searched for bad grounds? How’s you battery?

 

battery is good reading 12,8. However, it wasn't big enough to sit in the tray just right and totally demolished the negative side from jerking around. That problem was taken care of before my current one. I've checked grounds and connections since then. Pins are good and bolts are tight.

 

On my son's 98 Sporty it was his ignition coil and it was doing the same thing as yours. While I was at it I replaced the ignition module with an electronic one.

 

That's where I am with mine and picking upa module and coil after work today. If that doesn't fix the problem I'm likely gonna ghost ride it off the nearest cliff.

 

It had 14k on it... I couldn't believe it was the coil so it took me a while to return to the old adage that I use and forget too often... SFAKISS.... spark, fuel, and air and you probably know the rest. Start with the simplest and most obvious and don't go replacing parts ***** nilly. It's pretty simple to measure the spark when it stops running... you just need the right tester that displays the strength of the spark, not just that there is a spark.Hot coils get weak.

Fuel delivery is affected if there is a fuel filter somewhere that's clogged up.

Air is controlled by the air filter and the carb... and you don't want it escaping between the head and the cylinder or the plug and the head. Costs nothing to check those things first.

 

Air, fuel, and spark... nothing more than an upgraded Briggs and Stratton, right?
Aaahhhahhahhahaaahaaahaa
Mine was quite neglected before I owned it. It has over 20k now but don't know exactly because I ran it awhile with no speedo cable. It's old and there's a lot that still needs either replaced or updated. On top of the cutting out issue it's also running rich. I got a tester for the spark plug from a buddy at work so I'm trying that tonight as well as opening the carb back up. Gonna take out a shim and replace the needle with a smaller one just for ***** and giggles. I've been too busy to really delve into it but today is the day. Gotta have it back on the road before the weekend comes.

 

I have a 1998 and just been through the carb and it's running great. I got me a performance needle from CV Performance and it cleared up the low end flat spot. The needle wasn't that expensive and they have the proper jets if you need them.

 

You're ignoring the KISS part of the principal.

Are the plugs black? If you aren't getting a good spark then it's not necessarily the carb. A lot of people seem to think that fooling with the jets and needle because they have loud pipes are foolish in my opinion.

Unless a Sporty has some serious stage up work getting rid of the EPA plug and adjusting the idle fuel mixture will probably be all that's necessary. CV performance is also good for thumb screw idle and mixture screws.

 

Where is the ignition module on a 1998 sportster? Is it the gray box under the seat?

 

I hear ya CW but you don't know the history. I took out the shim and replaced the needle with a 43 and it's all ****. 150 miles this evening and got 2 spits from the carb. Gonna check the plugs in another 100 miles and hope they're tan and not white, might be a little lean still.