Folks,

I am brand new to the Harley world. I am also new to wrenching on a bike. I have a 1989 Sportster that I just got. It was sitting outside for 5 years. I have replaced all the fluids, pulled the carb, cleaned it, and replaced it.

Currently the bike runs but only w/ the enrichner on. If I turn either the enrichner off or I blip the throttle the bike stalls out. The jets all looked decent but the float (needle??) does not appear to move up or down. I originally thought it would not get any gas at all but it is obvious that it is getting some.

Would love any direction before I go off and start replacing parts. ;-)

Thanks.

Tim M.

 

The float could be binding..check the idle and mix screws.They both may need to be adjusted.Turn the idle screw all the way in gently,not ot bottom it out.Turn it back open 1.5. to 1/34 turn and try again.Dont turn throttle with the enrichner out.itll flood it and or foul your plugs.As far as the mixture screw,im not sure how to correctly adjust that.

 

I would suggest checking your Carb Diaphram. Sometimes the don't seal right or get holes after being removed.

 

Good point ...forgot that one .

 

You can see the slide trying to go up when you blip the throttle. Both that diaphram and the accelerator pump diaphram looked good. Dert triggered a thought though... When I cleaned the carb I pulled out most of the parts. I didn't mess w/ the idle settings. Should I have pulled out those screws and cleaned those passages? Going to go look at the diagrams for the carb...

 

You should have stripped the carb to base and soaked it in a cleaner for at least 4 hours. Moisture will have built up in the passages and left residue.

 

Your Main is plugged.

 

She runs!!! It turns out everybody was right. :-) After learning more about the carb. from the service manual and reading here I went ahead and repulled the carb. I pulled all of the removable parts off and used carb cleaner and compressed air to clean the passages. I then replaced the following:
- Slow Jet
- Float Needle
- Jet Needle Holder
- Accelerator Pump Diaphragm and O ring
- Float Bowl Gasket

The good news is she runs great now. Starts right up. Idles nice w/ the enrichner off and seems to have good power. The bad news is I can not get the damn float adjusted right. I am always leaking a little gas out of the drain hose. If I adjust to the manual spec's it just pours out of the hose. I have gotten it down to a drizzle but what a PITA. Right now I have no easy way to adjust w/o pulling the carb off every time.

After I get the carb. fixed I need to start working on the clutch. It seems to be frozen. The handle seems to have good feel but the clutch never disengages...

 

Take the clutch discs out..put em in a bucket of gas overnight...let them dry out for a day and try em.