Chuffin' bike

[Chris L]

I got a 97 Wide Glide chuffs and farts like a good un, runs really well untill you throttle off and pick up again, then cough fart ect, it is no problem when choke is on,is this likely to be inlet rubbers, or could it be something else. Thanks in anticipation.

[hippy]

It could be the inlet rubbers ,try spraying around the rubbers with wd 40 whilst the motor is running,[never used this trick myself but have been told about it]if there leaking the engine should speed up but be careful of [fire],it could also be carb iceing,if its just started doing it in this cold spell.

good luck


can anybody confirm the wd 40 trick before superglide try's it and is it safe to try i dont want to have a burnt harley on my concience

[Phil]

It does sound like an intake leak.
Just spray it at the seals with a spray bottle of water, works just as well.

[Mike Benis]

Originally Posted by Phild

It does sound like an intake leak.
Just spray it at the seals with a spray bottle of water, works just as well.

except it coughs with water (using an old weed sprayer or something) whereas it speeds up with WD. Water's a better idea all round....

[Chris L]

ok, tried the sprayin idea, I used WD40, tried it both when engine cold, and hot,didnt make any difference so any other ideas please,I changed the mufflers from SE to D&D slip ons,do you think maybe if they are more baffled than the SE this would make any difference,only had the bike since november so dont know if its just carb iceing, as its been cold since Ive had it.Tried the winter fuel stuff too,no real difference.

[S.T.Chapman]

It depends how adept you are and just how far you want to go?
has it only just started doing this?
It sounds like a fuel/carb problem.
it would be worth checking the float bowl for debris, and the float height.
if there is any muck in there personally I'd blow the galleries out with some spray carb cleaner.
also check the needle movement and see if its distorted at all?
upon refitting I'd also reset the pilot air screw at tickover.

[Mike Benis]

Maybe worth thinking about some of the really obvious stuff first, like how long have you had the bike and has it always done this or is it a recent development? That was rightly Simon's first question. Assocaited with that has it been staged? Did you do it or did a previous owner do it. If so, do you know what they did to the carb?

Could be an idea to to put us in the picture about that before you start messing with the float chamber and everything. Also, has it been laid up for the winter? Is the fuel in it fresh? Have you checked the plugs etc. Are all the battery terminals tight?

Those are all silly things that could be involved, which isn't to say it isn't a fuel/mixture problem, including crap in the carb.

Cheers

Mike

[snowflake]

Had a similar problem with an old softail of mine, turned out to be the pressure/overflow pipe from the gas tank was blocked.

[Phil]

If you have the stock carb it is common for a piece of dirt to get into the pilot jet, do like Simon says.

[Chris L]

Ok, Ive had the bike since november,bought it from a mate who had it 2 years,but he only did 800 miles on it in those 2 years, so it has stood around a bit,its done this ever since i had it,it has been staged 1'd that was already done when my mate bought it,so I dont know whats been done, if anything to the carb.Regarding fuel Ive put a few tankfulls thru now so I shouldnt think thats a prob.Just finding this is p*ssing me off a bit now as its a corker of a bike in every other way.Its done 14000miles and goes like stink,just like to cure this prob.Oh by the way new plugs,new leads,batt terminals nice and tight,think I'l have to go the way of a good carb cleanout,maybe its all gummed up thru inactivity,tho it is being used now done 150 miles plus today,was bleedin' freezing tho.I'l checkout the fuel overflow pipe,cheers...