Rejetting the CV Carburetor

contributed by L. Maurice Riggins (1998)

updated by L. Maurice Riggins (2001)
updated by L. Maurice Riggins (2005)

Introduction
The author strongly encourages you to stay out of the top of the carb. The slide
diaphragm can be extremely difficult to reinstall without splitting or pinching the rubber.
But the main reason is that there is seldom a reason to go into it, and there are several
reasons not to.

The slide vent hole is the size it is for a reason. Like a shock absorber, it damps the
movement of the slide. If it is drilled to 1/8" as is commonly done, the slide will open too
fast when the throttle is whacked open suddenly and it will overshoot where it should
be, then as a result, fall back down, but do it too fast, overshooting where it should be
again. This results in oscillation, and a huge variance in mixture. The diaphragm spring
establishes the constant velocity. Changing to a lighter spring, or worse yet, cutting coils
off the spring, lowers the constant velocity, and this is the velocity that creates the
vacuum that sucks fuel up from the fuel bowl. Even if you increase the jet sizes to
compensate, the mixing becomes erratic. You can see evidence of a drilled slide or
lighter spring as a dip in the torque curve just after the throttle is opened.
Blindly shimming the needle up or replacing it is not recommended. Late model needles
are richer, sometimes more so than aftermarket. The only time this is required is when
dyno tuning. In the process of dynoing, starting with a small main jet and doing runs with
progressively larger main jets, if going up one main jet size causes high rpm
horsepower to fall off (i.e. if you've just gone past the optimum main jet size) but low
rpm power improved, go back to the previous main jet size, and shim the needle up .
030" or so with a small washers. This is not common, and seldom required.
And finally, although it may result in less than optimum idle mixture, you CAN
temporarily skip the part about drilling the plug off the idle mixture and setting the idle, if
you are concerned about warranty issues. By increasing the size of the slow jet, you are
automatically making the idle mixture richer, and the factory setting is often pretty close.
Idle performance is usually adequate. The sign that it isn't is an occasional stumble
when the throttle is applied at idle. The author encourages you to "do it right" and
perform this step if possible.

Rejetting
After removing the old air cleaner per the instructions, but before installing the new high-
performance unit:
1. Turn the fuel valve off.
2. Find the fuel bowl drain hose end (front of the engine behind the oil filter and put
it in something (non-glass) to catch the gasoline.
3. Looking at the backside of the carb between the cylinders from the left side of the
bike, find the fuel bowl drain screw on the bowl and using a long skinny
 screwdriver open it counterclockwise about 3 turns which will let the fuel bowl
drain, then close it back.
4. Using an 11/16" open end wrench, loosen the nut on the backside of the choke
knob bracket and slide the choke knob/cable assembly out of the slot in the
bracket. Don't rotate the plastic nut on the front... it adjusts the tension on the
choke ("enrichener") cable.
5. You'll have to use an awl, skinny screwdriver, and perhaps needlenose pliers to
remove the one-time-use hose clamp on the gas hose at the tank, destroying the
clamp in the process, so have a replacement worm-drive hose clamp from the
hardware store for later reassembly. Slide the hose off the tube on the fuel valve.
You may have to grab the hose with pliers and rotate it back and forth to break it
loose, but don't let the plier's teeth cut into the hose. Do not remove the vacuum
hose (behind the fuel hose) from the fuel valve.
6. Back on the right side of the bike, find the vacuum hose that plugs into the top of
the carb behind the black plastic cap and pull up on it until it slips off the tube
coming out of the carb. Note here now the routing of the fuel hose going to the
tank and the choke cable so you'll get them back in the right places during
reinstall.
7. Find the fuel bowl drain hose and fish it out from behind the front cylinder
pushrod tubes and behind the oil filter so it's loose.
8. Put a big thick towel on the crossover exhaust pipe and engine case below it to
protect them from getting scratched by the carb or tools. (actually it's better to do
this before you start pulling the old air cleaner off).
9. With one hand on the top of the carb and one on the bottom start rocking the
carb in at the top and out at the bottom, then do the reverse, back and forth, all
while pulling the whole thing toward you. Don't let the carb rotate side to side or it
may scratch the rocker covers. The carb will POP out of the rubber gasket on the
manifold with the throttle cables still attached to it, and it will be pulling the fuel
hose and choke cable through the mess between the cylinders.
10. You can lay the carb hanging from the throttle cables on the towel if you need to
grab tools, or use both hands for other things.
11. Rotate the carb up so you're looking at the bottom. On the back, behind the fuel
bowl, you'll see what looks like about 1/4" silver plug. This covers the idle mixture
adjustment screw and we are going to drill a hole in it, screw a sheet metal screw
into that hole just until it bites good, then grab the screw with a pair of pliers and
pull it and the plug out.
12. Prepare an 1/8" drill bit by using either a drill stop or several turns of electrical
tape around the bit so that it can't drill into the plug any deeper than about 1/8". If
it does, it may break through too hard and plunge into the screw. If that happens
the screw may be gouged up a little, but even worse, it may spin closed
(clockwise) hard, damaging the idle mixture needle and seat. So don't put a lot of
pressure on the drill, use a sharp bit and let it do the work. Drill the hole in the
center now.
13. Start a self-tapping sheet metal screw into the hole until it bites good (it may even
start spinning the plug), grab it with a pair of pliers and pull the screw and plug
out. You should see the idle MIXTURE screw.
14. Before removing the fuel bowl, note how there is a rod coming down from the
throttle linkage into a bellows on the bowl. You'll have to put this rod back in the
bellows when reinstalling the bowl. Also, note in the mouth of the carb there is a
brass pipe standing up in it. This is attached to the bowl and slides up through
the carb body during bowl reinstallation.
15. Find the four brass screws that hold the bowl on the carb. Using a phillips
screwdriver that completely fills the slots in the screws remove them without
letting the screwdriver slip and damage the screws. This may take considerable
pressure. When removing the screws, hold the bowl in position until they are all
out then pull the bowl off straight down. Be extremely careful... the floats are just
inside the bowl. The rod will come out of the bellows and hit against the carb
body... no you didn't drop it. Set the bowl (with dangling drain hose) aside some
place clean. Note the brass tube on it that was sticking up in the carb mouth.
16. You will see the floats hanging from the bottom of the carb. Be extremely careful
not to push on these in ANY direction. The metal holding them is thin and will
bend easily, getting the floats out of adjustment. Also, if you push up on the floats
hard, you may damage the needle and seat they control. If you lay the carb down
on the towel make VERY sure the floats aren't touching anything.
17. Looking at the bottom of the carb, find the two jets. The main jet will be more or
less in the middle, screwed into the emulsion tube and should say "160" on it for
an 883, "170" on it for a 1200, or 190 on it for a Sport or International model. The
emulsion tube will have flats on it for a 5/16" wrench. Hold the emulsion tube
from turning with the wrench and using a common (flat) blade screwdriver that's
wide enough to fill the slots on both sides of the main jet, unscrew the jet
(counterclockwise).
18. Screw in the replacement main jet as follows:
SE air cleaner OR SE mufflers BOTH
883 #165 #170
1200 #175 #180
1200 Sport/Intn'l #195 #200

Tighten firmly, but do not strip. Do not use LockTite.

