the cylinders off. It's way too early to start pulling the motor apart. There are plenty of things to check first.
Clean and seal your tank. Use POR 15 or Red Kote. Do not use Kreem. If your tank isn't rusty pour in a bottle of vinegar and a couple handful of washers and shake the hell out of it for a long time. Some guys wrap the tank in a comforter and put it in the dryer. Do not do this with the vinegar inside, just the washers (BBs have been recommended as well).
Clean your petcock and carb. Adjust your pushrods. Check timing, points, condenser, plugs, and wires. Test your coil, too--I've seen them cause the symptoms you describe.
You might also have a load of bad gas.
Good advice about the carb support bracket. Even if you don't have an intermittent intake leak, Mikunis in particular have a tendency to fall off and roll down the road.
Load test your battery. The bucking could also be caused by intermittent short.
Use lighter fluid or WD-40 and check for intake leaks.
Do a percentage leak down test.
Clean and seal your tank. Use POR 15 or Red Kote. Do not use Kreem. If your tank isn't rusty pour in a bottle of vinegar and a couple handful of washers and shake the hell out of it for a long time. Some guys wrap the tank in a comforter and put it in the dryer. Do not do this with the vinegar inside, just the washers (BBs have been recommended as well).
Clean your petcock and carb. Adjust your pushrods. Check timing, points, condenser, plugs, and wires. Test your coil, too--I've seen them cause the symptoms you describe.
You might also have a load of bad gas.
Good advice about the carb support bracket. Even if you don't have an intermittent intake leak, Mikunis in particular have a tendency to fall off and roll down the road.
Load test your battery. The bucking could also be caused by intermittent short.
Use lighter fluid or WD-40 and check for intake leaks.
Do a percentage leak down test.
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