Hi all

2003 Softail standard

Got from my dad after it sat for 5-6 years or so. I went through the bike. Fluids, tires, now brakes, etc. Runs great.....sometimes

I have about 500 miles on the bike and its been almost trouble free. A couple weeks ago I was riding and it started bogging out. I was low on gas and had just refilled so I though maybe it was because the gas hadn't made its way down that far to the carb. It had been about 3 miles so that was unlikely but I never had issues, I had just filled up and now it was bogging out. Seemed fishy.

I pulled over and it died and would not restart. Just cranked. Gave a little gas, nothing. Opened the throttle up since I smelled lots of fuel like an old car, and nothing. Didn't even try to start.

Let it sit for about 10 minutes and it fired right up. I rode it another 15 miles or so without a single issue.

Weird.

Have taken many rides since without issue.

Tonight I take it out and after about 5 miles, it does that same thing. I was close to home and made it.....barely.

Got in garage, it dies....wont restart. Again, does not even cough like it wants to and there is fuel pouring out the carb all over the pipes.

I pulled the plug to see if there is spark by holding the plug against the motor and there is. Put plug back in, and crank. Wont start. just crank.

Go in and eat dinner....pissed. Come out and it starts right up without choke. Pull choke, it dies. Push choke in, restart, fires up and runs great.

WTF.

I have a theory as the what it could be but I wondering what the class thinks before I go start digging into my idea and waste time.

Any help or thoughts ARE greatly appreciated.

 

Sounds like your flooding it. Don't give it so much gas. How many times do you twist the throttle before hitting the starter?

 

When you went through the bike, did you take apart the carb and clean it out/rebuild it real good?

 

I dont give it any gas when starting. Just pull the choke and start it when cold and when warm just push the button.

I was only giving it gas because it seemed like it was flooded and I remembered back to my carb car day that when it was flooded it was best to crank with gas wide open.

This is happening WHILE I am riding it down the street


I took the bowl off the bottom and pulled the jets and cleaned them. The bike runs great, starts perfect, etc. other than these two oddball times out about 2 weeks apart.

 

I would verify filters on petcock are clean & that the float needle isn't letting fuel thru when closed

 

My thought is the float has a crack in it or the needle is not closing occasionally.

I guess I will pull apart and check it.

Just wanted to see what anyone else thought

 

Pull the cap and look inside the tank to see if the liner has started coming off and is plugging the petcock screen. Seen quite a bit of that on bikes that have sat for long periods of time!

 

Did it again tonight. Not as bad though.

Usually, I pull the choke and it starts right up, I let it run for 1-2 minutes and push in choke and go.

When I went out after not being ran all day, wouldn't start on choke. Just cranked. Pushed in chike and it fired right up.

Went to gas station (it has 1/2 tank so just top off) and when I went to start it, it took about 10-15 seconds of cranking and finally fired when I gave it a touch of throttle. Nornally, it would fire instantly without any throttle.

At the first few stoplights, it seemed like it would die if I let it. I just rolled the throttle SLIGHTLY to keep it running. After about 5-6 miles it seemed to smooth out. I stopped 20 times or so at lights, etc. and it idled perfect. NO issues the rest of the way.

 

have you changed the fuel line? ethanol eats at the rubber line an little black specs end up in the carb an will plug it up.

 

Back at this.

I ended up changing the float and the plunger that controls the fuel inlet with new HD parts. Put everything back together and she started up fine. Went for a quick ride about 10 miles or so and everything was great.

That was 2 weeks ago.

havent had time to ride until this morning. Started up fine, rode about 15 miles to my destination without an issue. Parked and then left and hour later.

It started right up but wanted to die so I gave it some gas and went about my way. About a mile in it started sputtering and wanting to die. I couldnt keep it running with just gas and the clutch in. Had to let out the clutch and force the motor the spin to keep it alive. Got on the freeway and it would run fine for 15 seconds and then bog out. Id twist hard on the gas and it would clear up and run fine.

When I got off the freeway, I had to just twist the throttle and leave it at about 3500 or so RPM (no tach.....just a guess) to keep it from dying. I just did that and ran a few stop signs here and there to make it home without having to push.

Pulled up in the driveway and turned it off and gas was pouring out from the carb, just like it did before. There is gas all over the right side of the bike and my bags.


Any ideas
I have no idea where to go from here and to what it causing this. I figured a new plunger and float would fix it. I never even considered anything else.