Note: These jet sizes are a good place to start, but realize that some tuning may
still be needed. Some 1200's come stock with larger jet sizes and altitude can
play a big role in jetting... if you live above 3,000' above sea level, you may not
need to rejet! And if you live right down at sea level, you may need to go larger.
Also, I have heard that CA bikes come from the factory with larger jets due to
emissions equipment on the bike. The ONLY accurate way to get the main jet set
correctly is on a dyno... PERIOD.

WARNING! The above jet recommendations are for '03-earlier rigid engine
Sportsters. It has come to the author's attention that Harley is jetting '04-later
rubber-mount Sportsters even richer than these recommendations, which
themselves tend to be slightly on the rich side. Some recommend not changing
their main jet size, while others even recommend reducing it. Since I don't know
 what changes were made to other parts of the carburetor, and have no
experience with these models, I'll refrain from making a recommendation.
19. Find the slow jet on the carb bottom. It should say "42" on it and you'll replace it
with a #45. It will be down in a tube cast into the carb body. You must find a
screwdriver with a blade wide enough to fill the slots in the jet that doesn't taper
wider above its tip, or it won't fit down into the tube to reach the jet. You may
have to have a machine shop grind a screwdriver down so that it's shaft is no
wider than the blade at the tip. Do not try to force an inappropriate screwdriver in
or you will crack the cast carb body. Unscrew (counterclockwise) the #42 slow jet
and replace it with a #45 slow jet. Tighten firmly, but do not strip. Do not use
LockTite.

Note: The #45 slow jet is the stock slow jet in Twin Cam 88 engines. As with the
XL, the stock slow jet is replaced with one size larger, so the dealer's service
area, or a buddy with a Big Twin, may have this jet laying around, and you might
be able to get it for free.
20. Reinstall the fuel bowl on the bottom of the carb, taking care to:
1. Line up the brass tube that goes up into the carb mouth.
2. Get the rod from the accelerator pump into the bellows, and
3. BE CAREFUL NOT TO CATCH OR BEND THE FLOATS.
21. Reinstall the four screws holding the bowl on the carb bottom. Do not
overtighten. Do not use LockTite.
22. Check the rubber seal on the manifold to make sure it is seated on it all the way
around.
23. Push the carb back onto the manifold making sure the fuel hose and choke cable
are going back where they came from. Rocking helps, but don't worry whether
the carb is tilted just right at this time. It will be lined up when you reinstall the
breather bolts on the air cleaner (or air cleaner support bracket for non-SE air
cleaner).
24. Slip the vacuum hose back on the tube on the top of the carb.
25. Reroute the fuel bowl drain hose back where it came from.
26. Back on the left side of the bike, slip the new hose clamp over the fuel hose and
slide the hose back on the tube from the fuel valve. Slide the clamp up near the
valve and tighten, but do not overtighten.
27. Slide the choke knob/cable assembly back on it's slot on the bracket and tighten
the nut on the back with fingers, then tighten a bit more with the 11/16" wrench.
Do not overtighten or the plastic assembly will crack... just enough to keep it from
sliding out of its slot. Pull the choke knob out, making sure it comes out as far as
it did before and stays there. If it doesn't come out as far, loosen the nut on the
back, check the routing of the cable, then try again. If the knob doesn't stay out,
loosen the nut on the back and turn the plastic nut on the front clockwise a little
and try again.
Finish installing the new air cleaner per the instructions and remove the old towel..
 Setting Idle Mixture and Speed
Note: This MUST be done with the air cleaner installed because it affects the idle
mixture significantly.
1. With a flat blade screwdriver, turn the idle MIXTURE screw (the one you drilled
the cap off) full in (clockwise) GENTLY until it seats... GENTLY (get the picture?),
then turn it out (open, counterclockwise) exactly two full turns. Leave the idle
SPEED screw (top right side of the carb looking at it above the air cleaner) where
it was before.
2. Turn the fuel valve to on, pull the choke fully out, and start the engine. If you
drained the fuel bowl, it will crank for as much as 20-30 seconds without starting
while the bowl fills. Once the engine has started push the choke in about 1/2 way
and then wait about 2 minutes. Then push the choke in all the way, and if you
must do so to keep the engine running, open the throttle slightly. You can keep it
there with the throttle lock, the star shaped screw below the right switch housing.
Once the engine is fully warm (rear rocker cover is hot to the touch), fully release
the throttle lock and make sure the throttle is fully closed. The engine should be
idling, perhaps nicely, perhaps not.
3. With a flat blade or phillips screwdriver, turn the idle SPEED screw in (clockwise)
about two full turns until the engine is idling fast.
WARNING: the crossover pipe is HOT. You should adjust the idle MIXTURE with
at least heavy cotton or leather work gloves (not your good ones) to protect from
burns. Use a short screwdriver so the handle will not melt on the crossover pipe.
4. With a flat blade screwdriver turn the idle MIXTURE screw in (clockwise)
GENTLY until it fully seats. The engine should not die. If it does, turn the idle
MIXTURE screw back out the two full turns and go back to step 3, increasing the
idle speed setting (in clockwise another turn).
5. Now turn the idle SPEED screw out (counterclockwise) just until the engine dies
or is stumbling badly. The idle speed is now set correctly. This is an easy way to
set it without a tach. It will result in the idle speed being a little high, which will
give more oil to lubricate the engine. If the idle speed is too low, insufficient oil
will be pumped.
6. Now turn the idle MIXTURE screw out (counterclockwise) exactly two full turns
out (counterclocwise), restart the engine if it died, and let it idle a minute or so to
stabilize.
7. The following takes a good ear for engine speed. As the idle MIXTURE screw is
turned in clockwise, the mixture will become lean and the engine speed will start
to decrease. As it is turned back out counterclockwise the engine speed will
increase and stay there for awhile as you continue turning out, and then the
engine speed will starts to drop as the mixture gets too rich. Note the points
where the engine speed started to drop and set the idle MIXTURE screw in the
middle of that higher speed range. Now the idle mixture is set correctly.
 How to (properly) Re-Jet a Carburetor
contributed by Lee C. Bussy (2006)

For many years, the "common wisdom" of going up one to two jet sizes when adding
pipes and an intake on the Sportster has been gospel. In order to eliminate carb farts,
people recommend going up a size on the low-speed jets. When I bought my first
Sportster back in '03 I dutifully followed the advice and was rewarded with fair results.
When shortly thereafter I began my quest for more power, I began to apply a more
critical set of criteria and examination to this methodology.

