WHAT WENT WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Am i missing something or what?

[raskco]

o here goes..

1986 1200. running fine. nothing wrong with it. I took the tank off to see if everything was OK.. put the tank back on. filled it with a gallon of gas (enough 2 go to the station) Hit my reserve button and a way i went to the gas station. (1.5 miles) if) I ran out of gas after it sputtered the last 20 feet right at the gas station.(enough time to just drain the bowls.. I filled it and had to get a tow home. No start.
Took tank off, put gas in the line, Started. Put tank on, stated and stopped. Took tank off, gutted the petcock to make sure its getting fuel. put tank on, bike runs, then acted up. shut the bike off and carbs over flowed.  took tank off Waited for15 minutes, started the bike ran it out of fuel. Tank back on, as i am putting fuel in i am tapping the bowls 2 make sure floats are not stuck. Started the bike, went down the street and back, stalled out. Barely ran with choke half way.(I know the carbs right? but I checked for spark, LOW spark. So new plugs. Then, New fuel relay(square box on passanger side. Didn't have a igniter box so never changed that yet... 
Tank back on, tapped the bowls, went for a ride down the street, came back, barely ran. shut the bike off. carbs never dripped out. So the gas was ok. I opened the drain screw for the carbs and lots of gas..
Waitted 15 minutes, it started again..  (so it starts when cold, and doesn't when hot.)
I even let it warm up, til it stalled, took tank off and filled line with gas and tried starting it.. nothing..
low spark.but it does spark.. Not a clear blue though.
So is it the coils ?  igniter box? stater or what ever its called in the motor for the spark or ??

I ordered a carb kits for it, with new jets and floats, carb rubbers even know mine are mint, might even order that dyna 2000 i dont know..  like how far do i take this..  bike shop, 80 bucks an hour. or buy parts..
This bike was fine until i took the tank off. I drove it for hours. perfect. tank bowl vents are clear..  fuel in bowls...  Almost had the same effects like the gas was boiling out of the bowls when the bowls dont fill up with gas,..  So ill start with the carbs first, want 2 anyways. just bought a sync kit. 100 bucks on ebay.
new 84 instead of 86 petcock. dont want that coil in my petcock. and try that.. that dyna 2000 is 312 on ebay. Any one know how long and difficult it is 2 install?   
  going out of my mind..  1 week old bike
So that's my problem, Ran now it dont..  2 hot days last weekend working on it. after this weekeend, if it doesn't work, does any one have any experience in tie'ing a chain from the truck to the bike and dragging it across town??  how much a ticket would be for that? ready 2 give up already
Any one live near niagara falls let meknow.  and any one have an extra igniter box for an 86 ill buy one..

[andyb]

Fuel tank cap vents plugged possibly.  Open the gas cap and ride around a bit.
Check valve clearances, they're so tight that the valves don't close completely once they've warmed up = no compression.



Buncha other things can be going on though, but that's my guess.

Troubleshoot logically though, one thing at a time.  Sounds like you're kinda throwing stuff at it.  Work each system and subsystem in a logical and clear order, trying to find the condition that cause a non-start.  Wouldn't just randomly swap electrical stuff honestly, better off to test what you have and understand if it's good or not. 

[raskco]

by the way, I worked on this bike in my driveway..  ALL the harleys that went by seen me working on it..

Not right..!!!!!  just not right... If any one has any input,ill listen. Thank you in advance.
Oh by the way, iwe have a km system here (why I don't know) but i get under 200 per tank.. thats 120 miles..  If this is the case how can anyone go acroos country with these bikes??? I wanted 2 go up north so bad but its a lot for gas no??  Thats ridding it nice at 65 mph down the highway. is this right or the carbs really bad?  air filter is brand new..

Randy

[raskco]

Thanks from this site..,, i read about that and tried that.. same.  gas cap was open..

[andyb]

Fj's often get crummy mileage.  Mods, riding style, terrain, blah blah blah.  Many things change it.  Emulsion  tubes (needle jets) are sometimes problems, depends on mileage and condition of bike.

[Kopfjaeger]

i got an 86  1tx 1200. 300 to the tank cruising at 10 over speed before red light comes on. get about 18 k's to the litre. ( or there abouts). ride hard and 270?? ish before red light time. but i dont know if mines perfect it has just always done this. anything else i dont know, had a similar problem with my kwaka 750 but it turned out to be weeping fuel line and diaphragm in petcock.

[raskco]

270k's   ridding hard..  Something has 2 be wrong wth the carbs.. 
just a question..  if i put the tank on. it fills the bowls. where i can go down the street. Can something happen where it stops getting the fuel until the bike is off.?  never tried without the cacumm valve off..  can this hold the gas in the tank for some reason.?? 

