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May 31st, 2007, 04:37 AM
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#1 | | Rookie 10+ posts
Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Jersey
Posts: 19 Model: 2004 Harley Davidson Sportster Interests: Following the Sun Occupation: IT Manager
| Plugs Fouling
First the stats, last year I brought an 04 sportser only 500 miles on it. I put an additional 5000 on it last season and it ran great. Over the winter I change the air cleaner and put on the SE1 free flowing air cleaner. I also changed the pipes to V&H Straightshots (which by the way sound great)and rejetted the carb up one size on each the pilot and main. I did nothing with the air/fuel mixture.I also changed the plugs, old plugs had a nice chocolate brown color. After putting 200 miles on it with new plugs I noticed going up hill it tended to feel slugglish. I pulled a plug and they are a little black, not bad but not the tan color I should be seeing. So after all that my question to you is should I go larger jets or first start by adjusting air/fuel mix? Thanks. | 
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May 31st, 2007, 06:50 AM
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#2 | | Moderator Has posted 500+
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,429
| foulilng plugs is a sign of overfueling....running rich...is there any poping when you snap the throttle?? i would down size the main jet. run it and see how the plugs look. if your not poping the air jet is probably adjusted ok, and it only effects the pilot circuit. once you get some rpms up the main circuit takes over, and that is where the overfueling is probably happening, unless you idle alot.......
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LORD, HAVE MERCY ON AMERICA, WHILE WE ARE UNDER DISTRESS
"FLAGS AND HANDLEBARS SHOULD NEVER TOUCH THE GROUND"
"Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen."  We plan to meet next week to talk about planning a strategy session to discuss the next step towards forming a consensus to start the development of the rough draft for the implementation of our intention to develop a plan.  | 
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May 31st, 2007, 07:10 AM
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#3 | | Moderator Has posted 500+
Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Alvin TX
Posts: 3,219 Model: 03 E Glide X cop bike Interests: My family Old Dodge truck's Riding My Glide Occupation: Retired truck Driver
| Yea what chuck said , down size by one & run it far a decent run with as little idealing as possable ,then recheck your plug's & see how they look & go from there 
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Alvin TX
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May 31st, 2007, 07:22 AM
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#4 | | Rookie 10+ posts
Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Jersey
Posts: 19 Model: 2004 Harley Davidson Sportster Interests: Following the Sun Occupation: IT Manager
| Thanks! I'll put the orignal main jet back in it and take it out for a ride. Heading to Dover De for the NASCAR race this weekend so that'll be a nice 150 mile ride on the highway. | |
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May 31st, 2007, 08:13 AM
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#5 | | Administrator Frequent Posting Club
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,548 Model: Harley FLHX Interests: Harley's, Saltwater fish tanks, and inventing new ways to keep busy. Occupation: Web Specialist by day, 25+ years of carb building by day, hey what happened to my day?!
| Excellent advice from everyone here. Drop the main jet one size and leave the pilot jet alone. Adjusting the mixture needle will fine tune your idle and off-idle performance, but if its running ok and not popping then you can leave that alone.
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Ken
Bike Talk Motorcycle Forum Admin | |
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May 31st, 2007, 10:41 AM
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#6 | | Rookie 10+ posts
Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Jersey
Posts: 19 Model: 2004 Harley Davidson Sportster Interests: Following the Sun Occupation: IT Manager
| Thanks again, It idles fine and the only time it pops is when it is cold. Once it warms up it runs fine. | |
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May 31st, 2007, 11:06 AM
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#7 | | Moderator Has posted 500+
Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: The Shores of Tonto Creek
Posts: 689 Interests: Guns, Hunting, Fishing, 4 wheeling and riding Occupation: Network Administrator
| Damn Wish I going to Dover this weekend.
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82 Iron Head Sporty With stuff
Wrinkles in your duct tape is a sure sign of shoddy workmanship. | |
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May 31st, 2007, 12:35 PM
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#8 | | Moderator Has posted 500+
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,429
| Quote:
Originally Posted by 2fastnaz  Damn Wish I going to Dover this weekend. | ROAD TRIP!!!!!!!! 
__________________
LORD, HAVE MERCY ON AMERICA, WHILE WE ARE UNDER DISTRESS
"FLAGS AND HANDLEBARS SHOULD NEVER TOUCH THE GROUND"
"Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen." We plan to meet next week to talk about planning a strategy session to discuss the next step towards forming a consensus to start the development of the rough draft for the implementation of our intention to develop a plan. | |
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May 31st, 2007, 04:25 PM
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#9 | | Has posted 500+
Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Stanton, NJ
Posts: 1,378 Model: 04 Dyna WG (with a 240 rear tire) Interests: Harleys, drag racing, family, fishing, my rottweilers, the UFC Occupation: Carpenter/Builder
| Yo Namato1, not sure if I already asked but whereabouts in NJ you from? I'm about 140 from Dover myself. | |
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May 31st, 2007, 07:38 PM
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#10 | | Has posted 500+
Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Michigan
Posts: 563 Model: Harley 02' Heritage Classic Interests: Riding Occupation: Riding - Semi Retired
| Hey Namato...you might want to check out the Harley Performance web page. Lot of good info there on re-jetting. It says you should perform the fine tuning of the air fuel mixture before re-jetting. Go to harley-performance.com, good luck. | |
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Jun 1st, 2007, 05:36 AM
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#11 | | Rookie 10+ posts
Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Jersey
Posts: 19 Model: 2004 Harley Davidson Sportster Interests: Following the Sun Occupation: IT Manager
| Ringo - I read that article and it was very helpful, I even had a copy of it next to me while I rejetted. However, after speaking to a number of people they all agreed that I should leave the air/fuel mixture alone for now and see how it ran after the rejet. I am going to put the main back to the orignal and ride the hell out of it this weekend with new plugs. Pull them on Monday and see what I got. Like I said in the beginning it is not really bad, the plugs are black but not totally fouled out.
