When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
A couple weeks ago my bike choked out at a stop sign, cranked it over and fired right back up to go around the block at home. The next morning I fired up the bike and got two blocks down the street before I had to push my bike home and get the truck. I did a diagnostics check and no codes. The bike was firing up for short periods but now will only crank with starter fluid and dies as soon as it burns the starter fluid off. It was pouring rain the day before these issues started. Any insight would be appreciated.
It's an 05 so no fuel pump and I have verified that there is a streaming getting through the fuel lines into the carb but no matter how much fuel I squirt in it will not crank unless I spray starter fluid in the carb.
Remove the vacuum line from the top of the carb, and plug both the hose and the nipple (or just pinch off the hose with a long hemostat or a small C-clamp)
Flip the petcock switch to 'reserve.'
If it runs fine, then your petcock diaphragm is punctured and flooding the engine by sucking unmetered fuel through the hose directly into the carb. You can also check this by applying suction to the hose... if fuel comes out then you have your culprit.
Replace the petcock.
Last edited by John_K; Sep 14, 2011 at 05:15 PM.
Reason: hemostat, not forceps
John, I appreciate the info I will try that this weekend or sooner, I'll be sure to post the results either way. Seems like the Canadians are out in force tonight thanks Northern Neighbors, worked with some of your military...Great Guys!
4) intake leak (replace seals, they are cheap and due. Do this anyway)
Then you have to spend more money:
5) crank position sensor... it may or may not throw a code, the only positive check is to replace with a known good unit (new one should be about $65 bucks)
I'm sure there are other suggestions, these are relatively common and easy to check, except for the last one which will cost you money up front unless you can borrow a working one. There may even be an electrical/ignition issue, but if it runs on starter fluid, I'm guessing not.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.