Does size matter - for the carb...
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Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 737
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From: Concrete jungle
Does size matter - for the carb...
1998 Softail, stock is 1340 motor. This one has Screaming eagle heads, Mikuni carb, no idea on internals/mods. Bassani 2 into1 exhaust (replaces the rusty V+H Long shots that came with it).
I'm trying to get ahead of surprises once I pull the carb off. Assuming this internals are stock, how significant is the carb size? Does a 42 vs 45 make that much difference? I would like to think a 48 is really for serious racing builds.
Symptoms are running REALLY rich. Like black plugs after a few hundred miles, and serious amount of soot on exhaust tip per ride. I do know it has a 160 jet. Unknown about needle size/clip position, or other jet sizes so far.
I've got a generic rebuild kit and looking for time to pull the carb off and go through it just based on age.
Is there such a thing as too much carb?
Thanks in advance.
I'm trying to get ahead of surprises once I pull the carb off. Assuming this internals are stock, how significant is the carb size? Does a 42 vs 45 make that much difference? I would like to think a 48 is really for serious racing builds.
Symptoms are running REALLY rich. Like black plugs after a few hundred miles, and serious amount of soot on exhaust tip per ride. I do know it has a 160 jet. Unknown about needle size/clip position, or other jet sizes so far.
I've got a generic rebuild kit and looking for time to pull the carb off and go through it just based on age.
Is there such a thing as too much carb?
Thanks in advance.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2022
Posts: 4,476
Likes: 3,860
From: Florida
How will you use the bike? Two up casual riding out seeing the sights I’d go smaller. If bar hopper that goes to the drag strip on the weekends 45 or 48 “could” work.
‘Yours truly would run a Super E
Hows your timing? What plugs, what are you gapping them?
‘Yours truly would run a Super E
Hows your timing? What plugs, what are you gapping them?
Last edited by Rains2much; Oct 7, 2025 at 12:05 PM.
Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2020
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From: Concrete jungle
Plugs are less than 3 months old, gapped @ 0.040".
Timing is set per Dyna2000 directions.
Road Master
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 783
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From: Bay Area
Pull the bowl and see what the pilot jet is as well as A/P. The main jet isnt used much in average riding, youre much more on the pilot/intermediate jet so if youre fouling plugs Id start there. To size, a 42 is more than enough. You "could" tune a 45 to work but it would probably be soft down low and only really accel in high RPM HP but wouldnt be worth it IMO.
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Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 737
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From: Concrete jungle
Progress.....
It's a hsr42. Has a 160 jet and 97 needle. Other jet sizes, undetermined. Internals were FILTHY... damn it was ugly for a 27yo bike with less than 10k on the clock. Oily too which I attribute to the lack of a breather bypass prior to my acquiring it this summer.
I went from middle of needle(#3?) to lower it one slot (#4?) in the hopes of leaning it out a bit. Throttle cable seat is boogered up. Appears someone tried to hack it open for the current single throttle cable to fit in there. Depending on luck in finding a replacement and cost, I will likely replace the bracket. Now I can measure the throttle cable for reference, in anticipation of replacing the 18" bars with ...14's??
Cleaned and rebuild kit applied. Now to find the replacement choke cable that I appear to have misplaced....
It's a hsr42. Has a 160 jet and 97 needle. Other jet sizes, undetermined. Internals were FILTHY... damn it was ugly for a 27yo bike with less than 10k on the clock. Oily too which I attribute to the lack of a breather bypass prior to my acquiring it this summer.
I went from middle of needle(#3?) to lower it one slot (#4?) in the hopes of leaning it out a bit. Throttle cable seat is boogered up. Appears someone tried to hack it open for the current single throttle cable to fit in there. Depending on luck in finding a replacement and cost, I will likely replace the bracket. Now I can measure the throttle cable for reference, in anticipation of replacing the 18" bars with ...14's??
Cleaned and rebuild kit applied. Now to find the replacement choke cable that I appear to have misplaced....
Grand HDF Member
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,850
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From: florida
42 is fine for your bike, larger wont benefit you. 22.5 slow net 160 main and needle in the middle is start point and should only take minor air screw and accel pump adjustments.
use a mikuni brand choje cable. If you have the old style carb you can get get the old style cables from Barnett, call them and they can help you sort this out. Once the carb AND uiur ignition timing are dialed in, you still need to do that with a dial back timing light, your not finished till you do that. If you dont ride like a throttle jockie, 40-45 mpg is within reach,,,,,throttle jockie and all bets are off.
m
use a mikuni brand choje cable. If you have the old style carb you can get get the old style cables from Barnett, call them and they can help you sort this out. Once the carb AND uiur ignition timing are dialed in, you still need to do that with a dial back timing light, your not finished till you do that. If you dont ride like a throttle jockie, 40-45 mpg is within reach,,,,,throttle jockie and all bets are off.
m
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Road Captain
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From: Concrete jungle
Scamazon proclaimed genuine Mikuni choke cable found. Installed it.,,, uhhh, that seems a bit tight. A hell of a snug S path for the cable around the VOES switch(which I did not realize I had on this bike). . Definitely explains the kink in the just replaced cable that I suspect was a mish-mash of HD and Mikuni parts. Somewhere on the internet. I saw a picture of the plastic ferrule that threads into the card. HD part looked one way, with knurles on it, I think. This one has no knurls and the spring is definitely much longer.
Once I get the primary back together, I intend on doing the rotor mark trick for timing. While instructions for Dyna2000 install.setup worked, Might as well do it while I'm in there.
Once I get the primary back together, I intend on doing the rotor mark trick for timing. While instructions for Dyna2000 install.setup worked, Might as well do it while I'm in there.
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Scamazon proclaimed genuine Mikuni choke cable found. Installed it.,,, uhhh, that seems a bit tight. A hell of a snug S path for the cable around the VOES switch(which I did not realize I had on this bike). . Definitely explains the kink in the just replaced cable that I suspect was a mish-mash of HD and Mikuni parts. Somewhere on the internet. I saw a picture of the plastic ferrule that threads into the card. HD part looked one way, with knurles on it, I think. This one has no knurls and the spring is definitely much longer.
Once I get the primary back together, I intend on doing the rotor mark trick for timing. While instructions for Dyna2000 install.setup worked, Might as well do it while I'm in there.
Once I get the primary back together, I intend on doing the rotor mark trick for timing. While instructions for Dyna2000 install.setup worked, Might as well do it while I'm in there.
To use a Mikuni cable after someone used an HD cable, you will need that nut. Harley nut has a hex and knurling next to the body, Mikuni is smooth with only a hex.