1200 sportster issues

[shakeytits]

hello everyone , ive just purchased a 2005 1200 sportster, its done 4500 miles and is totally standard, its been stood for 8 months and the battery was flat , so I charged the battery and fired it up , didn't run very well so I removed the tank, drained the fuel, also cleaned out the carb, ,,, its still the same , runs rough, wont idle, fouls plus in no time at all, sometimes backfires and blows out the odd flame. I would grateful of any help please, regards p

[mikeLI_77]

When you cleaned the carb did you check if the float was sticking and if the float was set properlyat the correct level? Also check your petcock to see if the vacume is working correctly. if the diapbram is torn in the petcock it will allow fuel to run into the carb through the vacune line and cause a rich situation. You can take the vacume line off the petcock and see if gas still flows out of the Petcock. If gas does not come out with the vacume line disconnected the petcock is working properly. If it comes out your diaphram is ripped.

[IXL2Relax]

Welcome to the Forum....

Now take a look at these checklists:
http://xlforum.net/forums/s....php?t=1792262

Be sure to read the linked threads regarding tuning...

You need to do a thorough job of checking each part of the fuel/ignition operation since the bike has been sitting without proper attention...

....~\
__o~~o__
IXL2Relax
>>>> Build & Ride Reports Are Here <<<<

[Rico 05R]

The crank position sensor may need to be replaced.

[shakeytits]

thanks mike for the quick reply, all the vacuum seems to be ok but I will double check tomorrow as the bike is at work, I removed the float and needle valve and cleaned them , regarding the float height I didn't check it as the bike as not been messed with at all, the petcock is working fine , im wondering if I have an electrical issue ??

[shakeytits]

hi rico, would the crank sensor cause this problem , I thought if the cps was faulty then the bike wouldn't start? but thanks for the advice I will have a look tomorrow, just a thought rico but would my bike have a crank sensor being that's its got a carb and not injection ?

[mikeLI_77]

Originally Posted by shakeytits

thanks mike for the quick reply, all the vacuum seems to be ok but I will double check tomorrow as the bike is at work, I removed the float and needle valve and cleaned them , regarding the float height I didn't check it as the bike as not been messed with at all, and now forgive my ignorance but what is the petcock, I assume its the vacuum device on the carb top, with the diaphragm ?

Your carb does have a diaphragm in it as well but that is not what I was talking about. The petcock on your tank. If it is a stock petcock is a vacume operated petcock. It will have the fuel line and another vacume line attached to it on the back. The vacume line goes from your carb and it splits into a y-valve and one end goes to your voes switch and the other to your petcock. Your carb creates the vacume which in turn opens up a small diaphram that is inside the petcock which allows the fuel to flow to the carb. If that diaphragm gets any kind of hole in it the fuel will also go back into the carb through the vacume line and put to much gas into the carb.
This is a picture of a stock petcock I found on the forum for reference to yours. There is a diaphram inside of that square part behind the valves lever. You can see the fuel and the vacume line just to the left of it.

[shakeytits]

that's great mike it explains it perfectly, I will check it out in the morning, would it be possible for a diaphragm to deteriorate while the bike was stood for so long ? just a thought, rgds p

[Bob F]

Welcome to the XLForum. Enjoy your Sporty!

[mikeLI_77]

Originally Posted by shakeytits

that's great mike it explains it perfectly, I will check it out in the morning, would it be possible for a diaphragm to deteriorate while the bike was stood for so long ? just a thought, rgds p

If the bike sat for a while there is a good chance the rubber diaphragm in the petcock could have dried out and cracked. You should be able to tell as soon as you take the vacume line off. If fuel comes out of the nipple wear the line came off of that means the diaphragm is shot. If so pick up a pingel or Golan petcock which are not vacume operated and replace the hose from your petcock to your voes with a solid piece of hose. Don't plug up the hose because that will just give your bike one more place for something to go wrong on you in the future if the plug ever fails at all.