99 Sporty starts and dies

I installed a new ignition, coil pack, wires, and rejetted the carb. Before doing all this work the bike only started when it wanted to. When it did start it hesitated around 3000-3500 rpm. Also, it continuously backfired through carb, especially when trying to start it. After all the above things were changed, all those problems went right away. Now, I start the bike and it runs until it runs out of fuel, not tank fuel, there is plenty there. Go to start it again and it wont. If you wait a few min, it will start up and die again. It usually runs for about 10-30 seconds or so until it kills itself. Fuel runs abundantly from the fuel line when pulled from carb inlet. Whats the deal here...what did i put together wrong or F up?
Thanks,
Alex

Did you check to see if your gas cap is venting?? Just a thought.

How can that possibly be a problem? It didnt happen before i messed with the carb, and I didnt mess with the gas tank. And like i said, when i pull the fuel line from the carb, it flows fine.

Hey scorcher, relax.... like I said....just a thought. next time it runs outta gas with gas in your tank twist off the gas cap and see if it starts,won't cost ya nuttin and ain't hard to do, other than that good luck to ya.:devil:

I followed the instrustions when i rejetted...i drilled a hole in the slide, put 180 and 45 jets in, not sure if i used the new needle and spring or the old ones, sorda got them mixed up. All the seals are good, including a new o ring on the float bowl.

How do you adjust the float level? I thought you can only put it in one way, with that being like it up with the carb and tap the rod through...?

Lucifer, I wasnt trying to come off as an ass, but i just dont understand how over a couple days the tank stops venting itself. And my bike has 2 gas caps, but only one unscrews off. The other one just turns and makes the clicking noise. Is that how they all are?

Cool, sorry for the smartazz retort. The cap that clicks is the venting cap, it allows air to come into the tank to replace the fuel used,if it stops venting no air will get in and the gas won't flow....so you're probably right when you took the fuel line off and the gas flowed.
What chuck said makes more sense... using the old spring or needle wouldn't cause your problem. Is that the dynojet kit that says to drill the slide??
The best 2 tools you can put in your toolbox is the factory service manual and the parts catalog, the manual will tell you how to do it and the parts catalog shows exploded diagrams of all the parts and the order of assembly for them. Is that a stock Sporty tank with 2 caps??
Good Luck, let us know what you find:devil:

Sounds like the Dynojet kit & you will have problems with it - jetting should be 42 / 175 (for a 1200) & the drilled slide will "hunt" trying to find the right spot, which it won't. But that's not the cause of the engine dying.

The stock petcock had a vacuum line running to it & fuel won't flow when there's no intake manifold vacuum. But it sounds like you've got an aftermarket petcock that doesn't use the vaccum line. One possibility is the ignition module overheating - it's in the nosecone of the cam cover on your Sportster. H-D moved it on the '04-up models due to the problem - if the module gets too hot the engine will die. Let the bike sit for a while & the engine will usually start back up, but it'll die again if the module overheats again. Also, the ignition modules do not like low voltage - battery has to be good & all the electrical connections too.

Factory service manual has the adjustment procedure & it's not as simple as one might assume. Bending the tang on the float will change the level. Also the needle & seat assembly should be checked - the needle can stick & not allow fuel to flow.

That's an aftermarket tank & I don't know how the venting setup works on it. Some tanks have a vent line & unvented cap(s), others have a vented cap & no line. The tiny vent in a vented cap can get clogged up & if there's no vent line from the tank, that could cut fuel flow. But if that was the problem, you'd hear a "whoosh" sound of air rushing into the tank when you removed the cap.

Given the symptoms described, that's all I can think of - ignition module, petcock, float / needle & seat assy. & tank venting. Hope that helps you track the problem down.

Nah, i got the CV performance kit...

I have two jobs and only work my main one tomorrow so i should be able to have some time to fiddle with it and go through everyones suggestions.