I had some lengthy discussions with Art Northrup and Dale Amsden about a starting
point for tuning my new 1200 conversion, and that's when it hit me: these things are no
different than any other internal combustion engine. There's no secret to it, you add gas
and air in the correct proportions and they reward you by making noise. Once I began to
apply what I already knew from tuning cars and import bikes, the rest was easy. I'll
share what I learned, all in one place, so that in the future I don't have to type this in bits
and pieces as folks ask questions.

Disclaimer: This works for me. If you did it differently, you probably will feel the need to
argue with me. I don't care, I know this works. :-)

Greatly simplified for discussion purposes, there are three ways that the Keihin
Constant Velocity 40mm (CV) carburetor meters fuel for us under normal, fully warmed
up riding conditions. These are the idle circuit, the midrange metering, and the main
circuit. Each of these must be tuned correctly, and in some cases they "overlap" so they
must be tuned in the proper order. I will explain the tuning of each circuit and when this
must be done.

First up: the idle circuit. This is the one that 95% of the folks I see posting, and talk to in
person, don't do right. It's also the one that stands to have the greatest impact on their
riding satisfaction. Most people here would be completely happy with the results
obtained by just doing this adjustment. One of the biggest complaints about a
carbureted Sportster is the "carb farts" or the big stumble that happens right off idle as
you start out. There are two areas that can impact this and the idle is one of them. Many
dealers, many "experts" recommend going from the stock 42 to a 45 low speed jet. I've
even heard of some folks using a 48. This is way wrong in most cases. Yes it works but
it's a crutch and is simply not optimal.

"Common wisdom" states that you adjust the idle mixture with the screw: if you cannot
make the engine stumble by enrichening the mixture then you need a larger jet. This is
only partially true. While it's true that a larger jet will raise the band in which the idle may
be adjusted, and it's true that you should split the difference on the idle screw
adjustment between lean stumble and rich stumble, most folks set themselves up for a
"false failure". What happens is the idle speed screw is set for a proper idle speed (900-
1000 RPM) and this means the butterfly is open slightly. A view inside the intake port
side of the carburetor will reveal the idle transfer ports. When the second set is exposed
to the intake pulses/vacuum, the idle circuit does not pull as effectively. This is by
design, it is supposed to stop adding fuel as the other systems take over.

The solution? When one begins the tuning process, he or she should make sure the
bike is warmed up fully. Then the idle mixture screw (IMS) should be adjusted to a good
starting point - generally 2.5 turns out from lightly seated is a good place to start. At this
point the idle speed should be adjusted as low as possible while still keeping the engine
running. No it will not remain here, so we need not be concerned about oil pressure.
Ideally the idle speed screw will be backed off fully, allowing the butterfly to close fully.
At this point the IMS should be adjusted. It's not necessary to adjust one war or the
other till the engine stumbles, only until the idle speed drops noticeably. Move the other
direction until the idle speed drops, and then set the screw to the midpoint between
those two settings. Raise the idle back to the proper level and your idle mixture is set
properly.

Notice I said nothing about replacing a jet. The stock 42 should be plenty to provide the
gas an 883 or 1200 needs. At this point, many folks will have a bike that runs well and
they will not want to mess with it any further. I say enjoy. If you are still experiencing
carb farts, read on.

I'll call this step "Alternate 2A": The Needle. The reason I say "alternate" is this is one
path you may choose. If you are not going to be adjusting the white open throttle (WOT)
mixture (and most people really don't need to) then this is the next place to go. The
needle, it really looks more like a nail, is what slides in and out of the main jet, providing
more or less gas as the engine load and speed increases. The needle is tapered and
this controls how much surface area of the main jet is exposed for a given position. The
needle is part of the slide mechanism and protrudes from the bottom of the slide. It is
visible by peering onto the carb throat, it runs right through the middle.
As the velocity of air flowing through the carb increases due to engine speed, it creates
a low-pressure area under the slide (Bernoulli's principle). This causes the slide to rise
up, lifting the needle with it. The CV carb attempts to keep the same velocity going
through the carb in this manner, hence the name. In this manner the carb uses the
needle and the main jet to control the mixture at anything less than top RPM WOT
conditions.

When we get "carb farts" the bike is going extremely lean and the engine misfires. The
reason is the butterfly has opened and the velocity, despite the best efforts of the
carburetor, has not caught up with the engine and not enough gas is metered. The
accelerator pump handles some of this, and some more advanced tuners do tinker with
this area, but there is an easier way for us. In 1988 the CV was introduced on the
Sportster and this first version had no accelerator pump. To combat the flat spot off idle
with no accelerator pump, a needle was used that considerable richens the mixture at
this point: its designation is N65C.
We can use the N65C needle, or its close cousins the NOKK or NOKV, to richen the
mixture slightly at this point without resorting to larger jet sizes that will likely cause the
bike to run too rich everywhere else. A combination of the idle mixture and the needle
change has "cured" 90% of the bikes I've worked on. Some folks will tell you that
opening the top of the carb is somehow more likely to create issues for you. Well I
suppose if you are a hammer and pry bar type this may be the case. I'm going to
assume for the sake of this post that you are capable of a reasonable amount of care.
If, as happens in some instances, the needle change is not enough to fully cure the
stumbles, the next step would be to shim the needle. Simply place a couple of small
grass washers, commonly available in a hardware store, under the head of the needle
to raise it slightly. For the more anal types, these are approximately 0.020" thick; I shoot
for 0.040" of shim for a start.

It is my earnest belief that coming this far is all most people need to do. If you have a
big-inch motor, or have a highly modified set of heads or radical cams, the next step
may be needed.

The Main Jets: This is step "Alternate 2B". If you do this, this comes first before doing
the needle. The reason is the main needs to be sized for peak HP at the maximum RPM
the engine will run. You would use either plug shops or some sort of air fuel ratio (AFR)
measuring device to set the main jet. The carb is running fully on the main jet ONLY at
max airflow through the engine so for the first time through you ignore the AFR at
anything but the area near redline.

Once you get the correctly sized main jet, and assuming you first did the idle mixture
properly, you then go back to the needle and make the cruise and lower RPM ranges
operate at the correct AFR. This is really where the voodoo comes in - there's no
reference for carb tuners for the CV's needles. Keihin says it's up to H-D and H-D
provides nothing. The good news is the N65C or NOKK, with or without shims, seems to
be an excellent all around needle for cruising and for performance.

It's important to remember when looking at a dyno AFR chart that it shows only WOT if
that's what you asked for. If you want to see what you are cruising at, ask the dyno
operator to check at 70 MPH and 30% load to see where things are. Unless you are a
drag racer, this is where you will spend most of your time.

How do you interpret those graphs? There's some experience that comes in here of
course. In general, the main jet will move the entire line up or down and the needle will
affect the shape of the curve. If you need to "lift up" the left (low RPM) side of the curve
then you would shim the needle. Here we can also get into spring rates and the size of
the metering orifice on the slide.

This is all pretty advanced stuff and if you get here, I hope you don't rely on printing this
and reading it in the garage. You need the assistance of an experienced tuner and this
is not really something you can learn reading email on the Internet. Get someone to
take you under their wing. Research the subject, read everything you can about theory,
because not only will you be messing with the carb at this point, but the exhaust,
advance curve and timing as well. If you do end up asking here or elsewhere for help,
having a dyno chart that shows the AFR will be a vital part of someone being able to
help you.

