Harley Davidson Sportster won’t start and I’m clueless
#1
07-27-2018, 05:18 AM
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Hi everyone, I just joined yesterday for this reason so I could post this. Need help ASAP. I bought a 1993 Harley Davidson sportster 1200. Bike was running rough but ran in general. When I took it home I cleaned the carb and now it won’t fire and stay running. It fires but doesn’t wanna stay running. I replaced the gas tank, the petcock, the coil pack, and plugs and still nothing. Even tried a carb rebuild last night and still nothing. She just wants to chug chug chug and not stay running. I’m sure it’s a fuel problem but don’t know where I went wrong. Maybe I put something back together wrong like the carb. Anyways, any help is appreciated but I’m stumped and it’s driving me nuts. Thanks for your time
Could battery connections keep it from turning over but cranking and firing every couple turns then dying?Last edited by ChickinOnaChain; 07-27-2018 at 07:08 AM.
#2
07-27-2018, 07:33 AM
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This site will help you with carb stuff: https://cv-performance.com/harley-cv...-tuning-issues
As far as that goes, is the choke working properly? Mine won't fire up cold without full choke. On top of that, when you rebuilt the carb was it fully cleaned out, including all the little passageways for idle (they're needle sized holes, blow compressed air through them)? It's possible to get some stuff assembled improperly and it look alright, as well as maybe pinching the vacuum slide when the cap goes back on.
Unlikely to be battery connections but never hurts to tighten them. And verify you're getting spark every stroke to make sure it isn't an electrical problem. Lots of "carb problems" end up being electrical.
As far as that goes, is the choke working properly? Mine won't fire up cold without full choke. On top of that, when you rebuilt the carb was it fully cleaned out, including all the little passageways for idle (they're needle sized holes, blow compressed air through them)? It's possible to get some stuff assembled improperly and it look alright, as well as maybe pinching the vacuum slide when the cap goes back on.
Unlikely to be battery connections but never hurts to tighten them. And verify you're getting spark every stroke to make sure it isn't an electrical problem. Lots of "carb problems" end up being electrical.
#3
07-27-2018, 09:58 AM
Grand HDF Member
I have an original 1980 Ironhead.....if the bike starts but not stay on, it sounds like a fuel issue. I had that problem and the cause was my petcock was not fully turn on. It was dying after a less than a minute. Also try opening your gas cap to determine if it is venting. Did you clean out your fuel inlet hose? Just some simple things to check before you tackle the carb which could be ma-adjusted float.
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07-27-2018, 05:53 PM
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