Hey all,

Need some advice here... I have a 2000 XLH 883/1200 conversion that I did eight years ago. It's jetted (180 main).

I filled up the tank recently and when I got on the highway it kept stalling out when I reached 70 mph!

So, drained the gas, cleaned the fuel filter, lines, etc. I took the carb apart except for the top end, and I left the idle mix screw in place. I didn't want to have to figure out where it goes again!

Ok - so I put it back together, adjust throttle cables per the FSM. I didn't touch the idle set screw or idle mix at all. I fire it up and the thing won't idle. It was farting black smoke like it was WAY too rich! Grr.

So, after Google searches I find this forum post and follow 6o66er's instructions: https://www.hdforums.com/forum/sport...djustment.html

Still won't idle.... so I start turning the idle mix screw in. I get to 1 1/2 turns from fully seated before it idles well at all. Now when I try to apply throttle it's still sounding too rich. It coughs and dies if I crack the throttle, and yet runs (albeit rough and a bit smoky) when I open it up. I tried turning it in a bit (so it's backed out one turn) and there's no change.

This doesn't sit right with me. Any ideas why my idle mix would be in so far? What am I missing here?

Thanks,
Patrick

 

Are you sure the enrichner (choke) cable is good and installed correctly? A broken cable can cause the enrichner to be "On" all the time.

Did the needle jet fall out when you had it apart? You should see it sticking up under the slide from the bottom of the carb throat, with the needle going through the center of it. If it did fall out, it gets reinstalled with the big end sticking up into the throat.

 

yeah, forgot to mention that I actually *replaced* the enricher cable because the dang tension nut had broken. I believe it's on correctly, and you can hear the change in idle when you move it in and out.

The idle screw was the one thing I *didn't* take out of the carb. Like I said, I didn't want to have to mess with it again.

Both good ideas tho...

Patrick

 

I didn't say anything about the idle screw, I said the needle jet. The needle jet is held in place by the needle jet holder, which is what the main jet screws into. If you took the carb apart to clean it, you removed the needle jet holder to clean it, right?

 

Crap! Sorry, was posting quick right before dinner and didn't read right.

You nailed it dude!

I didn't have the cleanest workbench when I was taking the carb apart (first stupid mistake). However when I was putting all the parts into a jar to clean them I noted that there was an extra piece that didn't look familiar. It looked 'machined' but it wasn't brass colored like everything else. Being a pack rat, and suspicious of extra parts... I put it in a baggie and stuck it to the pegboard. Yeah, I just looked at the parts manual and it's the right shape... then did a Google search for a picture of the needle jet and found this link: http://www.cv-performance.com/harley...tuning-issues/. That needle jet is exactly what's on my pegboard. :P

Ah well, it won't take that long.

Thanks a lot!!

 

hahahahha its always the simplest of things. Glad you were able to get back on the road and great diagnosis cHarley. One to put in my memory banks

 

That catches everybody
How many times we see that this year cHARLEY ? 10 ?

 

Good deal, it's an easy thing to miss and a fairly common problem, especially for first time CV re-builders.
The needle jet often will stay stuck in the carb when the holder is removed, only to fall out later when you start cleaning it. Then it either gets lost, or like you, the re-builder has no idea what it is or where it came from.

 

At least......