Being from the south, I have no experience with cold temps. All Keihn carbs from '76 on had accelerator pumps. They wern't CV until '90.
Check into the CV on the sportsters.
http://www.cyberranch.org/bike2.html
Fuel System Advice
- Thread starter CalgaryBikeBum
- Start date
Check into the CV on the sportsters.
http://www.cyberranch.org/bike2.html
kemo
R.I.P
98% of the time I don't use the enrichener. I start the bike turn it around and drive, no back firing or coughing. I might have to keep my revs up for my first one or two stop signs but after that it idles fine. Also I have seen more people wanting to know what is envolved in removing the EFI and running a carb. Injection is great when it works and a real pain when it doesn't and expensive to repair. I also get better fuel milage than my buddies that have EFI
Breeze3at
Experienced Member
Glider; I stand corrected. I had a '87 xlh 1100. Evidently it and the '86 were the only two years that had the 34mm fixed venturi Keihn carb. that did have an acc. pump. As you pointed out, '88 did not have a pump and was a cv.
Just when I think I know something, I learn how much I don't. :small3d015:
Thanks
maine-e-axe
Junior Member
Sounds to me like the float is to low and running the bowl out of gas. Pull the bowl off the carb to see how much gas there is in there, pull the float out and shack it to see if it has any gas in it (there shouldn't be) To adjust the float you need to bend the tab that moves the needle valve.I've done this before and it's fixed the trouble and it sound like the same thing mine was doing. Good luck
CalgaryBikeBum
Active Member
Thanks for all the advice. I have decided to stay with the Original carb. I had already done the mods that Glider suggested in the tech article on the CV carb (basically right jets and washers under needle) and it ran fine. I checked the float when I rebuilt the carb and its was fine. I also felt that perhaps the float level was too low and because of the large bore it was using up the gas in the bowl faster then it was replenished. Is there some kind of flow test to make sure that the vacuum from carb is truly holdling open the petcock and that its not starving the float bowl? Usually if I back off and drop down to about 60 mph (under 3000 rpm) and give it a minute it catchs its breath and away we go again. I have adjusted the float slighty and since then I don't think its dropped out but havent' had time to run it up to 3600 and then hold it there to see if it dies? It truly acts like its starving for gas (just like when you run out and have to switch to reserve).
Float level will effect the fuel delivery and as you mention it was at the higher RPM's. Quite possible the float level is low and this is the result with insufficient fuel flow at higher engine speeds. The vacuum petcock of past did have their problems and many changed it to a manual valve like a Pingel valve that you have to switch manually.
Vacuum To Mechanical Petcock - Harley Davidson Community
Vacuum To Mechanical Petcock - Harley Davidson Community