[weymouth399]

I have a 86 make sure that your fuel hoses are routed correctly, they have a tendency to crimp/crush the fuel line. I used fuel injector hose for replacement fuel hose less chance of pinch. Leave the back of the tank a little loose go for ride if it shuts down lift tank a little try again. I had a problem close to what your talking about hope this helps
Bob

[raskco]

Actually, thats sounds like it might be it..  Thanks  i will check that..
Ill still rebuild the carbs cuz  i dont get no 270 k on mine.. lucky 2 get 200.  I have a big 3/8th line for the gas..  That could be it..  HMMM.. 

[weymouth399]

I get about 200 mi. before the light comes on. About 4.5 gal but I don't turn it hard, well not that hard. I get 43.6 MPG I don't remember what jet kit it is (came in a used race car) I would have wrote it down. but I didn't expect it to run as good as it does. I know it's very different than the HSR ones I run in my car though.
Bob

[andyb]

270k's   ridding hard..  Something has 2 be wrong wth the carbs..  
just a question..  if i put the tank on. it fills the bowls. where i can go down the street. Can something happen where it stops getting the fuel until the bike is off.?  never tried without the cacumm valve off..  can this hold the gas in the tank for some reason.??  

Sure.  The vacuum relief system is in the cap though, so it's teh same as riding with the tank open.  What it does is allows negative pressure (vacuum) to build in the tank as fuel is sucked out, and the pump loses the fight, allowing the carbs to run dry.

A kinked fuel line will have the same effect, as will a very plugged fuel filter.

Get it running consistently, then go back after the mileage end of it.  To help mileage, check:  tire psi, gearing, dragging brakes, ALL of the jets within the carbs (in particular the pilot and main air jet), the air filter, leaking petrol, the emulsion tubes (needle jets), float needle seal, needle seat orings, riding style (heh heh heh....), and so on.  

Size of the fuel line shouldn't be an issue for you, unless it was so tiny that it was acting as a restriction.  Certainly won't hurt your fuel economy if it's too big, as the restriction is at the float needles and ultimately within the carbs.

[raskco]

"""""""""To help mileage, check:  tire psi, gearing, dragging brakes, ALL of the jets within the carbs (in particular the pilot and main air jet), the air filter, leaking petrol, the emulsion tubes (needle jets), float needle seal, needle seat orings, riding style (heh heh heh....), and so on.  """""

THANKS..  ANOTHER WEEKEND GONE..
i have a full kit comming  for the carbs..
silly question but the vac line for the petcock, does it suck or blow?? if it blows, can it blow in the tank causing fuel 2 stop???  my cap is fine..  opened it up and tried..

like the other reply said, ill start one thing at a time..

[SlowOldGuy]

You're kinking the fuel line when you put the tank on.  Try jacking up the rear of the tank and see how far you can go.  Some fuel will flow, enough to make you think the floats bowls are full, but not enough to keep the engine running at anything over idle speed.

DavidR.

[raskco]

im trying tonight..im made a 10 dollar donation for now but if thats what it is, ill make aother 50....  worth it if thats what it is...  crossing my fingers that line kinks when i put the tank on... seems right 2 me.  would make sence..

[FeralJuggernaut]

Make sure your battery is topped up on the charge level and it is a healthy battery.   Things get hot and a relight can be a challenge with anything less than a good battery.    When it is hot, does it bump start at all (if you've tried it)?

I have an '84, it has the vacuum line from carb boot to the petcock.   If it is the same on '86, it should have a vacuum on it (suck).   Is there a "PRI" option on the petcock?   If so, use that, it is a prime, and will flow fuel without the bike running.   If not, all this is moot for you.        vacuum line only opens the plunger in the petcock, doesn't touch fuel unless there is a tear in the diaphragm.

I am hedging fuel delivery also.   Don't think your  TCI is a concern here yet.   I'll mention that the curve in the blue box  Dyna 2000 is a lot nicer to warm restarts.   The programmable redline is another nice feature I like as well.   Worth it, but not as a troubleshooting item yet.   Save it for a birthday present to self, there are better mods to get first.

make sure where the coils mount is a clean connection to the frame, that is a ground for the coils.  Not likely an issue, but good to know.   Also, if you can see it, check the ground from battery negative to the motor, again, clean and shiny is the order of the day.   Might help strengthen up the spark.  Still think battery tho...

You'll get it fixed, and we will assure you that open road at about 7k rpms in any gear, you'll forget all about a few hours of getting acquainted with the new mistress.