Blood, sweat, tears & beers . . .

Was planning on riding the Beast into town today with temps approaching 70, but it's raining now and will rain all day. Back yard looks like a wading pool. My truck still isn't ready from the tranny shop - been there about 6 weeks now. Reckon this is one of those days I'll just sit around the house and grouch & mope!

Same patten here, nothing to do but accept... been real good start to winter, have ridden almost every weekend from Thanksgiving until now, not bad...

Yup, we also have had outstanding weather overall. Can't really complain. Forgot to mention I got a Zox beanie helmet yesterday. Got a size too small on purpose. This morning went out to the shop, took out the liner and carved out much of the excess foam. It fits perfectly now - much lower on my head plus I have gotten rid of the "mushroom" look this helmet had at first. Going back out to paint the foam black and glue the liner back in. Beats moping anyday!

Yep,had family stuff today anyway. At Appalachian State University in Boone today for auditions for my daughter. Is the other school of music she is interested in. Cold and rainy, but could easily be snow up here. She is already accepted at ECU. So we will see... she is quite something..bare with me if I brag a bit... don't do that except about my girls...

That's okay - you got bragging rights! It's still raining here - it's a mess. Don't think there's going to be ride tomorrow either as temps are dropping . . . . yard looks like a swamp now.

Ah, things are looking good for a ride today, boys. Temps will be near 70 and no rain in sight. Hot dog! I'm getting out of school at 2 PM today. Reckon I'll take my S.S. check to the bank and grab a sandwich at Subway. Maybe drop in on Tattoo. Looks to be about a 40 mile ride, maybe more.

Truck is supposed to be ready tomorrow with a completely rebuilt tranny. They say it's gonna be around $900.

No ride today - bike wouldn't start - took the plugs out and they were fouled and wet. Cleaned them and it started for a bit and then stopped and I couldn't get it going again. Tried for an hour - at least a couple hundred kicks. I think it's the carb but I don't know what it could be. Once it's running it seems to be okay, but starting it up is a bitch.

Are you turning the gas off when you park or are finished riding? I always keep a couple of sets of plugs around just for that fouling reason.
You might try runnig the carb out of fuel after you turn the gas off, then when you go to start it just let enough gas back into the fuel bowl to fill it until it starts the turn on gas petcock.

I'm pretty sure the choke is working properly. It does seem as if the motor is getting too much gas or the enricher circuit is bonkers. I've been having this problem since I installed the CVP idle mixture screw. The stock one worked better as far as getting it started. I have the CVP screw turned out 1 1/2 turns. Maybe I should lean the mixture out and turn the screw in another 1/4 to 1/2 turn or so? Or maybe the little rubber o-ring is shot and letting too much gas in. It might be a good idea to get a repacking kit from CVP but it always takes 3 to 4 weeks or longer to get anything from them.

HarleysLR, curious as to what are the reasons why I would be doing as you suggest? I wouldn't want to do that routine every time I start it.

BTW, there's no gas draining out of the float bowl overflow hose.

And yup, the plugs are fouled again. As I have no spares (used 'em all up), I will clean these up again since they have no actual miles on them. Just fouled from trying to start it - they did fire for a short time, maybe a minute or so idling. . . . I gap the plugs to .028", the minimum in the manual. I used to gap 'em at the midway point between the extremes (around .030", but Tattoo says to gap the minimum - he gaps his at .026". His bike runs good and usually starts after one or two kicks.

Slow jet is 50 and the main is 165. Some riders on the Shovelhead forum recommend a 48 or 50 for the slow and a 160 to 170 for the main.
I think I have a 45 slow jet laying around here somewhere that came with the carb. Never used it.

No more than one. The info I have on CV carbs says to pull the choke out and leave the throttle alone, then crank it up. I'll try turning the screw in a half turn - if that doesn't work, then I'll change to the 45 slow jet I have.

When the engine is warm, you don't even use the choke - just crank it. Got this info from a CV carb website.

Ordered a CVP tuners kit from Ken with the add on repacking kit. That should get all the internals on the carb right.

When I installed the EZ tune screw, I used the new packing kit from
CV Performance. I did not know if the rubber washer etc would be OK or not, not much $, so I got the kit when I got the strew. Tuned the bike (was at factory set), running better... was a bit lean ... now no probs. Was getting a little coughing through carb at cold weather, ran good when warm. Running about 1/2 turn out from where factory setting was. I like how it runs now. up in Mtns today, cold and it ran great. No coughing, no hesitation, real responsive.

Good to hear that MC. I believe the factory setting is 1 1/2 turns out? Mine is 2 turns out which is a good starting point. I just wish I could get it started so I can warm the thing up with a short ride and fine tune the mixture screw.

The tuning kit from CVP is shipping soon. I guess ordering online is a lot faster than traditional mail. Anyway, when all that stuff is in the carb, I'm gonna try the "plug chop" method of tuning - first the slow speed circuit, then the high speed. Ya need lots of spark plugs! This method or reading the plugs is old as the hills and I'm glad I ran across it. Sort of a poor man's dyna tune.

BTW boys, J&P can't sell Harley brand motor oil on line anymore - Harley said "no".
So I ordered a gallon of RevTech 20W50 along with 4 sets of plugs. The RevTech oil is cheaper, too, under 5 bucks a quart when you buy a gallon. HD oil is $8 a quart at the dealership here.

This is a generalization for any carb, each bike is a little different, I'd try different settings until I have it figured out, for instance I had 2 TC 88s, one you pulled the choke out about 3/4 the way out, the other twist the throttle twice and fire it up. It's all in technique.