Bummer! Help?!?!

Pics are up!

Much thanks for those resonsible.

yatchman - not trying to slam your wrenching skill but if you have a buddy who is into working on V-twins you might have him look at it and see if he can find something out of whack. I run a V-DUCTOR on mine and it went in with no problem. It sounds like something isn't seating right as ken said.
Let us know if you get it worked out and how ya did it. It may help another rider that comes across with the same problem.

Also remembered that I had taken a pic of mine after installing and maybe it might a good idea to upgrade to a newer backing plate.
This one is a Arlen Ness Big Sucker Stage 1 showing the filter installed over the V-Ductor - it also eliminates the return oil breather tubes that are prone to clogging up. The new style feeds right back into the intake and is burned in the engine instead of dripping on the engine.





Pic not loading for some reason

Well, here's what I did today. I removed the spacers behind the backing plate. See pics. (see tech section for pics until these come up)

Ken, you thought you might have a solution for this? Other than my split washers?

Also, I removed the V-Ductor and reinstalled the plate and filter. Still bummer! Then I removed the EZ and reinstalled the original idle screw, and set it out to 2 turns. And presto! MAYBE PRESTO!! I took it for a ride and it needed to go to around 3 turns. BUT, it still ran sort of rough. But better than Sat. I've run out of time for today, but I think tomorrow I'll have the entire day to myself and will break down the carb again and start from scratch.

I think I 'might' know, what 'possibly' could be the cause, 'sort of', 'maybe'!! I don't think it's a carb/manifold seal issue as the carb seems snug in the rug.

Robert

Ken,

Any thoughts on the spacers?

Robert

Those are great pictures, I checked my carb yesterday and I have a gasket on each side of the V-Ductor just like you do. To my way of thinking the carb should push far enough in to the rubber boot to make a tight fit so as not to need the washers. That is a pretty big hose you have on the head breather tube. Have you tried removing it to see if that is holding the backing plate out that far. Maybe there is something else holding the carb that 1/8”. I don’t know for sure what year Harley changed the design on the backing plate but mine is very similar to yours, only it has two small breather tubes hoses going into the backing plate. I purchased it new late 2004. As far as the spacers go if you need them you need them shouldn’t make any difference on performance or how it works in general.
I’d say your rough running is something internal with the carb. I’ve done a lot of these carbs and the only trouble I’ve ever had with any of them has been something I didn’t do correctly.

Harley,

I appreciate the help. I just put a 'needle' post in the EZ dept. But for some reason the pics don't show up there.

I just tried either needle and no real diff. I took the carb off and I'm going through it. I just checked the pilot and main, with no problems there. And the accel seems fine with strong squirts into the carb.

Also, the carb was seated perfectly in the seal/manifold. And the breather hose has been on there for 9 yrs. I checked it for possible loose, and did have to tighten it on the hose to the breather crossover. Are the breather bolts specific to either side? Doesn't look it. And I think the washer order should be bolt head-washer-cross over bar-washer-breather tube-washer. Actually the last washer only goes on last so it's not that one. Do you remember the order or yours?

Now I'm heading into the top end!!

Robert

Ken,

Good to hear your voice!

I tried to get the left side manifold bolts off to replace the seals but couldn't get them loose. Tough little b's! So I chose not to replace them.

Any ideas would be appreciated since the carb is off now.

Okay the top is off and everything, to my thinking, is fine. I did notice a lot of dried something ? in the track the diaphragm sits in so I used a tiny screwdriver and scraped, lightly, it out. Also my diaphragm sits in the groove with no problem, such as I read when people have trouble putting the top back on. I loosened the side plate for the throttle spring and no problem. The rubber just fallsinto the track. Is this normal?

Should I use any vasoline or such in the track?

So put it back together??

Also, Ken, when I left this project yesterday I thought I had an idea ofwhat was wrong, but that didn't pan out. Today after trying either needle it just dies and burps through the carb. Barely idles at all without major unscrewing on the needle, with the original working a little better.

Yachtman, I know you don’t want to here this but you need to get a diet coke or whatever and clean off the kitchen table lay down a piece newspaper take the carb completely apart. Piece by piece examine it. Look for holes in the diaphragms. Hold them up to a light and look for small pin holes or tears. Clean each part with a paper towel or shop rag. When putting back together make sure each piece goes in correctly and don’t over tighten the jets. Sometimes one little thing makes it tuff to tune correctly. Be patient it’ll all come together.
As far as my breath and backing plate, on each cylinder head I have a thin washer, breather vent tube, thin washer, backing plate mounting bracket, thin washer and the blot that holds it all together.

Thanks Harley!

Okay, then my bolt/washer set up is correct. Diet coke? High test please!

Also I took everything apart today, slowly cleaned everything and back together.

I tried spraying WD40 to check of intake leaks but nothing.

Here's a pic of how smoothly the diaphragm sits. Does it need vaso?

Ken,

Do you think I need a bigger jet than a 48? With Rineharts and the K&N?

I installed the 48, as it was prior to this, and the 195, which seems big but I know that's not causing the issues.

Okay, I know you guys are going to find out where I live and shoot me but...

Two more q's

Does the choke cable usually swing around so easy?

I'm having trouble getting the o-ring out of the adjuster tube this time, can I just re-use the one stuck in it? It is sitting flush, so it doesn't seem like a problem, but......

Thanks again.....and again!!

Robert

+1

Hey Yachtman !! What’s the latest results of your Carb project?

Terrible!!

See: 'New Update'

Yachman,
First you need to keep all the post about this project in one spot so everyone kind find it easy enough.
When you increase the idle speed are you using the throttle stop or the air mixture screw?
Here’s what I would try next.
Set air screw at 2.5 – 3 turns out.
Set throttle stop screw until you reach about 900-1,000 rpm’s.
Re-adjust the air mixture screw.
And if you need to adjust the throttle stop screw again.