Makes miss Japan made Dixie and Superior parts. We complained about them at the time, but in today's world the quality (for the most part) stands out.

 

intake leaks are always suspect with any older Harley starting running issue - and I don't care if you just did them

 

Ain't that the Truth!!!! Who Knew!!!

 

How often do people listen to you about that till they've run in circles and tore a bunch of stuff apart for a while ?


Gotta shake my head sometimes everybody always jumps right off into the complicated stuff first.

 

Ok, I've inspected the petcock thoroughly (screen didn't have a speck of crud in it), the tank is clean inside and no gunk around the petcock.

Per Racepres, I'm going to completely remove the inline fuel filter and just run tube straight from petcock to carb because it should only take a few minutes but I'm not sure that lack of fuel is the issue. The inline fuel filter is obviously full of fuel (Clear glass filter) and the carb leaks fuel if you pull enricher or try and start it. Fuel is reaching the carb.

A leaking intake manifold is a possibility, I guess, because it's a big, heavy carb, it's got an extender gasket, and I'd think it wants to hang down. Unfortunately, this occurred to me the last time I tried to get this bike going, and I completely removed manifold, cleaned and reassembled with care, even using gasket sealer in a few key areas before snugging everything down. Also, if there was intake leak would the bike still leap to life (two pulls on the enricher) when cold and run smoothly?

As far as the coil, it's new. I replaced that the last time, as well, thinking the existing one might be cracked or something.

I just checked the battery and it registers 12.27, still wired to the bike.

Someone mentioned it might be running way too rich. How would I know? Plugs looked okay when I checked and they're almost brand new.

 

12.6+ is 100% charged, 12.0 is Past Dead... 12.3 is Not really 50%
But, you won't be sorry you tossed that stupid Inline fuel filter... If the in tank screen is clean... it is all ya need...or want.
Hope you have a carburetor Support... or yer gonna Leak...

Again... the one Harley Carburetor I would Throw in the Trash... is that Chiwanese Ripoff.

 

Thanks, Rpres.

So, if the bike starts fine when cold, runs and drives fine for 10 minutes or so and then bogs down and will still turn over but not start -that could all be due to a bad battery? Also, the battery at 12.27 after about five minutes of attempting to re-start it the other day. Maybe put it on charger and see where it ends up?

What about pushrod adjustment? 2 of the 4 are too tight to turn by hand. Could that be an issue?

 

Yes...Yes, and Absolutely..
assuming you have Solid lifters...

 

Meaning no disrespect to you here, but pushrod adjustment needs to be checked when the motor is cold. Tappest are adjusted with pushrod at its lowest position. Lowest posirion may be found by rotating engine until like tappet (intake or exhaust) in other cylinder is at its highest position.

Re; your carb set up. Don't anything about the carb you are running but is it secured at any point other than the intake manifold clamps. If not it definitely needs to be. if you look under your heads there should be a threaded hole on the front rear cylinder head that would serve as a hole for the original style carb backing plate. With your carb you may have to fabricate your own. The other choice is to run a homemade bracket off the engine stud located between your cylinders and attach it to the bottom of the intake manifold

My 75 FXE used a single mounting point of the underside of the front cylinder


My 78 1/2 FXE has four mounting points (accommodates new style backing plate with the use of the HAM Cam introduced mid-year)

 

Yes it very well could be an intake leak, think about it once the bike is up to operating temps and everything has expanded it opens gaps where it was sealed cold. If the cabs wanting to hang down you definitely have alignment issues at the manifold clamps then and doesn't sound like you have the carb braced off the front head to the air cleaner or from the case up to bottom hole of the flange, this is a guaranteed leak problem.

On a side note even if the intakes were just done doesn't mean it took, every mechanic in here has had redo some they just finished, nature of the beast man.

What carb?