'05 Fatboy running like hell....suggestions?
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Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,719
Likes: 91
From: Florida
'05 Fatboy running like hell....suggestions?
My friend has an '05 Fatty he bought new. It lived at my house for five years, and I put 2 or 3k of the 6k miles on it that it has. Other than changing the oil and putting gas in it, nothing was done to it over these years. Since I bought my own bike and have been learning to work on them, and he's renewed his interest in the bike, we're tackling maintenance issues.
I swapped the original plugs out a few weeks ago and today did the oil and primary. Bike ran like absolute hell. Required choke to run at all, and once you pushed in the choke, it would stumble and frequently die with a puff of smoke out of the carb. He said it's run like that since he took it from me in November, before that I remember it running just fine. The fuel in it is about six months old, but that shouldn't be old enough to cause problems, IMO. Anyway, I pulled the plugs today and they look like garbage.
Bike is mostly stock with a dealer installed jet kit (unknown jets) and SE exhaust. Nobody has touched the carb since he bought the bike in '05. Even though the bike has low miles, I used to ride it every couple of months and usually on the highway, so it shouldn't be gummy. Any ideas?
I swapped the original plugs out a few weeks ago and today did the oil and primary. Bike ran like absolute hell. Required choke to run at all, and once you pushed in the choke, it would stumble and frequently die with a puff of smoke out of the carb. He said it's run like that since he took it from me in November, before that I remember it running just fine. The fuel in it is about six months old, but that shouldn't be old enough to cause problems, IMO. Anyway, I pulled the plugs today and they look like garbage.
Bike is mostly stock with a dealer installed jet kit (unknown jets) and SE exhaust. Nobody has touched the carb since he bought the bike in '05. Even though the bike has low miles, I used to ride it every couple of months and usually on the highway, so it shouldn't be gummy. Any ideas?
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,165
Likes: 33
From: Acworth
Sounds like the pilot jet (slow speed jet) is clogged. remove the carb bowl and clean the pilot jet and the main jet and jet holders. Refill with fresh fuel and it should be back to its originial condition.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,395
Likes: 153
From: Utah
I think you need to drain the tank and put in fresh fuel FIRST. That is the simplest a cheapest approach to solving the issue. Use the FASKISS principle instead of the big hammer approach. Fuel, Air, Spark, Keep It Simple Stanley.
Are you sure you have the spark plugs tightened properly? Are they getting spark? Are the wires hooked up to the coil properly? Do you have a solid and clean connection to the battery? Is the air cleaner full of mouse nest? Is the vacuum actuated petcock working properly?
If fresh fuel makes a big difference then try running a half can of sea foam in a full tank of gas through the bike and see if that cleans up the carb. If not, THEN start taking the carb apart after you have made sure all the hoses are connected properly and you have no air leaks or fuel leaks.
That's my buck fifty.
C#
Are you sure you have the spark plugs tightened properly? Are they getting spark? Are the wires hooked up to the coil properly? Do you have a solid and clean connection to the battery? Is the air cleaner full of mouse nest? Is the vacuum actuated petcock working properly?
If fresh fuel makes a big difference then try running a half can of sea foam in a full tank of gas through the bike and see if that cleans up the carb. If not, THEN start taking the carb apart after you have made sure all the hoses are connected properly and you have no air leaks or fuel leaks.
That's my buck fifty.
C#
Club Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 145,895
Likes: 821
From: 40 miles Northeast of Indy..
Check all Ur wiring.
U'd be surprised how mice can play havoc on the wiring on a bike that's been left setting.
They sometimes eat the insulation off the wiring and will make nest anywhere they can.
Had a GW yrs ago and those little buggers ate through the Air/Filter and make a nest inside it during winter while she was in the garage.
When I started her up in the spring she had a miss because it sucked some of the nest chit through the carbs. At least they didn't hurt the wiring that time.
U'd be surprised how mice can play havoc on the wiring on a bike that's been left setting.
They sometimes eat the insulation off the wiring and will make nest anywhere they can.
Had a GW yrs ago and those little buggers ate through the Air/Filter and make a nest inside it during winter while she was in the garage.
When I started her up in the spring she had a miss because it sucked some of the nest chit through the carbs. At least they didn't hurt the wiring that time.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,719
Likes: 91
From: Florida
Plugs are good and tight and hooked up correctly, new battery and I double checked the ground, both good suggestions. I had the air cleaner off a few weeks ago, could use a new one but it's not filthy...and mice in the scoot isn't a problem down here that I know about.
I'll try the tank drain and a splash of Seafoam in there before I go tearing into the carburetor.
I'll try the tank drain and a splash of Seafoam in there before I go tearing into the carburetor.
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,114
Likes: 28
From: Kokomo, IN
If it's running with the choke on, then the pilot jet is clogged. The holes are so tiny there is really no way other way other than pull the carb and clean it. Just undo the choke, loosen the throttle cables, gas line off and pull it.
These new formula's of gas go bad faster than the old days. And when that bike sat for months at a time, it evaporated a little gas from the bowl each time. Just takes a micro to clog up a primary jet.
These new formula's of gas go bad faster than the old days. And when that bike sat for months at a time, it evaporated a little gas from the bowl each time. Just takes a micro to clog up a primary jet.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,719
Likes: 91
From: Florida
Would seafoam clean the primary out? Am I able to remove the bowl without removing the carb? I used to be able to do that on my Sporty and it was convenient as hell.
Guess I should go ahead and get new stainless allen screws for the bowl and accelerator pump while I'm there, and a new bowl gasket.
Guess I should go ahead and get new stainless allen screws for the bowl and accelerator pump while I'm there, and a new bowl gasket.
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