2 questions

1913 Views 19 Replies 9 Participants Last post by sugarlou, Aug 31, 2012

sugarlou

Discussion Starter · Aug 27, 2012

One...why doesn't my brake light come on unless I mash the fuck out of the pedal? Normal braking does not light brake bulb. (inline brake switch)

Two ....why no matter how warm the bike is does the idle drop off and motor stall...S&S super E ...runs good otherwise...seems like the idle goes from too high to too low with a touch of the idle screw

1973 Shovel

1 - 20 of 20 Posts

Dr. Benway

· #2 · Aug 27, 2012

1. Crap hydraulic switch? Little air in the lines maybe?

2. I see the same behavior sometimes with the B. I am 1000% sure I don't have an intake leak or leaky butterfly shafts. I wonder if a particular air screw setting creates a knife edge idle situation where it's just about impossible to get it juuust right...?

sugarlou

Discussion Starter · #3 · Aug 27, 2012

yeah the bike runs great but at the lights it drops off at idle and it feels like its about to stall..

I guess the switch is just worn...one of the only parts I didnt replace from the P.O.

JasonMcElroy

· #4 · Aug 27, 2012

Dr. Benway said:
I see the same behavior sometimes with the B. I am 1000% sure I don't have an intake leak or leaky butterfly shafts.

Worn out shaft bosses leaking air is my vote. This one has baffled me time and again. B's wear out here very fast.

Not too tough to fix yourself with a drill press if you're into it.

If there's interest, I'll put up a how-to.

Jason

Dr. Benway

· #5 · Aug 27, 2012

Yep, I bought the kit and re-bushed it. With the shaft in I can't blow any air past it, so I was inclined to call it good.

Intakes I installed new o rings with a few turns of wide plumber's tape and new aircraft clamps. Tested with plug in intake & soapy water. Two carb supports...

The carb seems to require fiddling to keep it juuuust right. It's easy to set it a bit too high or too low within a tiny range of adjustment; hard to get it where you want it. As the bike heats up, it seems to want to stay high. *shrug*

Hardly catastrophic, just irritated that I can't eliminate it.

skinny

· #6 · Aug 27, 2012

sugarlou,
Get a new brake switch and bleed the line.
I replaced mine a year ago and and still works like a charm.

I'm having he same problem with my super B.
At idle it randomly stalls, but runs like a bat outta hell at speed. I've adjusted idle mix, idle speed , checked float level, checked for leaks. I'm also going to check points, weights and all my ignition as well.
Just food for thought i guess.

skinny

little d

· #7 · Aug 27, 2012

Jason,
please, thank you, D.

shovithead

· #8 · Aug 27, 2012

Had the same problem with a B, but a heat insulator block cured almost the hole spit and die problem. Even if the original thread was a story about his E. But the same solution could work, possibly.

skinny

· #9 · Aug 27, 2012

little d said:
Jason,
please, thank you, D.

+2 Jason,
I'd love to see a how-to.

skinny

JasonMcElroy

· #10 · Aug 27, 2012

Dr. Benway said:
The carb seems to require fiddling to keep it juuuust right. It's easy to set it a bit too high or too low within a tiny range of adjustment; hard to get it where you want it. As the bike heats up, it seems to want to stay high. *shrug*

Hardly catastrophic, just irritated that I can't eliminate it.

One more trick I've learned that helped in this area. . .

The idle speed screw is usually pretty rough on the end and cuts into the bed/boss on the carb body. Every time you turn the screw you are cutting deeper into the stop.

Remove the idle speed screw and make it round on the end using a bench grinder. Polish it off smooth with sandpaper and oil. Now there is a precise, smooth end on the screw. Take a small file and clean up the stop where it has been grooved and cut so that it is perfectly flat.

You'll find that precise speed adjustments are now much easier.

Hell, might as well put a knurled thumb wheel on the end too for easier starting on some motors.

Jason

p.s. - bushing job info tomorrow if work settles down. nothing top secret, just how do a clean job of it without expensive tools.

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sugarlou

Discussion Starter · #11 · Aug 28, 2012

forgive me..."a heat insulator block"????????

Dr. Benway

· #12 · Aug 28, 2012 (Edited)

Sorry for the hijack; we have different carbs and the solutions don't necessarily apply to both.

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chopperjunkie73

· #13 · Aug 28, 2012

the spacer between the carb and intake dr benway beat me

Lee H

· #14 · Aug 28, 2012

I brazed an old FX shovelhead odometer reset flex shaft to the screw on my G... The thumb screw end sticks out from the front of my air cleaner. I can adjust while sitting at a stop light.

sugarlou

Discussion Starter · #15 · Aug 28, 2012

heres another interesting situation...the bike wont start with the air cleaner/filter in...not a pop..nothing...take it out and it fires right away...WTF?

lvvato

· #16 · Aug 29, 2012

sugarlou said:
heres another interesting situation...the bike wont start with the air cleaner/filter in...not a pop..nothing...take it out and it fires right away...WTF?

Are you using the OG air cleaner? If not, maybe the one you are using is too small. Sounds dumb, but makes a difference, I know from experience.

Dr. Benway

· #17 · Aug 29, 2012

Yep. S&S carbs realllly like their own air cleaners. Yeah, they're bricks, they huge, they're unhip, etc...but the bikes run well with them on, and you can ride the fucker in the pouring rain.

This I know from experience.

sugarlou

Discussion Starter · #18 · Aug 30, 2012

I have the S&S teardrop cover but I suspect the filter is aftermarket..Its green foam and looks cheap.

Dr. Benway

· #19 · Aug 30, 2012

Hm...I run the same thing (UNI).

Wonder if you've got a hole getting covered up or something on your carb when you put that backing plate on.

sugarlou

Discussion Starter · #20 · Aug 31, 2012

We fucked with it today..new points ...new plugs...Cover on and filter in..kick kick kick ..not a sputter...take cover off / air cleaner out ..Kick Kick ..lights right up...Its getting really good spurts from the accelerator pump..smells like gas..but is choked for air by that flimsy foam air cleaner...I even washed and cleaned the foam...its not clogged up...crazy shit ..got me stumped

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