spit sputter and pop

[Happy Hours]

my bike did this today after running fine since the friday of Herdstock.

400 miles later before it acted up but after loping around a subdivision and then leaving it just wouldn't take the gas.

It did clear up after spiitting,sputtering and poping for a mile or 3 and ran fine the rest of the way home.

I checked the plugs and they look a little white so I gave the Idle/fuel mixture screw a 1/8 turn outward but I'm at a loss.

any ideas?

[Crocodile56]

A little water in the carb bowl! Condensation......

[Happy Hours]

nope,gas is clear

I even put a new fuel line on today just in case the old one was dry rotting,but after splitting it open it looked fine

[CLL375]

Did it happen after a fill up? Maybe bad gas?

[Boss]

What miles do you have on that pig right now? Air leak somewhere???

[Happy Hours]

tank was 1/2 full when I left the house.

7000 miles Boss, I checked for an intake leak last month when I had this same problem.

[gtoracer]

I would think that if it were an intake leak it wouldn't clear up just to do it again later. You say you were loping in a subdivision and it started doing this as you were leaving. Were you running the bike at an idle or slow speed when it did this before? Could it be that it is running rich at slow speed and fouling a plug, then cleaning itself up when you speed it up? Just a thought.....Glenn

[Happy Hours]

Could be Glenn and that's what I thought so I changed the Int. jet last month.went from a 29 to a 28.I guess I could go down one more and see if the problem still accures.

[Dave63]

If you have a severe issue with an S&S, (which normally runs rich) I'd suspect a petcock issue. You may have an issue with vacuum; line or diaphram, especially if it's an intermitant thing. I'd also yank the petcock and clean the fuel intake screen. I have a stock, vacuum petcock that worked fine, before I hung a Pingle on it. If you need it, let me know......

While it's running, I'd also spray the backside of the intake with WD40 and look for an intake leak. Your carb bolts onto the intake unlike the CV, but it still uses the manifold o-rings at the heads.

Ironially, while coming home from KY, I couldn't do over 65 crossing the Eastern Continental Divide. It turns out my carb/intake doughnut was leaking......causing a lean issue.

[Ironhead]

It turns out my carb/intake doughnut was leaking......causing a lean issue.

was it one of those aftermarket deals?

[Dave63]

was it one of those aftermarket deals?

No, but I thought of you while swapping it....!!! It was an OEM that was likely the original. I'm just cheap sometimes. :)

[Happy Hours]

I've already replaced the filter at the petcock,I'll have to look at the manual and see where the vacum lines are and check them 1st.Thanks

[gtoracer]

Happy, I was just thinking about your problem and I was wondering, can you take a plug wrench with you and the next time it acts up mabe you could pull over and remove the plugs and look at them then. Would tell you if it's rich or lean. When I used to drag race, during time trials, if I wanted to check the plugs I would kill the motor after crossing the finish line and check the plugs on the return road. More accurate reading. Don't know much about Harley carbs, could it be a float problem?(float level). Does it have a float?....Glenn

[Dave63]

I've already replaced the filter at the petcock,I'll have to look at the manual and see where the vacum lines are and check them 1st.Thanks

You should have a vacuum line off the back of the carb, that splits with one part going to the VOES and the other to the petcock.

[Happy Hours]

You should have a vacuum line off the back of the carb, that splits with one part going to the VOES and the other to the petcock.

Thanks Dave

gtoracer,S & S -E CARB. I did this once and it was showing rich so I made an adjustment.Right now the plugs are showing lean and I keep backing off an 1/8 at a time about every day or so hoping for that perfect tan color.