Hey all,
I'm new to HD and new to motorcycles, so I'm sorry if this has been covered before, but I'm having an issue I'd like some info on before I show up at a service place with a whole lot of "I don't knows".

I have a 2002 Sportster Hugger with Screamin Eagle pipes and intake. Prior to my last trip in for some work (needed a new primary cover, got intake gaskets replaced, and spark plugs replaced), my bike would feel like it lost fuel for a split second. The engine with stutter, reducing throttle, causing the bike to slow ever so slightly. It will pick right back up where it left off and continue on it's way, only to do it again a little while later. Since my trip for that work, it has gotten much worse. Today, on my commute in the morning, it was fine all the way in. I took a ride during lunch, and it happened A LOT. I am able to maintain speed, but I can't find any correlation between bike speed, engine speed, level of acceleration, or gear. I don't notice it when idling.

The few times that I have come up to the fuel reserve tank, the engine will sputter as it is having trouble getting fuel. This is what it feels like - it's that very first sputter. I checked my throttle cables and they are unencumbered, and I use 93 Octane only. I'm the 4th owner of the bike, the previous owner I know, and while he is a good guy, he wasn't great on maintenance.

Any thoughts? Is there a common issue with the throttle on a 10 year old bike? Thanks for your help!!!

 

You might have water in your tank.

 

Check/replace your plugs, plug wires, tighten battery connections both ends, add some dry gas, run thru a tank and refill with 94 again, let us know how you come out after all that.

 

Checked your vacuum line to the fuel petcock?

John

 

There is a chance it isnt an engine problem and It could be that you are in too high of a gear for the speed you are riding and it will cause the bike to seem like it is not able to make power. I only say this because you said you are new to bikes, as I am as well. I rented a Harley a couple months ago and was in the wrong gear quite a few times and it felt as you described. When I cruise, I usually shift gears every 10-15mph. So 1st gear goes from 0-10 or 15mph, then shift to 2nd. 2nd goes to 20-25 and so on. You dont have to be in your final gear when cruising steadily at a slower speed. When i cruise around 45mph, I usually stay in 4th gear, no need to go to 5th. Im not saying im right, but that seemed to fix the bucking problems I had when riding.

 

yea to all this, also pull out the fuel shut off, and clean the screen.
also the shut off has a diaphragm that if it leaks shut off the gas so the bike will starve but get enough to keep going, it will get worse as the rubber deteriorates.

 

If none of the above works....

You mentioned that it had V&H pipes and A/C (i.e. Stage 1 upgrade?). Have you done a rejet on your carb. yet? Have you thought of rejeting your carb? It may be starving for fuel with the increased air your sucking through your A/C. Just a thought

 

Thanks for the help folks. Last night, I reset the spark plug wires on the distributor and the spark plug ends before riding home. The ride home was untirely uneventful - very pleasant. On the way home, I stopped and got some iso-HEET and put a little bit in the tank (calls for whole bottle for 20 gal, I had 2.5 gallons, added about 1/10th of bottle), and left it overnight. This morning, fired up fine, warmed it up (no FI, remember) and off I went to work. 1/2 mile from home, engine sputters, and stalls. I was able to restart, then it stalled again. Restarted, fired up, and on my way again. I made it to the gas station where I topped it off, and rode the rest of the way in to work without isses (20 miles total). Best I can figure is that there was some bad gas and/or water in the tank, and getting it out of the system caused the stall.

I will check the fuel shut off this evening, if I can. How do I remove it without spilling all the gas out of the tank? Pinch the hose from the petcock before it gets to the shut off?

Also, I will reattached the battery connections.

 

Good to here it,all the best

 

Actually, you're still shifting to soon. No F'n way would I be shifting to 2nd @ 10 or 15 mph!!!!