I hope this has helped or will help some of you either now or in the future. I have
purposefully not gone into how to do the work, I assume that you know how to do it or
have one of the other excellent resources available. Good luck, and remember: it's not
rocket science.
Lee C. Bussy

Read the attached article by Joe Minton, a well respected source of CV and Mikuni
carburetor information.
American Thunder
Carb Jetting Simplified
Joe Minton
Rider Report
Tuesday July 22, 2003
From the August 2003 issue of American Rider

I get a steady flow of questions regarding carb jetting and the Dynojet kits, and I'd like to

answer them once and for all. Before addressing this, I need to set the stage about fuel
mileage. The mileage one records is dependent upon a number of factors. The speed at
which you travel is one. Mileage plunges dramatically above 60 mph or so-a bike that
gets, say, 45 mpg at 60 might only record 30 at 80 mph. Another important influence is
the size of the hole you and your bike poke in the air. An FLHT touring rig needs about
12.8 horsepower to go 60 mph, while a Sportster gets along at 60 with about 10.
Headwinds, climbing and elevation all affect fuel mileage. Total gross weight has little
influence at steady speeds; however, carburetor jetting has dramatic effects on fuel
mileage. When I talk with someone about fuel mileage, I find it useful to set a test
standard. Here is my standard: a steady 65 mph on a flat, windless road. These are
conditions most of us can find and safely use. Using this standard, stock Harleys
typically deliver 45 to 55 mpg-the lower for the big touring rigs and the higher for the
Sportsters. I have found that properly jetted Evo, Sportster and Twin Cam Harleys
deliver mileage between 42 and 51 mpg, using the test standard defined above.
Keep in mind that stock engines are tuned very much on the lean side of correct jetting.
When we modify carburetors to get rid of the "lean staggers" during warm-up and to
smooth out throttle response during acceleration within the lower throttle settings, we
can expect somewhat lower fuel mileage at cruising speeds. However, that loss need
only be a couple of mpg, not 10.

I have talked with many (easily more than a hundred) owners who have installed the
Dynojet kit and who have been disappointed with the results. From your bike's mileage I
would guess that you have either a Dyna or Softail series motorcycle; 36 mpg is about
right for a Dynojet- kitted FX Harley. The big touring machines usually get closer to 32
with the Dynojet kit. An FXD or FLST that delivers 36 mpg at 65 mph is running too rich.
That too-rich condition has consequences. Range is an obvious possible problem,
although some riders aren't too concerned about range as they like to stop more often
than the bike needs a fill-up anyway. Climbing ability is a more important concern for
those of us who need to go up or over mountains. A 36-mpg bike will probably start
misfiring due to its over-rich condition by 4,000 feet, maybe even 3,000. By contrast a
stock or correctly jetted engine should get to at least 6,000 feet before getting grossly
rich, 7,000 feet is better and achievable. Stock Harley jetting is very lean from just off
idle to about 1/4-throttle. This is also true of all road-going bikes sold in America for the
last quarter century. However-and this is important-at idle and above 1?4-throttle the
jetting is pretty good. Harley's Keihin CV (constant velocity) carburetor is based on the
basic Amal slide carb design from the early post-World War I era. And therefore, it
shares similar parts which perform similar functions. Idle and just off-idle air/fuel
mixtures are controlled by the idle jet which is fine-tuned with a screw. Both the jet size
and screw setting are important. Off-idle to approximately 1?4-throttle mixtures are
controlled by the straight-diameter part of the needle together with the inside diameter
of the needle jet, in which the needle rides. This is the range that is too lean for best
engine performance on stock motorcycles. Either the diameter of the straight part of the
needle, or the inside diameter of the needle jet, must be changed to affect mixtures in
this most used throttle range. Nearly all riding is done within this off-idle to 1?4-throttle
range.
From about 1/4- to 3/4-throttle, the taper of the needle controls the main mixture. One
normally raises or lowers the needle to fine-tune mixtures within this range. The main jet
takes over at about 3?4 throttle and is virtually unimportant below that opening.
If you would like to learn more about how to diagnose and tune these carb sub-systems,
I invite you to download the Mikuni HSR Tuning Manual (www.mikuni.com; click on the
picture of the carb and click on the hot link "Manuals"). I wrote this manual for Mikuni,
and although it directly addresses the Mikuni carb, the diagnostic principles apply to the
Keihin CV and many other carburetors as well.

To get your Harley's stock carb right, follow these instructions:

l. Buy and install a stock jet needle for a 1988 or '89 1200 Sportster (H-D Part No.
27094-88). This needle was developed for the early Sportster Keihin CV carb that was
not equipped with an accelerator pump. As such, it is richer in the off-idle to 1/4-throttle
range and works just right.

2. Remove the soft aluminum plug covering the idle mixture screw. Back the screw out
to slightly richen the idle mixture (1/2 to 1-1?2 turns will do it).

DO NOT do any of the following:

Do Not change the main jet; the stock one is just right with a free-flowing air cleaner and

mufflers. Yep, the stock main jet is rich. If you find this hard to believe, use the main jet
test in the Mikuni manual to see for yourself. You see, the main jet size is not controlled
by emission testing and the government is not very interested in mixtures at full throttle.
The factories are free to use any main jet they want and, for some reason, all the stock
bikes I have tuned over the past 25-plus years have had somewhat rich main jets,
including Evo and Twin Cam Harleys.

Do Not change the slow jet; the stock one is just right with an open air cleaner and free-
flowing mufflers.
And Do Not install straight, open pipes, especially long ones. If you do, forget everything
I've said. Straight open exhaust-equipped engines run poorly in the 2,000- to 3,500-rpm
range and no amount of carb tuning can fix that.
-- Joe Minton

I've had good luck with it.

From Forum:
Between 1/2 turn out and 3 turns out is safe. If you're more than 3 turns out, you need a larger pilot jet,
and the danger with running it more that three (more than 3-1/2 or so actually, depending on how
new/strong the spring is - call it 3 and be safe) turns out is that the spring cannot hold tension on the
screw and it can vibrate out. If you're less than 1/2 turn out, you need a leaner pilot jet.

Idle Drop Method

You need access to this mixture screw to perform the idle drop procedure. It's useful to
check where this screw is set before starting the idle drop procedure detailed below. To
check the setting, the bike should not be running, then you turn the screw in, one half
turn at a time until it bottoms gently. Keep track of the number of turns or half turns and
write this down. Return the screw to the position it was in before you first turned it. It
should be between 1/2 turn out and 3 turns out. You also might want to install some
baseline jets for your bike's modifications and your operating conditions at this point. If
you change the pilot jet, the old idle mixture screw setting will be incorrect. Even if you
don't change the pilot jet, the setting of the mixture screw is too lean from the factory
anyway, which is the reason we want to adjust it for better performance.

