Sportster Models 883, 883 Custom, 1200 Custom, 883L, 1200L, 1200S, 1200 Roadster, XR1200, and the Nightster.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

CV Carb overflow - HELP

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jun 8, 2014 | 11:57 AM
  #1  
SportsterSnow's Avatar
SportsterSnow
Thread Starter
|
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Default CV Carb overflow - HELP

Here is where I am, 1989 Sportster CV carb with new CVP inlet added last year. Last year the bike started gas poured out the carb and overflow i took it off tinkered with it, worked fine all summer.

Sat over the winter, when gas is on from the petcock it overflows the overflow. (usually turn it off before it comes out the top) runs fine when idle and i can drive it as long as i manually give it gas by turning the petcock on and off. lol

my initial thought is probably yours, rebuild kit and needle is damaged or stuck. However for the twist... I notice the vacuum is grounded but isnt connected to battery. I can see the wire and i know it is suppose to go to the power.

Question is... does that vacuum matter enough to let it overflow? or is it just as simple as probably the needle and float?
 
Reply
Old Jun 8, 2014 | 12:42 PM
  #2  
cHarley's Avatar
cHarley
Club Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 16,320
Likes: 306
From: Boynton Beach, FloriDuh
Default

Originally Posted by SportsterSnow
Here is where I am, 1989 Sportster CV carb with new CVP inlet added last year. Last year the bike started gas poured out the carb and overflow i took it off tinkered with it, worked fine all summer.

Sat over the winter, when gas is on from the petcock it overflows the overflow. (usually turn it off before it comes out the top) runs fine when idle and i can drive it as long as i manually give it gas by turning the petcock on and off. lol

my initial thought is probably yours, rebuild kit and needle is damaged or stuck. However for the twist... I notice the vacuum is grounded but isnt connected to battery. I can see the wire and i know it is suppose to go to the power.

Question is... does that vacuum matter enough to let it overflow? or is it just as simple as probably the needle and float?
FYI, vacuum is a rubber hose that air passes through, are you referring to the VOES sensor? In any case, that won't cause the bowl to overflow.

Yes, it's as simple as the needle, needle seat or float. Make sure the float doesn't have a leak, it needs to float not sink. Make sure the float is adjusted per the Service Manual. Replace the needle and make sure the carb bowl is clean. If there's trash in the bowl, check the fuel tank filter.
 
Reply
Old Jun 8, 2014 | 01:31 PM
  #3  
run1fsr's Avatar
run1fsr
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,114
Likes: 67
From: USA
Default

What Charley said concerning the carb, and I wouldn’t be surprised if your fuel tank is full of crud and has a damaged fuel screen... causing issues with your carb. It's a 25 year old bike, so consider pulling the tank, remove the petcock / screen filter, then thoroughly wash the tank out with soapy water.
 
Reply
Old Jun 26, 2014 | 09:09 PM
  #4  
SportsterSnow's Avatar
SportsterSnow
Thread Starter
|
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Default

New update. Rebuilt carb with kit from jp cycles. 1 wholly crap it had everything. 2 super easy.

Now I have the opposite problem. Lol no gas at all! I have even tested the carb on float bowl off and gas connected. Drop the float gas comes through. Put it all back together no gas comes through at all.

I am believing that the float arm that holds the needle needs to be bent a hair to allow the new valve to flow. My fear is doing this properly.

@run1fsr any ides how much gas should flow seems real clean and the entire bike had been gone through many times.

The voes sensor is attached but the vacuum hose goes to it. Didn't know if it runs with out power or not. Help? Need to ride!!!
 
Reply
Old Jun 27, 2014 | 07:30 AM
  #5  
mrfikser's Avatar
mrfikser
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,488
Likes: 30
From: Maryland near DC
Default

Originally Posted by SportsterSnow
New update. Rebuilt carb with kit from jp cycles. 1 wholly crap it had everything. 2 super easy.

Now I have the opposite problem. Lol no gas at all! I have even tested the carb on float bowl off and gas connected. Drop the float gas comes through. Put it all back together no gas comes through at all.

I am believing that the float arm that holds the needle needs to be bent a hair to allow the new valve to flow. My fear is doing this properly.

@run1fsr any ides how much gas should flow seems real clean and the entire bike had been gone through many times.

The voes sensor is attached but the vacuum hose goes to it. Didn't know if it runs with out power or not. Help? Need to ride!!!
the float is prolly bent to one side and hitting the float bowl...also did you set the float height???the setting should be in the kit directions
 
Reply
Old Jun 27, 2014 | 02:20 PM
  #6  
John Harper's Avatar
John Harper
HDF Community Team
10 Year Member
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 8,512
Likes: 3,924
From: San Diego, CA
Community Team
Default

Your VOES should have a wire from the ignition module and the other wire goes to ground. the vacuum hose goes from the VOES to fitting on top of carb.

John
 
Reply
Old Jun 27, 2014 | 10:11 PM
  #7  
SportsterSnow's Avatar
SportsterSnow
Thread Starter
|
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Default

True on the voes wire that should be going to the ignition module isn't connected. Apparently hasn't been for some time so I'm guessing the carb doesn't need it.

Float isn't bent and I can see very clearly that it drops down in the bowl whole installing it. However no directions other than my book on adjustment.

Thing is I can see that the float doesn't go up when installing the bowl. I can see that the valve seats and when I push the float up it moves the spring in. But it must be up to much still. Book says at a 15-20% angle it should be flat against the carb. Seems like a lot of bending.
 
Reply
Old Jun 28, 2014 | 08:31 AM
  #8  
rocketmangb's Avatar
rocketmangb
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 365
Likes: 6
From: California
Default

You have the round or square shaped float ?
 
Reply
HD Forum Stories

The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders

story-0

7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-2

10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-3

Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

 Verdad Gallardo
story-9

Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Jun 28, 2014 | 08:56 AM
  #9  
SportsterSnow's Avatar
SportsterSnow
Thread Starter
|
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Default Yep

Originally Posted by rocketmangb
You have the round or square shaped float ?
Yeah so weird thing about my 89 is it's the deluxe which I'm guessing got me some later model year parts. Like my oil drain is that of 90+

Or previous owner messed with the float before. Either way I have flat floats not the round ones I should have.
 
Reply
Old Jun 30, 2014 | 09:19 PM
  #10  
SportsterSnow's Avatar
SportsterSnow
Thread Starter
|
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Default

Update: got it working about as good as I can. No overflow no stall just needed to adjust the float to the level in the book. Which I have to say I thought was crazy far but can't complain so far.
 
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:50 PM.

story-0
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.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-1
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-2
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-3
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-4
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.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-5
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-6
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.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

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.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE
story-9
Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider

Slideshow: Graeme Billington's left-hand-drive Shovelhead is as much about problem-solving as it is about classic Harley form.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2025-12-30 11:27:08


VIEW MORE