My bike (98 Springer) has been in a shop for the past few days primarily to fix the 'uses way too much fuel' problem. Jets have been changed, new air filter, timing checked etc.

It has an S&S carb but I can't say what size. It's also possible a different cam has been installed by the previous Owner.

Dunno about the fuel use being improved just yet, but the other issue is that it went in there with a shitty mid range - and nothing has changed. I hoped the tune up would improve that issue.

In general I can't wind on the power in any gear - it has to go down a cog and then it howls beautifully up through the gears, but to just twist the throttle results in spluttering until I knock it down a gear. Test riding some 2012 HD's today reminded me how easy it should be to just twist the throttle and GO!

That's maybe part of the reason it chews fuel - I'm always on the pipe and never cruising along. Anyhoos, hoping the mechanically minded among you might have thoughts on what to consider for a fix it?

 

has the carb got a pump ? i hate s& s mainly cause they are race carbs lots like em but i reckon if ya had 42 mikuni on it would make you happy man an the bike happier too they got heaps better tuning areas an are great on fuel too if tuned right mates motor i buiolt in 116 an he runs 2 42 miks on it an still gets 300 plus klm to a tank

is yours maybe suckin air who tuned it .. i lived on coast near dreamworld for 9 yrs b4 movin here in march so if i know who done it can tell ya if they up on the real stats with carbs ect lots will tune or say they do but dont get in to the nitty gritty of tuneing hey

try earthing out the VOES switch purple wire  , if it's got a wrong choice cam with stock C.Ratio  it won't pull a maget of a porkchop, but look & listen for any PINKING  if it doe's retard timing or conect the purple  wire too the VOES swtich.back ,      the VOES retard's timing when t you throttle on & a shitty cam choice  will be doggy  with-out any rev's up &@them,  with the voes ground it stays in normal mode  all the time  asp if it's a heavy bike like a softail etc they need there low down pulling power ,    

 

Thanks to both of you for your considered responses.

Ol Skool, sucking air was an issue prior to the tune up but that's been sorted with new gaskets. In fact the entire air filter/housing was replaced as the previous Owner had cut off messy chunks with a grinder for some weird arse reason.

And yes it has a pump.

daddyracer, I'm gonna print your reply and take it in for de-ciphering . Mate, I have a Trade too but the science of mechanics is not it. I tinker with bits & pieces but jiggering with the electrics is beyond me. I'll take this info to a Shop and hopefully it'll put all the pieces into the puzzle.

And Ol Skool, it's a shame you've moved too far north for me to drop into your Shop, but given your local knowledge who would you recommend in the Brisbane/Gold Coast corridor to check it out?

 

 

 

 

Thanks KD, I'm guessing the previous Owner had his reasons - but what a shit job. It'd be just as neat if he'd chipped it away with a hammer!

The less than adequate performance is frustrating coz I also believe there should be some simple fix here, some little thing that's being over looked.

What if the cam is too big or incompatible in some way? Would/could that account for the symptoms I've described? Thanks fellas, I'm appreciating the input.

 

I can't offer a cure for your problem,just wondering if it has always done it or just started doing it???It wouldn't be something simple like plugs or leads breaking down under load???

i never used anyone but me on gold coast but if i was to go any where would be to richard at twin tech in southport he bout the best in area but get him to work on the bike no one else he wont rip you an will tell you the way it is hey he been known to do some pretty good engines over the yrs
cheers

 

All good stuff, thanks. I might try the Twin Tech fella; I'll print this page and say, "here ya go - check these ideas please!"

 

 

A bit of an update:

Hey ol Skool, FYI the Twin Tech Mob have closed shop - at Southport at least. The mechanics next door tell me they folded months ago with the Boss moving shop to Darwin. And the other bloke (Richard?) now has a shop called 'RPM' in Lawrence Dve, Nerang. 

Sparra; I changed the plug leads as you suggested and bugger me dead it runs maybe 95% better! The plugs were fluffy with carbon so I cleaned 'em, reduced the gap (a bit of a tap as ya do...) and replaced the leads. Like I said, waaay better.

I've only had one 10 minute ride since changing leads and though the mid range improved it had a bit of a splutter in top gear at 110kph. I'll hafta get some gap setters and do it properly then try again.

Anyway, thanks for all ya tips - it's getting better!

 

mmmm mustve got sick of the cops givin them shit as they do when ya got club members bikes in there all the time ect but do yourself a favour go an see richard he a bloody good harley techy hey most the big dollar FINKS M/C bikes an others on the coast that have been in mags are built by richard .

 

Funny thing, before I went to the Twin Tech shop I Googled them. I couldn't find their physical address on their web site but it showed pics of a big flash looking building so at least I knew what ta look for. I then found their Southport address on the Yellow Pages web site.

BUT, when I got to the actual address no such building was there. I'm not sayin' it was a bark hut but it was certainly a humble little shop... nuthin' at all like the Colossus I'd seen on the web photo! Anyhoos, after speaking with the Mechanics next door it became apparent I'd seen photos of the NEW 'Twin Tech' in Darwin... thank f*ck, I thought I was goin' mad! 

I'll keep ya mate Richard in mind for any future big works but right now my bikes running very well. The new plug leads and correctly set plug gaps made for a great blast this arvo.

 

Isaac, Roscoe from Twin Tech now has his own shop at Nerang, right next door to Powerhouse Dyno, i'd be giving him a call for any mechanical work required, knows his shit. He is generally booked out a couple of weeks.

My bike was running an S&S carb, changed it out to Mikuni, changed pipes to include a cross over and my mid range came back after a tune.

crossover is a balance pipe which equalizes the gasses as they flow threw the pipes also quietns the sound down a lil bit only prob with em is if ya get a miss in one cylinder its will sound outta both pipes

I had some Santee short shots and due to mid range and flat spot issues I posted on here some time back I decided to act on some of the recomendations that people suggested. Started with the cheapest which was to go back to relatively stock pipes, 2 into 2 with the crossover as Ron mentions above which almost got rid of the flat spot. Then decided on a carby change from an S&S to Mikuni and it pretty much fixed everything. I reckon she goes alright now for an 88.