My 1985 KEIHIN CARB I Think Is The PROBLEM

Hey Guys ( Newbie Here)

I need ALL the help I can get with this carb of mine.
Guys if you tell me with DETAILS I can follow you leads

Other than me trying to fix this starting problem I'M AT MY WITZ END

The KEIHIN CV CARB that came with my Harley Electra Glide Classic when I bought in new 1985 ~ I really can't rmember when I started having problems starting my bike but It got to a point were it would flood readly.

Right now she's on the back pation and WONT START 4 BEANS :rant:

I did start several times but only for about 30-40 secs. and then DIED OUT
I gently pull the choke out just a bit hit the starter and its woud;SPIT/ FART/ COUGH/BACKFIRE & just for me a little puff of smoke and start-up and DIE.

Check out the carb and plugs condition. I pulled the plugs and look at the shape of them really BLACK. The little i know about engines guys is i don't think those
plugs are FIRING CORRECTLY or FIRING AT ALL.

The gap on them is .040. The book says .035 - .045

Tell if you will please should I take the carb apart and really clean it. I rebuilt it a couple of weeks ago; but really didn't do anything with the JETS :gah:

O.K Guys I'm in your hands ~ Tell me ; Show me & I'll follow.

Re: My 1985 KEIHIN CV CARB I Think Is The PROBLEM

currently rebuilding my carb on my 85 fxr police bike....
I learned that~ yes, blow out the passages as storage tends to get specs in there, that will plug up. took that thing right apart after only doing some basic cleaning and still having it foul at speed.....

Re: My 1985 KEIHIN CV CARB I Think Is The PROBLEM

Hey Justwannabeme

How did you make-up with your HEIHIN CARB
Did your bike start
What did you find out that was wrong with the carb

I'm still NOT STARTED.
I don't know what the heck is wrong with it
Maybe if you found out what was wrong with yours it could help me with mine.

plugs look fouled, check for spark at plugs,
bad gas if it set for a long time,
And that is not a CV Carburetor looks like a butterfly carb, that's what was on HD big twins before the CV came out in 1990.

Hey Cowboy

Here's what I've done with my '85 FLHTC.

1.Rebuit the carb. & cleaned it.
2. New Ignition Coil.
3. New Gas.
4.New Spark Plugs gaped: .043ths.
5.New Spark Plugs Wires.
6.New Throttle & Idle Cable
7.New 489 Amp. Battery.

And the stucker still won't start
I don't know what to do anymore.
Should I test for spark against the engine block ?

You tell me my good man ~ I'm discussed :witsend:

Cowboy ~ She STARTED BUT . . .

Hey Cowboy

I did the test on the spark plugs and I got spark on both of them.

However, That THOTTLE SCREW or whatever you call on my CARBURETOR is SCREWED-UP.

I remember I was playing around with in like an IDIOT not knowning what heck I was doing.

I flooded the carb and fouled-up the plugs. I pulled 'em and cleaned 'em up.
She started but for about 10 seconds then DIED.

I remember dancing around with that screw on my carb. So I brough the screw UP & THAT'S WHEN SHE STARTED RUNNING A BIT.

The deal is now; JUST HOW DO I GET TO WHERE THAT SCREW IS AT THE PROPER LEVEL

Cowboy: Just how do I ADJUST my Carb

Do I try to get it running and let it warm-up and keep my hand off the throttle so it idles and THEN ADJUST THAT SCREW

You or the other guys out there can give this ol' fart a helping correct suggestion please.

Last minuet process: I went back to my patio where my bike and a ADJUSTED that srew using a photo I have taken for refferances. And she running ~ BUT I STILL WANT TO KNOW " HOW TO TWEEK IT GOOD "

THANKS - 4 - The Heads-Up My Man

Hey HarleyeLR

I'm really starting to get it ~ I'M OLD :witsend: . . . :roflmao:


Tell me please: if what I've got is not: A CV Carb like you said. Then what in the world is it The only thing I do know that its a KEIHIN CARB

After you tell me I burn it into my 71yr. ol' blank head . . . lol
Seriously my man. This bike has been laid-up for about I'd say 5yrs. in the back patio.

A little thing like CANCER of my right kidney kinda put a STOP on riding. However, JESUS for me is WONDEROUS. But that's for me.

I counted-up what I spend to get it running today and hope that's it.
$ 2, 9 0 4. 26
And that count includes the following:

1. New paint job - absoulutely beautiful ~ two tone: Blue & Silver.
2. Two new Wide White Wall Tires.(With DYNA BEADS inside the tires)
3. One new Ignition Coil.
4. New S/Plug Wires.
5. New 480 AMP Battery.
6. New Windshield.
7. New Mirrors both sides.
8. New Starter Relay.
9. New Throttle & Idle Cables.
10.New Front Rubber Bumper Guard.
11.New Front & Rear Brake Pads.
12.New Oil Screens.
13.New Beautiful Tank Emblems (Both side of gas tank)
14.New Full Face Helmet.
15.New Oil Filter.
16.Gallon of Oil.
17.New Spot Light Toggle Switch. (Fun putting it in instrument panel)
18. Vaireous Stainless Bolts,Screws, Gas hoses,plus some speical little tools.

Don't get me wrong I'm not showing-off I'm just GRATIFUL for the help from my GOD JESUS & GUYS LIKE YOU on this forum ~ :cheers: THANKS.