VooDoo - I am up in Flanders, Morris county. | |
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Jun 1st, 2007, 06:12 PM
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#12 | | Has posted 500+
Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Stanton, NJ
Posts: 1,378 Model: 04 Dyna WG (with a 240 rear tire) Interests: Harleys, drag racing, family, fishing, my rottweilers, the UFC Occupation: Carpenter/Builder
| Sorry Namato1, I did ask you that before. (too many drugs in my younger days I guess) I remember now. Have fun at Dover. Good luck with the bike. | |
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Jun 7th, 2007, 04:45 AM
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#13 | | Rookie 10+ posts
Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Jersey
Posts: 19 Model: 2004 Harley Davidson Sportster Interests: Following the Sun Occupation: IT Manager
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OK, First thanks for the advice but I could use a little more! so there I am getting ready to put the orignal main jet back in and I go to take off the 4 screws holding the bowl on the bottom of the carb and I round one of the screws!! Any tips on how the hell to get that loose now or do I need to just go ahead and drill it out? | |
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Jun 7th, 2007, 06:10 AM
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#14 | | Moderator Has posted 500+
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,429
| try to cut a slot in it....use hacksaw blade or something similar. maybe grab with needle nose vise grips...., with the body being aluminum, be very carefull if ya end up drilling........
__________________
LORD, HAVE MERCY ON AMERICA, WHILE WE ARE UNDER DISTRESS
"FLAGS AND HANDLEBARS SHOULD NEVER TOUCH THE GROUND"
"Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen." We plan to meet next week to talk about planning a strategy session to discuss the next step towards forming a consensus to start the development of the rough draft for the implementation of our intention to develop a plan. | |
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Jun 7th, 2007, 07:01 AM
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#15 | | More than 100 posts!
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 111
| I use a dremmel to take off the head off the screw if cutting the slot in the top does not work. Then take a pair of visegrips to remove the stud after you get the bowl off.
One thing that may have been mentioned is have you checked your intake for oil puking over from the head breathers? I'm not very experienced with Sportsters but thought I read about a problem with that?
Cracker | |
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Jun 7th, 2007, 07:03 PM
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#16 | | Has posted 500+
Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Stanton, NJ
Posts: 1,378 Model: 04 Dyna WG (with a 240 rear tire) Interests: Harleys, drag racing, family, fishing, my rottweilers, the UFC Occupation: Carpenter/Builder
| Namato1, they also make extractors that fit over the screw head. I don't know if they will work in this situation, because of where it is and the size of them. I think Cracker has the best advice, use a dremel tool and grind off the head, then pull the bowl and unscrew the "stud". It should unscrew by hand. Good luck, and BTW, that sh*t is normal, if it didn't happen I would think something was wrong.  | |
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Jun 8th, 2007, 04:57 AM
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#17 | | Rookie 10+ posts
Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Jersey
Posts: 19 Model: 2004 Harley Davidson Sportster Interests: Following the Sun Occupation: IT Manager
| Thanks for all tha advice, looks like I have a few options to try tomorrow, I'll let you know how it all works out. I called the Stealership for the hell of it to see what they wanted to fix it. $150!!!! They have to be kidding me. | |
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Jun 8th, 2007, 05:37 AM
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#18 | | Has posted 500+
Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: middleburg, pa
Posts: 714 Model: 06 FLST hertiage, stage 1 1450 pc111 Interests: hunting,wood working Occupation: medical asst. tech/DPW
| You can do it. you'll be glad you did. take the 150.00 and spend it on the bike | |
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Jun 8th, 2007, 08:34 AM
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#19 | | More than 100 posts!
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 111
| Hey forgot to add take the phillips head screws to your local hardware store & match them up with some SS allan head screws then throw them fricken sh*t phillips screws in the garbage. I don't recall the allan head thread pitch you need just be sure the old ones match the new.
Cracker | |
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Jun 8th, 2007, 12:31 PM
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#20 | | Administrator Has posted 500+
Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Tucson AZ
Posts: 1,631 Interests: Travelling, fishing and NASCAR Occupation: Doing what ever comes to mind and hitting the RV trail.
| Remove the carb
Put it on a bench bowl side up.
Put the tip of a good screw driver in the slot. Tap the head of the screwdriver while gently turning the handle. This acts like a hand held impact wrench. Course, if you have one of those use it instead .
If this does not work, get a pair of needle nosed vice grips and lock them on sideways to the screw and turn gently.
Ken has stainless steel screws to replace the stock crap.
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