First would like to say thank you for all the help in the past finally got her running and it was going good.

77 Shovel 1200cc with a S&S E Carb

After about 15 rides running good, I was coming home from work and hit the throttle and the bike started jumping and sputtering. Even holding the throttle slightly it was surging power and then finally turned off. Pulled over and checked gas, had about a 1/4 tank, waited a min and fired right back up and got a little bit down the road before the surging started again and turned off. (Happen about 5 more times before i got home.) From the way it looks to me is that there is not enough fuel getting to the carb to keep it running... (I guess) Inline Fuel filter not really filling up with gas. It will fill to the top if i leave the petcock open (bike off) for about 30 mins or so then the bike will run for awhile until the filter gets low/dry. it looks like there is is not enough suction pulling enough gas, but dont really know hence why I am here.

Have done the normal google search and started working on some of the simple things.

Pulled the gas caps off (No difference)
Pulled Petcock. Cleaned and checked the flow (Cleaned and flowing great)
Pulled Inline fuel filter (Now Clean)
Fuel line going from the filter to the carb runs between the heads.

Next step im guessing is the Carb, Which is new territory for me.

If the bowl of the carb is dirty will that cause the carb to not pull enough gas?

 

I have always heard it's not a good idea to install an in-line fuel filter. Isn't there a filter on the petcock at the tank?
Definitely sounds like its starving for fuel.

 

Yes the Petcock has that screen over it, and I dont know about having or not having the inline filter, Was on the bike when i got it. I will try to remove it tonight and see what happens.

 

If you have a filter in the tank, you should pull it and see if it is dirty.

Check the float bowl setting on the E-carb.

Confirm you have an insulator block installed between the carb and the manifold?

How old is your coil? Bad coil will cause the bike to miss, sputter and then die. Once the bike cools down a bit it will fire right up until heated and then cut out again.

 

The only filter i know of in the tank is the screen that is around the petcock. I have pulled that and cleaned it.

Will have to look up information on the bowl setting and the Insulator block.
and the coil is probably original OEM so 40 years old. is there a way to test the Coil wiht a volt meter or anything?

 

From the service manual...

...check primary and secondary resistance of ignition coil with an ohmmeter. resistance should be within the followowing limits

1979 and earlier
primary 4.5 to 5.7 ohms
secondary 16,000 to 20,000 ohms

1980 and later
primary 3.3 to 3.7 ohms
secondary 16,5000 to 19,500 ohms

 

original or aftermarket ? single fire or OEM ?

 

Before you tear into the carb do a intake leak check around the intake ports and the manifold to carb seal and maybe look at you timing advance if your bike has one, many supposed carb issues have turned out to be trash advances.

One more cheap bit just change out the fuel hose.

 

Is it still points? Is so switch out the condenser. Will cost 8 bucks and five minutes of your time. Bad condensers will do this idle fine but sputter and surge under load.

 

Guy on eBay sells them for 3000$