Sportster will not idle when cold! HELP!!!

[xtremesports]

It was 30 degrees this morning. I drove the 2006 Harley 1200 custom to work and it died with me 3 times in traffic! The entire time, it wouldn't idle. Even after 18 minutes of driving, it would just go dead.

It would lope around like a one cylinder engine for 2 to 5 seconds, barely keeping running. Then suddenly it would just die. It ran fine, it just wouldn't idle. It was boarder line dangerous with all the crap traffic I have to deal with.

Running Screaming Eagle II slip-ons, Screaming Eagle II breather, and the carb has been rejetted by the dealer. It ran great for the last 3 months, and did fine in 35 degree weather. I don't know if something has happened or it is because it is colder now.

Do I need to mess with the fuel mixture screw? Turn it in or back it out some? You can smell some gas with the enrichner pulled all the way out, but it is not too bad. I figure that is normal.

[Roadie]

Originally Posted by xtremesports

It was 30 degrees this morning. I drove the 2006 Harley 1200 custom to work and it died with me 3 times in traffic! The entire time, it wouldn't idle. Even after 18 minutes of driving, it would just go dead.

It would lope around like a one cylinder engine for 2 to 5 seconds, barely keeping running. Then suddenly it would just die. It ran fine, it just wouldn't idle. It was boarder line dangerous with all the crap traffic I have to deal with.

Running Screaming Eagle II slip-ons, Screaming Eagle II breather, and the carb has been rejetted by the dealer. It ran great for the last 3 months, and did fine in 35 degree weather. I don't know if something has happened or it is because it is colder now.

Do I need to mess with the fuel mixture screw? Turn it in or back it out some? You can smell some gas with the enrichner pulled all the way out, but it is not too bad. I figure that is normal.

How many minutes did you let it warm up for before you road it?

When its cold out, (if you haven't already) make sure the engine is warmed up prior to riding. And specifically make sure that you turn the choke off and the engine idles and runs normal before you ride. A carbed engine can become easily flooded in cold weather, especially when the engine warms up and the choke is still on or engaged. Don't forget, choke means exactly that. When you engage the choke, you are choking off air which in turn enrichens the air to fuel mix. That might be why the engine was running like dog dooo dooo! Also, since it was below freezing this morning there could have been some frozen water in the fuel. If you put in some "dry gas" this will not allow the water to freez up and crytstalize. If your engine was operating normally before this condition occurred, I would consider not messing around with the fuel mixture at this point. Hope this helps.

[Geezer-Glide]

When I had a CV carb on my bike, I had to drop the jet one size in the freezing weather. Jetted for warm New Jersey weather, it was too fat for cold Northeast winters. So if you have a jet size of say.... 190 (example ONLY) try a 185. How long does it stay that cold in Georgia? Don't want to make it too lean for the warmer weather.

[xtremesports]

I live in the foothills. It gets cold good and cold a couple of months, but that is not enough to make me want to change jets.

Could I play with the idle screw and get by for now?

[Don Camillo]

Originally Posted by Geezer-Glide

When I had a CV carb on my bike, I had to drop the jet one size in the freezing weather. Jetted for warm New Jersey weather, it was too fat for cold Northeast winters. So if you have a jet size of say.... 190 (example ONLY) try a 185. How long does it stay that cold in Georgia? Don't want to make it too lean for the warmer weather.

But cold air= more air or mayby I`m wrong?

[chnpostal]

Check your spark plugs for fouling (dark, sooty electrodes). The dealer might have over-jetted and the problem didn't show up until now, especially when you're using the enricher longer on a cold morning. And it is an enricher, not a choke.......it does not cut off air, it only adds fuel. With a stage 1, the stock main jet with a shimmed needle is usually enough.....but a lot of the dealers are too lazy to shim. They'll just use a leftover 185 and pop it in.

Oooppps ......going on a "stealer" rant

Check the plugs.

[murphdog]

Try adjusting your idle mixture screw out (richer) a little in the cold temps. I doubt seriously that changing your main jet or shimming the needle is going to affect idle.
If you pull the enrichener out a little, does it help?

[ViennaHog]

If it runs fine at 35 F there is no reason to believe that it shoudn't at 30 F. Spark plugs, enrichener (ab)use and icing in the carb throat come to mind.

[chnpostal]

Originally Posted by murphdog

Try adjusting your idle mixture screw out (richer) a little in the cold temps. I doubt seriously that changing your main jet or shimming the needle is going to affect idle.
If you pull the enrichener out a little, does it help?

Let me 'splain.
I'm not saying that the main jet or shimming effect the idle....I'm saying that since it was done 3 months ago, the dealer might have overjetted causing the plugs to foul, and using the enricher longer for the cold weather has accelerated the fouling. Xtremesports has another thread on poor mpg for this same sportster, which also makes me think he should at least check the plugs for fouling.

Just a wild guess on my part.

[murphdog]

Originally Posted by chnpostal

Let me 'splain.
I'm not saying that the main jet or shimming effect the idle....I'm saying that since it was done 3 months ago, the dealer might have overjetted causing the plugs to foul, and using the enricher longer for the cold weather has accelerated the fouling. Xstremesport has another thread on poor mpg for this same sportster, which also makes me think he should at least check the plugs for fouling.