Idle Drop Procedure

Bring the bike up to operating temperature. Make sure the enrichener is off. Turn the
idle speed down using the idle SPEED adjustment screw (the one by the throttle cables
on a CV) until the bike is only barely able to stay running, maybe a little higher than that.
800 RPM is a good RPM if you have an accurate tach. With the RPM lower than
normal, you will be able to see the effect that adjusting the mixture screw has.

The idea is to turn the mixture screw in until the idle speed drops, then turn the screw
back out until the idle speed drops again, and set the screw in the middle of those two
points. What you are doing is making the mixture leaner, so lean that the engine does
not like the mixture and runs poorly, then you make the mixture richer until it doesn't like
that, and the perfect setting is half-way between the point where is falls off either way.

A couple things to remember

1. If the bike gets overheated during this procedure, you will need to let the bike cool off
a bit and try again. If you are already at operating when you start this procedure,
running more than about 5 minutes while trying to get the setting correct will make the
bike too hot. If the bike is too hot when you set the idle mixture, the final setting will be
too lean.

2. The screw should be set at least 1/2 turn out from fully seated, and no more than 3
turns out. If it is less than 1/2 turn out from fully seated when it runs best, you should
install a smaller pilot jet and perform the idle drop procedure again. If it is more than 3
turns out, you should install a larger pilot jet and perform the idle drop procedure again.
If the screw ends up more than around 3-1/2 turns out from fully seated, the spring
tension on the screw is insufficient and there is a chance the screw can vibrate out.

3. A tachometer is helpful for seeing the rise and fall of engine RPM if you are not
comfortable listening for the changes.

4. The enrichener should be completely off to perform this procedure.

5. An intake leak will foul these results. If the mixture screw seems to have no effect,
you may not be able to perceive the change in idle speed, there may be an intake leak,
or you may already be either too lean or too rich and you need a different size pilot jet.

Your comments and corrections are welcome.

–Chris

Here is my take on tuning the CV carb for you Sporty:

____________________________________

TUNING the LATE MODEL SPORTSTER CV CARB:

It don't matter whether or not your bike is bone stock, or a "Stage 1" .... Stock, the 04-06 bikes run too
lean at idle and partial throttle acceleration, but too rich a Wide Open Throttle (WOT). Steady cruise Air /
Fuel Ratio (AFR) is the only thing that is correct from the factory.

The Keihin CV carburetor’s idle and just off-idle AFR is controlled by the pilot jet which is fine-tuned with
idle mixture screw. Both the pilot jet size and the idle mixture screw setting are important for a proper idle
and throttle “tip-in” … thus eliminating the majority of “carb farts” most of these bikes suffer from.

Be advised that the 04-06 bikes suffer from too little timing at idle and off-idle. This contributes greatly to
the "carb fart" problem many of you have. The "fix" for this would be to install the TC88A adjustable
ignition module which more timing can be programmed into the advance curve.

During 1/8 to 1/4 part throttle and steady cruise, the fuel mixture is controlled by the straight-diameter part
of the needle together with the inside diameter of the main jet in which the needle rides.

From about 1/4 to 3/4 throttle (during normal acceleration), the tapered part of the needle controls the
mixture. This range is also too lean for best engine performance on stock 04-06 XLs and can be fixed with
either the thinner Dynojet needle or shimming the stock needle.

The main jet by itself takes over at about 3/4 throttle and WOT operation since the needle is then
completely pulled out of the jet.
______________________________________

1. Fix the idle and off-idle lean condition with the 45 pilot jet. Set the idle mixture screw to 2 1/2 turns.

2. Fix the part throttle lean condition (during normal acceleration) with the thinner Dynojet needle or
shimming the stock needle. If you use the Dynojet kit, the C-clip should be installed in the 3rd notch from
the top. The 3 washers provided in the kit need to be placed above the C-clip per the instructions. If you
elect to use the stock needle, place a total of approx .030” shims (small M4 washers under the needle).

Note: Shimming the needle much more than .030" will kill cruise fuel mileage.

3. Install a 170 or a 175 main jet to fix the overly rich AFR while operating at WOT. A stock 04-06 XL1200
has a 180 main jet. This change in the main jet will also gain HP at WOT.

Note: This combo of the now smaller main jet, but re-calibrated needle will maintain the correct AFR and
fuel mileage during part throttle steady cruise.

4. Drill the slide hole: On the bottom of the slide are two holes. The center hole is for the jet needle. Don't
mess with it. The second hole is off-center (see photo below). This is the vacuum port. This hole needs to
be drilled out just slightly with a #29 metric drill bit. This step will allow for a slighty “snappier” throttle
response.
5. Leave the stock slide spring in the carb. If you are using the Dynojet kit, the spring that is provided is
too light and will cause carb farts and possibly some surging during acceleration.

6. Make sure there are no vacuum leaks, and make sure the slide diaphram is fully seated in the groove
prior to installing the carb's top cover.

7. After the carb is all put back together ... with your finger, move the slide fully up. Make sure it falls back
down freely. Just make sure the slide and needle assembly are not jammed.

_____________________________________

Note: Proper AFR on the dyno when at WOT should be between 12.7 -1 and 13.0 -1

If your AFR is not correct at WOT while on the dyno, make a change of the main jet.

getting nice results w/ N65C needle.

I can't seem to stop tinkering with my Sportster. It reminds me of one of those model cars I had as a kid
except I get to ride this when I put it back together.
I jetted my bike with a few different combos before settling on a 45 pilot and a 175 main along with .40
shimmed stock needle, slide drilled to 7/64 and 2.5 turns plus 1/16. I think this is as close to perfect as it
can get.
Thats when I start experimenting.
I removed the needle and shims and dropped in an 88 needle. kept the same jets and re set the A/F
mixture. I really like this change. The bike runs every bit as strong except smoother, more linear like. The
different circuits are brought together seemlessly with this needle. I know the needle plays no role in the
starting and idling but thats better too most likley due to re setting the A/f.
The one thing I may try is a 170 main jet. I tried 180 and the bike could not reach as high a top speed
within the same distance as it did with a 175 .If It improved with the 175. It may well get even better and
like a 170. We shall see.
Iv'e read posts from felow XLF members regarding the N65C needle. Some like it, and some... not so
impressed. So I thought I would share my own experience. It's a keeper.
Well until I can get my hands on a Mikuni.
__________________
06 1200R. S model Cartridge forks/ remote resevoir shocks, Superbrace, SE cams, Twin-tec ignition, 28t
final drive, Modified BS II intake, CS exhuast w/ Crims baffle mod

On my 05 883C I had SE II slipons. NHRS hurricane a/c. 42/175 jets. N65c needle. No shims.

This setup worked well, except occasionally I still had carb farts. So a couple of days ago I installed a #44
(yes, a 44), slo jet. This was the ticket to a smooth, great running 883. My setup is now:

SE II slipons.
NHRS hurricane A/C.
44/175 jets.
N65C needle, no shims.
2 1/4 turns mixture screw.

