I have a 2003 Sportster 883C. I have the stock head pipes, but Cycle Shack tapered slip-ons. I'm about to add the Screamin' Eagle air cleaner kit (the regular one that fits under the stock air cleaner cover.) I want to do a rejet, and after searching this forum, it seems like something I can handle doing myself.

With a combination like this, what jet sizes do you recommend? I searched the forum, but I have gotten the answer "depends on the situation." With the combination of my slip-ons and that air cleaner, what do you think I should order?

Also, aside from the drill bit to remove the plug and the jets, will I need to order any other parts? I'm new, but I'm slowly learning. I think learning how to do this would be a big step and build my confidence for tearing into the bike.

 

About 185s on the high side... but for the life of me I can't remember the low side...

As far as the other parts you need... sounds like you have it about covered...

Maybe someone can add the low side jet size here...

Charlie D.

 

If you're changing the air box and putting on freer flowing pipes you probably will need a 165 main jet. Might need a 170 and I'd buy both to test. There's a lot of info on the web about this. the link below goes to a good article on rejetting an XL.

http://www.sportster.org/tech/carb/rejetting.shtml

The link below, if you look at the CV Carb Info section, has the above link and a couple of other ones covering this topic

http://www.sportster.org/tech/

Hope these help - BTW - it's easy to do the rejetting.

 

180/45 in mine

 

45 pilot 185 main in mine with forcewinder and samson rip saws.

 

I've read a lot on this site and on other sites about how to do it. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't a need for new seals or anything crazy like that before I tear into it. It sounds like the 165/170 main and 45 slow may be the way to go. Thanks all.

 

42/180 in mire

 

It does change on the situation etc.

But there are a lot misconceptions about '04+ Xls. The following statements are all made in context of a Stage 1 bike (not one with massive engine reworked) I have learned a lot from reading other peoples comments, personal experience and having a bike on the Dyno and taking to dyno tuners.

The main misconception is the main jet. In most cases this does NOT need to be any bigger, and if anything may come down a size. Most Xl's are tuned lean out of the factory in regards to idle or low-mid throttle. But when approaching wide open throttle (WOT) they are actually rich. So everyone who just arbitrarily puts a larger main jet are enriching a most likely already rich throttle situation.

The lean portion is dealt with by making changes to the pilot/idle jet and the NEEDLE. I rarely ever hear anyone on here talk about the NEEDLE. The pilot jet takes care of your idle situation and the needle handles the mixture between that and up to mid or almost WOT.

As a starting point, most people should put a larger pilot jet in and adjust the air/fuel mixture screw. Ride that to see how smooth it is, test the plugs etc. The next step is the needle. You may need a different needle or shims on the current or new needle. It is much rarer that a bike actually needs to have the main jet bumped up in the manner most on these internet forums are suggesting.

This information was verified to me by two different dyno tuners who have done thousands of bikes.

 

+1 to what cosmicHD said. Had a '94 883 with SE stage 1 ins and outs and never changed a jet. Just richened the mix screw about a half a turn and it ran wonderful for 25K miles. And then I sold it. Slip-ons and a/c is not a radical change. Just how they should come stock.

 

I got the plug off the mixture screw yesterday and richened it up a half turn. It feels like there's more jump off the line, and it's running a little smoother. My air cleaner kit is coming UPS. I may throw it on there and see if I can run it without swaping jets.