The screw you show in the picture is the throttle stop adjustment screw, it will speed up the idle. If the gas in tank has been there for 5 years it has probably turned bad. Do like HRK suggested and drain it and start fresh. Send me a PM(private message) with you email address and I'll send you what information I have on the butterfly carburetor.
If ya need to pull the choke out to the first stop, about 1/4" out and try that.
Does it run now?

Oh yea, and I'm a big fan of Jesus too.

Done That Awhile Ago

Hey HarleyeLR

Drained the tank awhile ago. Got in new in her awhile ago (last month)

Just need to know exactly the KEIHIN CARB I've got.

Talk with you later

I would make sure carb is clean,and float is operating properly,setting for a long time doesn't do a carb any good ,the gas tarnishes,and plugs up passages.I have a CV carb on my 75 Sportty and just love it.When my bike sets through the Michigan winters I use sea foam in my gas...good luck..Al

I am going to put straight e85 in this winter.....

CARB Has Been Cleaned and Rebuilt Also

Hey wacher

Thanks for you impute.
However, I did cleand and rebuilt my carburetor.

I just have to learn how to ADJUST that darn Stop Idle Screw.

I think I have to warm her up and keep my hand and the throttle so I doesn't staul like it doing and adjust from there.

Unless you have any other way to do it ~ I'm ALL EARS [

QUOTE=whacker;113525]I would make sure carb is clean,and float is operating properly,setting for a long time doesn't do a carb any good ,the gas tarnishes,and plugs up passages.I have a CV carb on my 75 Sportty and just love it.When my bike sets through the Michigan winters I use sea foam in my gas...good luck..Al[/QUOTE]

he first thing to be done, after removing the air filter (with the fuel petcock open and the engine off) is to look into the throat of the carb and twist the throttle to see where the fuel stream from the accelerator pump shoots. You want it to shoot in the middle of the carb, but typically it shoots toward the back cylinder. Note how much you need to turn the jet when you have the bowl off to get the jet of fuel to hit the throat in the middle. Next, remove the carb and clean it up with carb cleaner. Then use a small (3/32” or so) drill bit to drill through the “SMALL!” (Note the exclamation mark, quotation marks and capital letters!) plug on top of the carb. Wrap some electrical tap about 1/8” up the drill bit to guide you so that you don’t drill too deep and into the needle. DO NOT DRILL THE LARGER SEAL!!! Screw a sheet metal screw into the drilled hole of the SMALL seal and pry out the seal and trash it, you won’t need to replace it. You’ll see the air/fuel mixture screw inside.

With a small screwdriver gently turn the air/fuel mixture screw in until it GENTLY bottoms out. Back it out about one full turn.Turn the carb upside down and take off the accelerator pump housing (note that there are two short screws and one long screw). Then take off the remainder three screws for the float bowl. Remove the float bowl and see what you got. Turn the accelerator pump jet mounted on the float bowl (it’s a press fit in the bowl) with a small adjustable wrench the amount that you think so that the stream will hit the throat of the carb about mid-point. Check it again and if it’s still off, you’ll want to take the float bowl back off later and try it again until the fuel stream hits in the middle. Next, in the carb body, the pilot jet is covered by a rubber plug so remove the plug. Using a small screwdriver remove the pilot jet and install the next size up (for my bike it was a .52mm). Following your service manual check/set the float level (my bike’s float level is set to between 0.63” – 0.68” with the carb on its side and the float dangling, but check the service manual for your carb.). The float level is checked from the bottom of the float bowl mounting flange to the bottom of the float. This would also be a good time to shoot some carb cleaner through all the jets to make sure they are clean. Make sure you replace the rubber plug over the pilot jet (otherwise it will run like its being choked).

The accelerator pump housing is being replaced because Harley quit putting a check valve in the stock carb’s accelerator pump housing in 1980 models due to EPA pollution restriction regulations; the factory leaned out the idle in order to pass the regulations at the time. It seems EPA wasn’t concerned with the emissions above idle so the main jet was not set lean. So with the newer pumps (from 1980 to 1988) some of the fuel was pumped back into the fuel bowl when you hit the accelerator lessening the amount that actually is forced into the carb throat; the replacement pump housing puts back the check valve. To install the replacement pump, remove the float bowl up and turn it upside down and (following the instructions that came with the Andrews accelerator pump housing) drill a 1/16” hole in the dimpled hole and clean everything up with carb cleaner and blow out with air to get rid of any metal shavings. The dimpled area is the one that has an area for an o-ring to sit. Carefully reinstall the new accelerator pump housing (make sure you use two o-rings on the housing) onto the float bowl and then install the float bowl on the carb.(I have a new Andrews Super Pump in stock if you want to perform this mod.I also have kits that include new gaskets, o-rings, pump diaphragm, diaphragm spring, rubber plug for the pilot jet and two different needle valves. I also have an Allen head float bowl screw kit that makes things much easier.) Put the carb back on the bike using new intake gaskets on each side of the insulator block and hook everything up except for the fuel overflow hose. Turn on the fuel and check for leaks.After assembly the float needle valve may not seat properly and therefore fuelmay leak from the overflow tube. I give the carb a couple of taps before I even turn the gas on for the first time after having the float bowl off which normally eliminates the overflow problem.

Check where the accelerator pump jet shoots fuel (after adjusting)ideally it should shoot it right in the middle of the throat.Start the bike and let it warm up. According to the factory service manual, the idle is set between 1000 and 1050 rpm, and the fast idle at 1500 rpm...hope this info helps.Good Luck!...Junker.