Okay here goes my long story, sorry. But please someone help me or give me some suggestions. I bought my bike used in January of 2006 with 4704 miles on it. It was a repo from Harley. Anyway bike ran fine. I had the baffles removed out of the stock pipes and it ran perfect until my last GOOD ride on Memorial Day. Ever since then I have been having problems. It started out not wanting to run at all. I would leave my house go about a mile and then it would just die on me. I trailered it up to the local harley dealer and they rejetted it for me. That worked good for a little while, but did not fix everything. I had new V & S pipes put on in July and since then the bike has been running really shitty. Everytime I start it, it will start just fine, but then once I am riding for about 10 minutes and get into any stop and go driving it starts going crazy on me. If I have to slow down to like first or second gear or even stop and then restart it will not catch in order for me to accelerate. I turn the throttle and all it does is spit and sputter at me and sometimes backfires. It is embarrasing and very frustrating. I have had the pipes replaced, The bike rejetted twice. The petcock, battery and plugs replaced. I am at my witts end with this bike and these problems. Please someone give me some suggestions. The only way that I can get the bike to run after it starts acting up is if I rev and rev and rev the bike until it catches.

Okay well sorry just call me a dummy, the bike is a 2005 1200 Custom. I am sorry, but I have no clue what points are! The first rejetting was done at the Harley Dealership where I had my 5000 mile service done. All the other work as been done at a local custom shop. I plan on taking the bike to the local Victory Dealer today to have the guy there look it over, he does custom work and is supposed to be one of the best in this area. I surely hope so.

 

what year is the bike? 883-1200? 883 to 1200? done by dealere if so?

 

Does this year of a bike you have got points in it? I would start out by having the points replaced, since you already replaced the plugs and the jets. After the points i would start the bike up, get it warmed up then check the temps on the pipes up towards the top, if one pipe is running cooler than the rest, at least you have a starting point as to what cylandir is not firing properly, or if they are all firing properly. One thing that is a sure fire way to see if your bike is running rich or not is to remove the air filter and run it. If it runs great and stops spittin and sputterin without the air filter you have two possibilites: You need to replace the air filter because its so dirty or you need to adjust your carb needle a notch so it will run leaner. That is if its running rich, backfiring is usually a sign of a bike running lean though. Spittin and sputterin is a symptom of a bike running rich, so those two together confuses me. Basically when you buy a bike and your not sure what is wrong with it, and its used you have to start somewhere and that is usually with your basic tune up type stuff (points, air filter, plugs, plug wires, carb adjustment ect.) and go from there. It could possibly be a fuel problem as well. Best bet though is to start out with all the tune up basics, then move on to fuel related problems.

 

Sounds fuel related. I would look into whether or not they had to remove the top bowl of the carb where the diaphram sits when they did the carb work. It may not have been seated right. Then, go back a step and put your old mufflers back on. Perhaps they are restricting your exhaust for some reason.

 

Check the manifold seals. There could be a leak in that area, which would account for the bike's inability to remain running and the cough/spit/backfire you're getting. If those are okay, check the diaphram in the car for a pinch or tear. You've got an air leak somewhere.

 

Okay, well I took my bike over to the Victory Dealer around 10 and he told me exactly what the problem was without even really looking at the bike too much. I told him that I was getting the little engine light when the bike would start acting up and he said it is the ECM. I would have to take the bike to the local Harley Dealer and they would plug it into their diagnostic computer for me and find out exactly what is going on. So, that said I took it down to the local Harley Dealer and they are going to plug it in for me and fix it. I just went ahead and left it there for them to take a look at it.

 

Hey Supermom,

Something is heating up. Changing to V&H pipes won't give the symtoms you described. Could be a lot of things, any of which will probably need diagnostic equipment to find. It sounds like all your HD STEALERSHIP wants to do is swap parts and charge you for P&L.
Find a reputable tech that has the eqiupment to monitor vacuum, spark, exhaust gases,fuel flow, etc while the engine is running in the shop.
BTW...use premium gas. You can check the plugs for color...sooty=rich. A light tan is good and both plugs should have about the same appearance. Good Luck

Olesalt

 

If the dealer is looking at this for free, go for it and have them check everything. If its your dime for the shop time, I'd consider doing some of the detective work yourself first, then hitting the dealer to fix it if you can't or its something big that they are responsible for.

While its possible it is the ECM, I would be VERY leary of anyone who can make a spot diagnosis without looking at anything. Nostradamus-like assessments of trouble can lead to you being very frustrated and a lot of time spent chasing your tail. That kind of assessment reminds me of days past where every time someone had a dead battery and their car won't start, you hear (insert redneck accent here), "Alternator is bad."

Check the simple stuff first. The emphasis on "check." Worst case you can rule them out. Best case, and most often the case, is that the problem is a fairly simple one.

I second Hackd's suggestion. The symptoms sound like they might be air leak related. Any air leak will screw up the AF ratio and cause those symptoms. Most common I've heard of is the rubber gasket that seals the carb to the manifold. That's the diaphram Hackd is taking about. If that's pinched during reassembly (after a rejet for example), air can leak in there and cause the symptoms like what you're experiencing. Its hard to see it but you can check fairly easy by spraying carb cleaner between the cylinders (do this from the left side for easy access) while the bike is at idle. If the engine lopes or surges, you have an air leak somewhere in there.

An intake air leak will cause the spitting, coughing, stalling, crappy running, etc. It will seem to run ok initially and while idling, but as the engine warms, it will start to run worse, eventually stalling and not wanting to restart. You walk away frustrated. You come back later and try again. The engine had time to cool so it fires right up. But after a few minutes its the same issues.

Another tell tale sign on an intake leak is glowing pipes. With an intake leak you are giving the motor way more air than it needs given the amount of fuel. Ergo, a lean motor. Lean motors run much hotter. One or both of the header pipes will glow red as the engine heats up if you have a leak.

Obviously can't say for sure because we don't have access to your bike. We're even more ill-equipped to help than the mech at Victory who you spoke to. But with the information provided, the intake leak is a strong possible culprit and will cost you nothing to check. Not sure if the dealer will charge you for the ECM check.

In any case, good luck. Hope its nothing major and you are riding care-free again soon. Keep us posted and let us know what it turned out to be.

 

Now I'm really confused. You rejet a carb, you reprogram fuel injection.
Okay, your bike has a check engine light, so it's got a computer (ECM), so your bike is fuel injected.
I gotta agree with:
On the spot diagnosis also tends to be either dead right or dead wrong. What it often leads to is your bill getting run up because the 'tech' is focusing on the wrong suspect. Don't take this the wrong way, as no offense is intended, but you don't sound very mechanically astute. You are not alone.

Try the dealership where you bought the bike first (like you are doing), if you're not happy with the results collar the service manager and express your displeasure with him. Next go up the chain to the dealership owner. No progress? Engage that special 'gene' that all women have (again no offense intended--if I'm not making any progress I threaten to sic the 'little redhead' on 'em). Trust me, these guys will take advantage of you, no matter how 'nice' they seem. Still no satisfaction? Go either to another dealership or find a good, reputable, honest independent HD wrench. They should have the equipment necessary to diagnose your problem. But be warned: There are some really awful independents out there too.

 

Sounds like water in the tank to me aside from the CEL.