Just a wild guess on my part.

Understood, just that poor idle doesn't make me think main jet or shimmed needle. I wasn't bashing you, there was at least one other mention of main jet as well. Fouled plugs could well be part of the problem, as could be icing...although icing can happen above freezing. He stated in the other thread that the 38mpg comes with averaging 80mph 90% of the time. Probably should be better than 38...I got 50-56mpg with my 1200, but I didn't ride 80mph all the time either. I guess we need to ask him how "the carb has been rejetted by the dealer". If the stock 42 slow jet is still in there and the mixture screw hasn't been adjusted, it could be on the edge at low temps.

[xtremesports]

If I remember correctly, the bike wasn't idling even with the enrichner knob pulled out some. It was fine though when I rolled on a little gas.

I checked the plugs. They are fouling, both are black with little chunks of carbon buildup. Looks like it is running rich.

The bike also seems to hold back since the rejet. When you open up it goes fine, but when you are crusing, and you slightly increase the gas, it doesn't pep up as much as I think is should.

I don't use the enrichner much differently than the manual says:
-Crank it up in the morning with full enrichner
-Let it idle for around 30 seconds
-Drive around 2 minutes with full enrichner
-When I go to close it down to 1/2 out, it is usually closed down that far or farther by itself
-Drive another 2 minutes and close the enrichner off completely

What could the dealer done wrong or what am I doing wrong? What do I need to do to fix it?

[xtremesports]

Dealer had said they changed out the slow jet and opened something (maybe the mid jet) up a little?

Is it okay to close off the enrichner as long as the bike will idle okay? Is it better to do so? My bike will idle fine after a minute of riding on many mornings without the enrichner.

[chnpostal]

Originally Posted by xtremesports

If I remember correctly, the bike wasn't idling even with the enrichner knob pulled out some. It was fine though when I rolled on a little gas.

I checked the plugs. They are fouling, both are black with little chunks of carbon buildup. Looks like it is running rich.

The bike also seems to hold back since the rejet. When you open up it goes fine, but when you are crusing, and you slightly increase the gas, it doesn't pep up as much as I think is should.

I don't use the enrichner much differently than the manual says:
-Crank it up in the morning with full enrichner
-Let it idle for around 30 seconds
-Drive around 2 minutes with full enrichner
-When I go to close it down to 1/2 out, it is usually closed down that far or farther by itself
-Drive another 2 minutes and close the enrichner off completely

What could the dealer done wrong or what am I doing wrong? What do I need to do to fix it?

If you're under warranty, take it back to the dealer and see if they'll fix it. The 45 slow jet is fine, but the mix needs to be adjusted. I'm not sure about the '06 models, but a 170~175 main jet with a shim or two under the needle (or an '88 sportster needle) is all that's needed for a Stage 1 sporty (IMHO). Also, if you're enricher knob slides back in by itself, the tension is adjusted too loose. Of course, you also need new plugs. You could do the work yourself, but I don't know how comfortable you are with carbs or wrenching.

It's a bit of a drive, but Atlanta HD off Thorton Road (out past Six Flags off of I-20) does baseline dyno runs with 02 sniffer for 25 bucks. The dyno guy even does some cruising afr analysis with the run. Might be worth looking into after the problem gets fixed.

[chnpostal]

Originally Posted by xtremesports

Dealer had said they changed out the slow jet and opened something (maybe the mid jet) up a little?

Is it okay to close off the enrichner as long as the bike will idle okay? Is it better to do so? My bike will idle fine after a minute of riding on many mornings without the enrichner.

All I do is pull the enricher out to crank, then push it in so that it idles around 1000~1100 rpm's. Within a minute I'm on the road, within a mile or two it's pushed all the way in. At least I did before my ride was efi.

[xtremesports]

Originally Posted by chnpostal

If you're under warranty, take it back to the dealer and see if they'll fix it. The 45 slow jet is fine, but the mix needs to be adjusted. I'm not sure about the '06 models, but a 170~175 main jet with a shim or two under the needle (or an '88 sportster needle) is all that's needed for a Stage 1 sporty (IMHO). Also, if you're enricher knob slides back in by itself, the tension is adjusted too loose. Of course, you also need new plugs. You could do the work yourself, but I don't know how comfortable you are with carbs or wrenching.

Just called - the dealer service guy said I need a Thunderslide kit to fix it. I don't think so, that is way to expensive for what you get. He said carb adjustments are not covered under warrenty, but they can do it when I bring it in for service.

I am starting to wonder about the service department. I don't mind wrenching and I have the tools to do so. I am just unfamilary with bikes and I figured who better to work on my bike than the dealer. Now I am starting to second guess that.

I will wait on the service manual for adjusting tension on enricher. I had figured that was just how they were setup, to go back in automatically.

Now my questions:
1 - Adjusting the mix is all I need? Isn't that done with the mix screw the dealer drilled the plug out of?

2 -So I need to go ahead and replace the spark plugs? Would cleaning them up work or is it a bad idea?