883 tune up?
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Novice
Joined: Mar 2010
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From: Alberta
883 tune up?
I bought a 97 883 a few months ago, and I don't know the first thing about carbs, so I don't know what's normal and what's not. It absolutely does not like to run cold, that much I've figured out. I have to hold out the choke for quite awhile or it dies. Also, until it's good and warmed up, it almost seems like it misfires. The only way I can think to describe it is that it "gaps" while holding a steady speed or even accelerating. It doesn't do it after riding for awhile. I'm hoping it's something simple.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2008
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From: Landrum, SC , elevation 986'
Aside for getting the service manual for your year and model bike.
This site will help you know all about your carb.
Harley Davidson Performance Tech Tips
This site will help you know all about your carb.
Harley Davidson Performance Tech Tips
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 990
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From: Redondo Beach, California
Everything sounds normal to me. All Sportsters are cold blooded beasts. You do have to warm them up or they will not run smooth and there are tails of blowing out the base gaskets on the cylinders when running hard on a cold motor. We mention that you have to HOLD out the choke for a while. You should not have to hold on to it. It should just stay out when you pull it out to use it. If it does retract by itself then you may have to replace the choke cable. A cheap and quick fix for this problem is to just take a regular clothes pin and when you pull out the choke cable then clip the clothes pin on behind the choke button and it can’t retract on you. As for warming the engine up, there are as many different ways to do it as there are experienced Sportsters riders. One simple way is to use the touch method. After you have started the motor up and it is running with the choke pulled out, let it run like this until you can feel enough warmth on the rocker box using your bare finger on it to know that it is really warm. If the rocker box is warmed up then the rest of the engine is warmed up too. I hope that this information will be helpful to you. Good luck and enjoy your motorcycle and ride safe out there!
P.S. If you do have to use the clothes pin trick to hold the choke cable out, after the engine has been warmed up enough then you can remove the clothes pin and push in the choke cable and if you want to you can attach the clothes pin to the thin metal brake line that comes under the handle bars on the right side of the bike. It will almost be invisible on the bike next to the front forks and it will always be handy when you need to use it again.
P.S. If you do have to use the clothes pin trick to hold the choke cable out, after the engine has been warmed up enough then you can remove the clothes pin and push in the choke cable and if you want to you can attach the clothes pin to the thin metal brake line that comes under the handle bars on the right side of the bike. It will almost be invisible on the bike next to the front forks and it will always be handy when you need to use it again.
Last edited by XLCR4GM; Apr 2, 2010 at 12:46 AM.
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Novice
Joined: Mar 2010
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From: Alberta
Thanks! I'll try that. It did seem strange to me that the choke wouldn't stay out. If that's just the nature of the beast (it spazing out when cold), I can deal with it, just wanted to make sure nothing was terribly wrong. 
Gotta treat her like a princess I guess lol!
Gotta treat her like a princess I guess lol!
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Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Wheeling, WV
You could always just tighten up the tension nut...(The black plastic grooved piece right behind the choke ****)....But don't over tighten it or you'll break it. You should be able to twist it with your fingers. Depends on how loose it is, but a 1/4 turn or so should get it to start staying out for you. 
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