The #44 slo jet is a Drag Specialties after market jet. Order from a dealer. This 44 is about half way
between the 42 and 45 jets. Perfect.

Jim

2004 1200 C
48, 175, N65A needle shimmed with a Ram-flo 400 and Gronk's mod stock pipes. Bike
picked up about about 3 hp and 7 lbft over 45, 175, needle not shimmed and 49 state
pipes.
__________________
Dave

Performance and Efficiency

by Joe Minton
American Rider

Email this article to a friend!

Many readers have been asking questions that nibble around the edges of the subject of gasoline and
how our Harley engines use the stuff. Since we seem to be in for high gasoline prices for the indefinite
future, this seems like a good time to practically consider gasoline usage in Harleys.

For years I have known that a great majority of Harley owners do not consider the cost of gasoline to be
very important. Also, mileage has seldom meant much to this majority. If there has been a concern, it
has been about range-how far one can go on a tankful. For a number of very good reasons, including
cost, morality, and national security, these attitudes are changing. With that said, let me get practical
and perhaps somewhat blunt.

I'll be first in line to say that stock Harleys could use more power, especially in the middle part of their
rpm range. However, it is a myth that reduced mileage and efficiency are inevitable companions to
improved performance. Quite the opposite can and should be true.
An engine with an aftermarket exhaust and air cleaner, but with stock motor parts, should produce
mileage close to what it delivered when it was still stock. If it does not, the carburetion (or EFI) is out of
tune.

A stock Big Twin normally delivers around 40 to 42 mpg at 65 mph on a flat windless road. The same
bike with our 88/95 conversion should get at least 10 percent better, while delivering 40 percent more
torque at cruise speeds. I have had many Harley owners tell me that they are getting 49 to 51 mpg at
steady interstate speeds with this engine conversion.

How can this be, you ask? It's simple, really-an appropriate cam design, higher compression, and a
free-flowing exhaust and air cleaner together with correct air/fuel mixtures.

Most Harleys are modified in ways that affect fuel mileage. Owners normally change to more open
(louder) and less restrictive exhaust systems and air cleaners. Both of these modifications have an
effect on the air/fuel mixture strength; they make the engine run leaner. Stock bikes are already rather
lean for emissions purposes. Air-cleaner and muffler changes further lean the mixtures, so much that
correcting this is necessary for the engine to run well.

Unfortunately, these mixture changes are normally done incorrectly. The result is an engine that,
although it doesn't melt down from being too lean, runs rich enough to give less-than-optimum
performance and fuel efficiency-especially at higher elevations.

Maybe you own one of these bikes. Does it start to miss and emit black smoke at a few thousand feet
above sea level? Is there a hard hesitation when you roll-on the throttle from interstate speeds? Does it
deliver less than 40 mpg at 65 mph? None of this has to happen. If the mixture alterations have been
made correctly, your bike should run better than stock, not worse.

Stock Harley Big Twin and Sportster engines, both the carbureted and EFI versions, are tuned to be
EPA-lean in the lower half of their throttle range. The result, especially with the carbureted engines, is
flat mid-throttle acceleration. Very little alteration is required to correct this.

The stock Keihin carburetor is a fine instrument. It is reliable, long-lived and easy to tune-if you know
how and use the right parts. Because Harley has used the Keihin for more than 15 years, there are
enough alternate tuning parts lurking in The Motor Company's parts books to make do quite well.

All the Keihin carb needs to deliver proper mixtures for stock and modified engines is a different needle-
one that your Harley dealer can easily get from The Factory-and a simple adjustment.
The needle I have used and recommended since 1990 is the needle from the first (1988-89) 1200
Sportster, Part No. 27094-88. This needle is smaller in diameter (richer) in its straight-diameter section,
which controls mixture strength in the 1/8-1/2-throttle range. Buy it and install it.

You also need to open the idle mixture screw about one turn (adjust for best idle). You do this by
removing the soft aluminum plug covering the screw on the bottom of the carburetor.

The main jet seldom needs changing because the stock jet is about two sizes too large. An open
exhaust and air cleaner makes it just about right. This jet only becomes effective at throttle openings of
3/4 and above, so unless you ride at wide-open throttle all the time you needn't concern yourself with
the main jet.

EFI engines are also tuned to be rather lean in the 20 to 40 percent throttle range. They seem to be
more accurately adjusted at idle. There are a number of aftermarket EFI tuning kits that allow richening
the mixtures in this range. I have experience with the Power Commander and recommend it.

If you take this information to your mechanic, factory or otherwise, there is a reasonable chance that you
will meet resistance to my advice. Harley sells carburetor kits and everybody is a carburetor expert.
Normally, I would recommend Harley parts because I have some knowledge of how hard they try to get
things right. The Motor Company's jetting kits, however, are an exception: they deliver very rich mixtures
and wear out quickly. Many, many of you have one of these kits installed in your carburetor and are
getting mileage as low as 26 mpg.

The needle and needle jet in these kits are made of brass; the stock Keihin needle is polished hard-
anodized aluminum, and the needle jet is hard brass. The brass-on-brass of the kit wears quickly and
further richens an already too-rich mixture. The stock parts hardly wear at all. I have examined stock
needles and jets with 45,000 to 70,000 miles of use and could not detect measurable wear.

A majority of mechanics change the slow (idle) jet to a larger size in an effort to richen the mixtures in
the lower throttle range. I think they do this mostly because they don't know about the importance and
effect of the needle's diameter above the taper (the straight part). If you can get your mechanic to try
what I have suggested, he can see for himself, and the resulting performance improvement will convert
him.

By the way, if you use a Mikuni on your Harley, buy and install the "mileage" or "lean-out" kit. Mikunis
are also tuned too rich. Fox Distributing in Illinois (630-513-9700) sells this kit (the parts are genuine
Mikuni). It improves mileage, throttle response and engine smoothness. Also, go to www.mikuni.com
and download the tuning manual if you don't have it.
I have several reasons for going on this long about air/gasoline mixtures. First, I want you to get the
most out of your ride, and I know many of you are riding poorly tuned machines. Second, it is time we
consider efficiency and not just power. Third, I know and have proven many times that it's possible to
have both power and efficiency.

Finally-I guess I am getting old and crotchety-I no longer feel any obligation to not offend factories,
suppliers, dealers or poorly informed mechanics. Gasoline and its efficient use is simply too important
for such niceties.

»More V-Twin Tech

Taxes Paid...Lessons Learned

First of all I would like to thank everyone in this forum for the great info that got me through this project.
The only drawback was the amount of searching required to find all the info. I wanted to try and
consolidate as many of the tips as I could into one post to make it easier for anyone else who is doing
Stage I for the first time. I just want to make it clear that 99% of this I found here from other people.

