Just got bike home after it sat for 3 yrs?

9536 Views 7 Replies 2 Participants Last post by CB750F, Mar 31, 2007

ProfitOfDoom

Discussion Starter · Mar 22, 2007

Well this is my bike and I had it in stoarage for around 3 yrs or so.
Its a 99 HD Sportster 1200.
Im reading around on how to drain the gas that is in it,,but everywhere says somethign different,So im hoping that someone here can steer me right.
From what I read I should find the gas line that goes to the float bowl and drain from there?
Then flush it out with fresh gas? I dont know much about bikes,so anything would help,Thanks guys

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CB750F

· #2 · Mar 23, 2007

There should be a drain in the float bowl to drain it. It will look like a screw and on the bottom of the float bowl there is a hose. Make sure you have that hose in a can or somethin' before unscrewing the drain screw. Don't use a styrefoam cup or it will vanish before your eyes, I found out the hard way. To drain the tank I would just pull the line off the carb and turn the valve to reserve and let it drain into a gas can. Old gas makes excellent weed killer, ummmm so I heard.

3 years is a long time. I would be willing to bet that if you havn't started it you might want to pull the carb and rebuild and clean it real good. If it runs fine now then you're probably alright. I've seen bikes set a long ass time and the carbs be ok then I've seen them set a year and the carbs be jacked up enough to need disassembled and cleaned. I would still drain the gas reguardless.

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ProfitOfDoom

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 23, 2007

I just pulled the tank off,and drained it,,it looked spotless inside. I took off the float bowl,it also was empty and pretty clean,,all that was there was some blueish green oil looking stuff so I wiped it out and put back together.
I had to go buy a new battery wich is ready to go now. I bought a new oil and a filter I was gonna drain the old stuff and just put new soil in before I tried to crank it over.
Some one said if a bike sat that long,I just lube the pistons some how before trying to start,I ahve no idea how to do that,is there some kinda port where you can spray some stuff in or something?
Im having a hard enough time trying to locate the engine oil drain plug,if anyone can give me some pointers that would be great.

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CB750F

· #4 · Mar 23, 2007 (Edited)

To lube the pistons you can pull the plugs out and pour about a teaspoon of motor oil down each plug hole then turn the engine over using the starter, being you can't turn it over any other way, with the plugs out. Replace the plugs and then you're good to go. It will smoke like a mofo for a bit though if you're inclined to do it. Can't hurt though.

The drain plug should be at the lowest point on the motor. Your Harley may have a seperate drain for the tranny oil if I'm not mistaken. Leave that one alone for now. The engine oil drain should be nearest the front of the bike while the trans oil drain is nearer to the rear. I'm not much up on Harleys so I'm kinda the wrong guy to give advice for them. Did you get an owners manual with it? Might be worth a call to the Harley shop. If you plan on working on it totally yourself order up a shop manual. Well worth the money.

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ProfitOfDoom

Discussion Starter · #5 · Mar 24, 2007

Ok,heres the latest verdict.
Well I replaced the oil,but I couldnt get the old oil filter off so I just left it on,I figure once I get it running right,Ill replace it all again.
So I had a problem with it gettign gas,I seen i had a vacum hose off,found that plugged it back in and sprayed some quick start in the carb a few times and it started up,it ran for about 20-30 seconds,Then the oil cap/dipstick blew off across my garage like a rocket "Luckily I was on the other side"
So first problem first,what do you guys think caused that,I over filled the tank,or think the oil filter had a major clog or something?
So I drained out a good bit of the oil cleaned it up and tried to restart.
Now it starts up and stays running with no choke. But when I give it gas it will stall,and I see in the front of the engine on bottom I have gas leaking out,of this hose that comes from behind the carb bowl just to the ground.
That just mean its flooded,and could also cause my stalling problem?

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CB750F

· #6 · Mar 24, 2007 (Edited)

Sounds like you're gonna have to pull the carb off and rebuild it. The gas leaking out of the hose means the floats aren't closing the whole way. There could be somethin' stuck in the needle and seat not letting them shut or they could be gooed all up from dried up old varnished gas. Either way it's gonna have to come apart. Probably the jets are all clogged up with goo is why when you give it gas it dies. Sometimes you can run a real small wire through them to get the gunk out and take a look to see if there are holes at the top of the jet on the side. They need to be cleaned out also. Either way the carb has to come off and apart. Been there done this a bunch of times.

If you pick up a carb kit it will come with gaskets, needle, seat, stock jets, and a slide needle.

I would say the dipstick blowing off means it was overfilled. Harleys I think use a dry sump system like my Honda and my Yamaha Raptor. I guess I should have thought of this before but see if there is a drain for the oil tank along with the engine. This is where a service manual would come in handy because there is a certain way you have to fill the engine oil. Like my Rappy you have to put in X amount of oil in the tank then start it. Then check it again right after you start it up and top it off. Hopefully someone with a Sporty will chime in. Done that with my one CB750 also. I managed to shoot about 2 quarts of overfilled oil all over myself and the floor. Now I know that you put X amount in then start it, shut it off then check it.

Sounds like a gorilla put the filter on. They don't need to be that tight. Hand tight is it just like a car, like as soon as the gasket contacts it's like 3/4 turn.

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ProfitOfDoom

Discussion Starter · #7 · Mar 30, 2007

I got it running

I bought some quick start and carb cleaner. It took awile of spraying both but it finally ran with out the choke on. But it wasnt taking gas when you twist the throttle,it would just stall out. We had the air cleaner off and my father was kinda knocking on the bottom of the carb and something came unstuck and sucked his hand right up to the carb then it ran like a dream. It seemed it wasnt getting air,what would that be in the carb?
So I ride it now,but when its cold it will only start with the choke on,and then it needs to idle about 5 mins or so before it will run,if not it will stall as soon as the throttle is touched. But after that it runs with no problem what so ever.
Think spraying more carb cleaner in there,or perhaps running some kinda carb cleaner through the gas tank will cure this? Or does it need to be taken apart and cleaned or rebuilt?

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CB750F

· #8 · Mar 31, 2007

I would still take it apart and give it a good cleaning and rebuild. It's worth the time, effort, and money. Shouldn't take that long to warm up unless it's real cold out.

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