See post 4

 

Thanks for all the input. I inspected the cap it looks okay except the rubber seal seems to be crack from age. I took it for about a 20 mile shake down, hate that term cause it shook some things loose, almost lost my speedo damn bracket shook loose and the clutch freed up and had trouble shifting. Another thing this is a project bike that has sat for years so things are loosing up, it may have also been beefed up before I got it. Compression is about 130 per cylinder and it just feels more gusty than bikes I have ridden before.
Any way, it ran real good as long as I stayed in 3 gear and did not go over 45mph. Just got back and anytime I hit it and cruised in 4th, I can go about 1/2 to 3/4 a mile and it starves out. I will get a new fuel cap tomorrow not sure about the petcock might just try a high flow to see if that is a problem.

 

Dan89,
I checked the diaphram and it looks solid no pin holes, tears or cracks. It seems sealed just fine. I did manage to put the put the needle jet in wrong but I fixed that problem. Lastly I just looked, and the one thing my carb is missing is an acceleration pump it not there, s am I running wrong carb on my bike?

 

No accelerator pump on an `89 Sportster, I thought about that after my post and edited it out, but you must have seen it before my edit...

I know you say that the bike is starving for fuel, but it may be an ignition issue...

 

are your spark plugs set at right gap .40 it will foul plugs if set wrong then your bike will not run properly it a easy thing to forget but quick fix

 

Spark Plugs are correct, but according to the stealer, I have the wrong carb and the carb for my bike is obsolete. I have a 27305-88 and I need the 88B. So I am thinking my cruise problem is the carb. I will either get a new carb or get an aftermarket accel pump to put on the carb.

 

Since you disassembled the carb, make sure that the needle jet wasn't lost in the process. It can easily fall out and go unnoticed. It can also be installed backwards. The big end of the jet should face up, into the carb throat.

You can see the jet by looking into the carb throat. The slide needle goes through the jet.



.

 

My carb does not have the port which is circled in blue. I did put the needle jet in wrong but have corrected the problem. Once agin this problem is only at cruise in 4th gear and any speed over 45mph.<br/>

 

The `89 model carbs do not have an accelerator pump.

 

Is your needle installed or shimmed correctly? I think those year needles are richer in the midrange to compensate for no accelerator pump. Any later carb will fit also your bike, search Ebay and look for the carbs years 1991-2003 at least.

John