I bought my '04 XL1200C in Sept. of '05 and after my first weekend realized that I had to upgrade the
exhaust to the SE II slip ons. I planned to get the SE A/C and have the local dealer rejet but I didn't want
to pay them to do it. Eventually I saw the hyperchargers and thought I needed one but I lost that urge
after a couple weeks. Then I saw the setup on honus402's bike and decided that was what I had to have.

I bought the Arlen Ness Big Sucker ($90 on ebay), the A/C cover for bt's from the skull collection ($39
from h-d), a chrome carb cover ($16 at h-d), Sorgy's jet kit (ebay $11) and some stainless steel M4 hex
socket cap screws, flat and split washers as well as a couple thinner (.025") M4 brass washers to shim
the needle.

Here's the lessons part:

1. Use a blanket or towel to protect the bike, catch loose parts and soak up extra fluids.

2. Once the air cleaner is removed the carb will come loose from the engine if you grab it on top and
bottom and rock it up and down. It is held on to the intake manifold by a rubber gasket. When it comes off
make sure to keep this gasket on the intake and not the carb. This will make it easier to put the carb back
on later.

3. Replace the stock phillips head screws with hex socket head. It is too easy to damage the phillips head
and some nice stainless will look better. The Sorgy's kit comes with 4 for the bottom and I bought 4 more
for the top.

4. Replace the stock plastic cover with a chrome cover. This isn't really necessary but it looks great. The
screws that come in the Sorgy's kit are a little too short for the right rear because it has to go through the
throttle/idle cable bracket before the cover. All of the screws are M4 but I don't remember the lengths.

5. Remove the screw holding the throttle/idle cable bracket to the side of the carb. Once you have the cap
off it will make it a lot easier to get the diaphragm seated correctly if the arm of the bracket is out of the
way of the cover.
6. Very important!!! Make sure you are extremely careful with the rubber diaphragm in the top of the carb.
If you are replacing the needle or just putting washers under it you have to first remove the slide assembly
which includes the diaphragm. Don't pull on the rubber part, push the slide up from inside the air intake
until you can grab it from the top. When you replace it make sure you don't pinch the rubber under the
cap. If the cable bracket is out of the way you shouldn't have any problems. It costs about $43 to replace
(don't ask how I know that) and cuts easily so take your time and wiggle the cap a bit to make sure you
don't pinch it.

7. If you are using a Ness Big Sucker, wipe a little petroleum jelly on the four o-rings to help keep them in
place. They fall off easily and get lost just as easily (again, don't ask). If you do lose one, go to an
automotive parts dealer and get a bag. Some people have mentioned using a thicker ring but the stock
ones are 1/16" wide, 5/8" inside diameter and 3/4" outer. The directions are also very vague about the o-
rings placement. Two go on the back side around both of the large banjo bolt holes and two go on the
front side.

8. The Ness directions talk about installing restrictor bushings. The newer kits have different banjo bolts
so if your kit didn't come with them you don't need to install them. The hole is the right size already. The
directions also talk about re-routing the breather hose. On my 04 the hose was already where they tell
you to run it.

9. Replace the carb the same way it came off. Make sure you have the rubber gasket seated properly on
the intake, press the back of the carb into the gasket and rock the carb up and down pushing into the
bike. When you fit the air cleaner plate you can tell if you are close with the carb or if you need to push
more.

10. Second most important tip, make sure you have and are using the proper tools.

11. Most important tip IMO, try to learn something. If you are doing the job yourself you might as well look
around and see what is going on in there.

I hope this helps the other new wrenchers out there. A lot of other threads have more details and better
directions so keep searching and good luck. In the end it is worth it to know that you did the work yourself
even if it costs you an extra $43 cause you screwed up. I am not a mechanic and don't consider myself
an expert so if anyone has any corrections or additions please feel free to add. I think that's the whole
idea behind a forum anyway.

SECRETS OF THE DYNOJET KIT REVEALED

By: Chuck Antolina

Let me say up front that I have never really given the design of each carburetor any deep thought. I
always went with the principal that whomever designed it, knew what the hell they were doing. My job was
simply to keep it clean, and balance the fuel/air ratio in the manner prescribed for each unit. There came
the really fun part. Tuning. Because of my classical music training, and eventual training as a live audio
engineer, I found I could pick up on the slightest of nuances that occurred when even tiny changes were
applied in any case. I believe that is the key to street tuning for me; without any equipment.. Are there
better ways? Absolutely. But for me, this just works. Trust me when I say I do not consider myself an
expert, by any means.

I bought my first Harley last year. It was a 2002 XLC 883. Lots of bling-bling, not much else. There were
SEII’s on her, but the jetting had never been touched. On this bike, I learned loads about the CV carb;
how it worked, the stages, and how they interacted. With the help of my friends on XLFORUM.com, I
soon became quite adept at tuning my bike. And I haven’t stopped dickin with the CV carb since….

Recently, I bought a 1997 XLH, in great condition, and very close to stock. Perfect. It was clean enough to
eat off of, and nobody had been dickin with it too much. What a deal.

My first project, of course, was to do the “Stage1”. Roxy had stock exhaust when I met her. I naturally
assumed that she was “bone-stock”. I swapped out the stock exhaust for the SEII’s salvaged from my
previous bike’s life. J I started looking through a box that came with the bike, and noticed a plastic box. In
it, were obvious carb pieces that I recognized…sort of. Uh-oh….”What the hell is this?”

This was my personal introduction to: The Dynojet jet kit with the “THUNDER NOZZLE”.

Now, I had heard about these kits on XLFORUM, but was quickly convinced that they were a waste of
money. After all, the manufacturer knew what they were doing, right? I was told (and believed) that the
CV carb was the closest thing I would ever get to fuel injection. Sounded good to me! (I don’t even want
to discuss fuel injection. It makes my head hurt.) Besides, I had tuned my carb to what I thought was
“always one step from perfect”. J I could tune a carb with 4- $1.50 jets and my favorite screwdriver (and
perhaps my drill, if needed). Who needs to spend real money for that? Insane, said I. But, I digress…

I went back to my beloved XLFORUM, and began quizzing folks on the Dynojet products, and poked a
great deal of fun at the marketing concept called “THUNDER NOZZLE”. Even today, I can’t help but type
that in caps. Still makes me giggle. J

Admittedly….I was pissed off. It seems the emulsion tube was redesigned in this kit. Along with that, the
main jets were a different threading. No more jets from the dealer. If I didn’t have one, I HAD to get one
from Dynojet. NOT cool. And, may I say still to this day: NOT COOL. Then again, what was I to expect?
This was a kit, fer God’s sake. If you knew and could tell the difference between a 180 and a 185, you
probably didn’t buy the kit, anyway. J So, I guess my anger was mostly directed at the previous owner- a
“professional mechanic” for 15 years. Oboy.

Well, as I said earlier, I don’t know a lot about carb design, but I DO know that with a redesigned
accelerator pump nozzle, redesigned emulsion tube, and a redesigned slide, and the drilling involved in
the installation of the kit, what I knew about CV carburetors soon seemed suddenly very minute. Since I
didn’t know where “zero” (stock) was anymore, I had lost ALL sense of reference in the manner of
properly tuning this carb.

