I bought a 2005 FLHR last year, runs good just lean and I have to choke it occasionally , after it warms up, when its cold out. The idle would go above 2000rpm after it was hot. I put 3500 miles on it since August and the only issue is the strange idle. All I know about the past owner(s) is that it had straight pipes for a while and all that I can tell was modified was the air cleaner intake is screaming eagle. When I bought it , it had been converted back to stock mufflers.

I have it at a reputable local shop and they’ve tried everything short of a new ignition. Sound familiar to anybody? Dyno’d it, changed jets, wires, plugs … . If the ignition does not take care of it, the heads will come off next I guess.

 

How was it validated that it is running lean?

 

Did they test for a leak around the intake manifold?

 

engine speed is controlled by the throttle, not the ignition system.

you say you "choke it" so it's a carb model.

if you have the enricher **** pulled out, that also brings in a "high idle", so is that why it is idling at 2000 ?

if you push the **** in and it won;t run, it is basic checks of the idle speed, idle mixture and over all carb function

( *** I could almost bet that the idle mixture screw fell out- on the underside of the carb inboard of the float bowl, is a hole. put your finger over that hole and see if the idle changes at all- if instead of a hole, you see an aluminum plug, then that means your carb has not been monkey'd with by a shade tree mechanic)



Find someone who can go through the carb and intake and make it is operating properly, no leaks at the intake manifold to carb or the 2 heads

the CV carb is awesome and easy to work on.

you need a new "shop" sounds like they don't know what they are doing, but they do like your money.

mike

 

Definitely exhaust all carb possibilities before you let anyone take the heads off.

 

it's a good shop with lots of experience. they took the carb off and have done every other check possible. no air or vacuum leaks anywhere external.

 

If its that good of a shop with that much experience, why are you the customer searching for a solution to your problem on public forums when you're paying them to fix it. Again, how was it determined that your machine is running too lean. If you are confident there is no intake/exhaust leak and the carb is fully functional, then its a carb adjustment issue. If it is in fact running lean under normal conditions, then when its cold outside it gets a denser air charge and requires more fuel, which explains your use of the enrichener in cold weather operations. A carb is not a self adjusting fuel management device like EFI, if you operate in a wide range of temperature conditions you need at least a winter and summer jet tweak, or just run it on your winter tune all year, then it ends up a little extra rich in the summer, err to the side of caution.

 

It's definitely an intake problem. You don't need to change the ignition or some of the things already done. You keep defending the indy, yet he hasn't fixed the problem. You can't diagnose this problem over the internet, but I'd definitely take it somewhere else if I were you. If it were me, I'd rebuild the carb and remount the manifold.

 

As others have said, how are they validating that it's leaning out? +1 on getting a second opinion. Logic says it's either too much air or not enough fuel, I'd think. So I'd for sure be looking at the carb and the intake as culprits. I've always heard the mantra "take more air in, better be moving more air out" . you said it was originally straight-piped and now stock exhaust? taking heads apart is pretty extreme until you're absolutely 100% sure that's necessary. Second opinion before surgery is my rec!

 

The diag was done on a dyno and and plugs being burnt white. Anyway, I got it back 1,000 miles ago, runs strong and no more issue needing to choke it to keep it running. I rarely need to use the choke at all now. Also, it idles great --chugs right along at much lower RPM's. Not sure what if any motor work may have been done prior to me buying it, but it performs/accelerates much better. Feels faster than my 1200 sportster did. 32mpg sucks but I'm thinking it's a bit on the rich side. I plan to have it looked at by another shop to see how it reads out. The HD shop said they'd do a diag for $30. Just for my sanity I plan to do it next Friday at Battlefield HD in Gettysburg.

After installing the 4" Rinehart slip ons, to get it running right, the indy replaced the carb , installed a Zippers module and R&R'd the intake, installed a jet kit, plugs, and a few other things. The carb was swapped out with a used one at no cost, but holy crap... I was just glad I got it back before he tore the engine down. I'm hoping they were just trying to get it 100%, benefit of doubt.