need help on 98 evo : V-Twin Forum: Harley Davidson Forums

head · 10-01-2009, 03:03 PM

ive got a 98 flhr with about 124,000 miles on it. i do some of my work but anything in depth goes to a local shop.

last night, wife and i took a short ride about 70 miles or so. when we got home, i was smelling gas more than usual. when we came inside,she said her right hand smelled like fuel. i went and checked the bike. the right front portion of the saddlebag has some yellow residue on it. smelled like fuel but felt a little thicker like oil. was a little on my right floorboard as well.

took the air cleaner off today and fired it up for a while. dont see anything wrong. there was a little reside on the rear jug where the vent bolt goes in behind the air cleaner. the bottom of the air cleaner also has that same residue in the bottom of it. i had lifters replaced a month ago on it. bike has been spitting a little throught the carb almost like the intake gaskets were leaking some. while inspecting things, i see a three wire plug that is hanging behind the carb unplugged. checked and the center terminal is hot with igntion on. could this have gotten unplugged when the tank was off for lifters? what would this go to? maybe explain the spitting. its not doing it bad, just kinda like its cold natured.

any ideas would be appreciated.thanks...

head

1949shoebox · 10-01-2009, 05:26 PM

you want to take the heads off to get to the rocker arm support plate plate theres two tiny holes for breathing cycling the oil that lubes the heads.... drill those bigger to about an eighth and it'll get rid of the blow by through the air cleaner the three wire sounds like the plug for the map sensor if so being unplugged would cause funky operations

head · 10-01-2009, 06:37 PM

with mine being a carb model, does it have a map sensor? ive got my head vents going outside of the air cleaner already. ive got a k&n filter on it.

head

Hillside · 10-01-2009, 09:26 PM

Are you sure that you do not have a gas leak, up under the tank??
Scott

felgart · 10-02-2009, 05:04 PM

Evo's had MAP sensors?
Kewel good advice!

head · 10-03-2009, 12:40 PM

wouldnt the map sensors only be on the fuel injected model evos though?

head

tx_shooter · 10-03-2009, 09:01 PM

Map sensors are a fuel injected only thing.

Couple questions - what kind of fuel mileage are you getting? Sounds like your float in your carb could be sticking and letting the bowl over flow. If it is over flowing - depending on the length/ condition of the overflow hose then it could be letting fuel out onto the rest of the bike.

So - what kind of mileage are you getting.

head · 10-03-2009, 09:10 PM

you might be on to something there. i did notice my last tank hit reserve at least 25 miles before normal. we had done some hilly riding and i just chalked it up that but did think it was weird.

i had also pulled the plugs and they were a little more rich than usual as well.

thanks for the info.

head

tx_shooter · 10-03-2009, 09:37 PM

Sounds like your running rich.... I'd do a tune up on the carb. Its not a hard thing to do - CV carbs are pretty simple and well documented all across the Internet.

head · 10-05-2009, 07:44 PM

the bike is heading to the shop tomorrow. will advise in a few days hopefully.

head

head · 10-06-2009, 08:17 PM

well, i rode the bike about 30 miles to the shop today. found that the fluid is coming out of the carb and into and out of the air cleaner. it gathered in the bottom of the air cleaner cover. i swear it almost looks like diesel fuel. thick stuff that looks and feels kinda like a light syrup. very strange. we'll see....

head

head · 10-08-2009, 08:37 PM

well bad news it seems. its getting blowby from the rings into the carb. time for a top end they say. had one done at 80,000 miles but it was just rings and honing the cylinders. not sure what to expect this go around. bummed that the top end only lasted 40,000 miles. oh well....

head

blackjackcustms · 10-08-2009, 09:38 PM

The three pin plug is for your A/C flapper. It closes when you shut down the motor to let the fumes go into the canister. I thought they were CA only. When you go hi flow it gets unplugged. 40k on a re-ring is good. I wish I could leave my top end alone for 40k, but when you romp on it every day, it needes attention more. BTW worn rings prolly should'nt mean spitting fuel into the A/C. Weak power, burning oil, and even diluted oil, yes, spitting fuel back is usually from increasing the cam duration, however. I could see it from needing a valvejob, though.

head · 10-08-2009, 10:49 PM

thanks for that info in general and on the three prong plug as well. it appears it is spitting oil/gas into the air cleaner. nothing has ever been done to the heads so i agree that they will need some attention. guess i wont know if the jugs need boring until we get in there.

head

blackjackcustms · 10-09-2009, 02:06 PM

Yeah, oil out the breather would be a result of excessive blowby, just not gas from the carb. It's possible your inlet needle stuck and sumped the motor with fuel. You would have an elevated oil level from that as well.