Now, I’m a pretty fart smeller, but not smart enough to know when to shut my mouth. After enough
bitching, Stevo responded with this:

“So Chucky .... explain to us what the differences are between the stock parts and the Dynojet
parts and what areas they affect and what those effects will be.
This is your homework assignment....and I expect it to be right......
now go and do some research......'cos when ya write it all down the answer will magically
appear.....

So, here it is, my homework assignment. Feel free to post your thoughts, opinions, arguments, whatever.
I have a big mouth, and I don’t really give a shit what you think. Oops, I mean, civil discourse is always
appreciated. Yeah, That’s what I meant. This was more for myself than anything, but I’m always willing to
share….well, because I say have something to say, and yer damned well gonna listen.
By my research and by physical inspection, I found the following design differences between each
change. A little later in this article, I’ll attempt to explain what has happened, as a result, to the overall
operation of the carb, as changed from stock.
• Redesigned Slide Needle/Spring-The new Dynojet needle is made of a somewhat lighter metal,
and coupled with the lighter spring, and the drill mod to the vac-port (bit included) it was designed
to respond more quickly. Drilling out the vacuum port allows more volume from the vacuum
system (Essentially making the slide spring relatively “heavier) Hmmmmm…..
• Redesigned Accelerator Pump Nozzle-This nozzle has a slightly larger opening in towards the
carb throat. Also in this redesign is a roller-type nozzle actuator. Together, their job is to put more
fuel in the throat of the carb during acceleration. Hmmmm……
• Redesigned Emulsion Tube-The only visual difference I can see in the emulsion tube is a
slightly larger circumference, and LOTS fewer “emulsion holes”. The theory is that this emulsion
tube somehow more efficiently mixes fuel with air at the “emulsion stage”, when fuel is vaporized
and mixed with air to aid in combustion (one of the real marvels of the CV carb, IMHO).
Hmmmmmmmm……

Ok, now that we see what has been changed, let’s talk about the net effect:

The pilot system is unaffected by the Dynojet kit, physically. There are no mods in this section. That’s
good, because the pilot system is too important (and really, too basic) to change anything other than jets,
anyway. The real differences start to show up in the mid-range, which is affected by the slide and needle.

Now, they have us change out the spring to a lighter one, and then have us drill out the vac-port,
effectively making the spring “heavier” (by the change in pressures). OK, whatever…more parts, bigger
box. I guess it makes sense to let the changes in pressure on both ends be more important than the
physical weight supplied by the spring….do both, or do neither, don’t do just one.

Of course, you can change needles on any CV carb, but the one from Dynojet comes with a handy set of
rings and circlips, for shimming the needle to different heights, thereby allowing for richer or leaner
settings in the midrange. The real difference in the dynojet needle, tho, is the taper. Here is a comparison
of the stock needle from my bike, and the dynojet needle:

Although there is only a .001 in. difference in base diameter before tapers, the length of the Dynojet
needle is increased somewhat. This adds to its adjustability. It also has slightly larger diameters thru most
of the length of the tapered part of the needle, yet ends in a .029 in. smaller tip diameter. Very quick
reduction in taper near the end...

Now, if you have a THUNDER NOZZLE installed, make sure it points in the right direction. It should face
the carb drain with the bowl removed. Essentially, this nozzle adds more raw fuel to the carb when
accelerating. There’s a good reason for this. Read on.
The most baffling change in design, to me, has been the emulsion tube (which holds the main jet). Its job
is to vaporize fuel and pre-mix it with the air to aid in more efficient combustion. Brilliant, may I add. J The
baffling part is that the dynojet emulsion tube has only 2 tiny holes in it. I’m gonna go out on a limb here,
(remember, I’m no expert) and say that the fewer holes, while allowing less VOLUME of air to enter the
venturi, significantly increases the SPEED of the mixing…with only 2 holes, the air moves faster, thereby
actually enhancing the emulsion effect, and moving the combined gas/liquid emusion at a much faster
rate....I could be wrong…I’ve been wrong before… J The thing to remember is that the needle’s job is to
somewhat interfere with the “swirling” in the venturi…it does this more smoothly when the air is coming
from only one point (or two really, but in the same vertical plane)

So, as it all comes together, you can notice that as much as it’s changed, it’s stayed the same, really..The
only changes are how the volumes of fuel/air are delivered after the pilot circuit…and when. And those
will be primarily dictated by the changes one makes in the slide mechanism.

The pilot jet controls the idle, and continues working throughout the spectrum. Upon acceleration, the
larger accelerator nozzle adds more raw fuel than is typical, partly to make up for the increased air flow
because of the vacuum changes, and partly because the quicker needle will add more fuel to early
midrange sooner, but not quite soon enough to settle the leaner condition. So, as the midrange opens up,
the needle starts to handle the lion’s share of midrange, until you reach 3/4 throttle, where the main jet is
pretty well wide open. Personally, I would recommend going with the smallest main jet you can get away
with when using the dynojet setup, as there is a possibility of wasting fuel (and HP) on the very top end.

Stevo's Jetting 101 is STILL the be all, end all, in understanding HOW to tune IMHO. I refer to it quite
often, and learn something new every time…If you haven’t read it, please do, and THEN come back and
read this….and argue with me, please….I’m no expert, I’m just doing a homework assignment. And I have
SO MUCH more to learn….

and, Thanx, Stevo

(EDIT...had a few problems with this post...a little too long....had to chop a good deal of this post to make
it fit...Stevo's link is ok now....still can't make images embed...not sure why..)

Second edit: This was not a Thunderslide kit, as Shu pointed out, and he is right, so I fixed it....

p From Cold ..............................5 - 6 Parts Air : 1 Part Fuel

Acceleration (Max Power)1/2 - WOT.........Around 12.5 : 1
Idle - 1/8............................................. Around 12 : 1
Twisties 1/4 - 1/2..................................Around 13.5 : 1
Cruise 1/8 - 1/4...................................Around 14.7 : 1

I Have Found That With Later HD's (And This Covers Sporties And Big Twins From About Mid '90's) That
The Main Jet And Needle Are Very Close To Correct.
The Main Problem Area Is The Pilot Circuit Is Too Lean In Most, Not All, Instances..
An Increase In Pilot Jet Size By One Size Is Usually All That Is Needed...Sometimes 2 Depending On
Intake And Exhaust And Cams
This Means If Your Bike Has A 40 Then Go To 42, 42 Then Go To A 45, 45 -> 48

At The End Of The Day A Carb Does Nothing More Than Meter The Fuel... The Motor Doesn't Care What
The Carb Looks Like Or What Jets Are In There.....So Long As It's Getting The Right Fuel Air Mix For The
Conditions...

Here's A Few Symptoms/Fixes

When Trying To Tune A Bike You Need To Know What Circuit Is Covering The Area Where You Feel You
Have A Problem.
Changing The Main Jet Will Have No Effect On The Idle And Up To 1/2-3/4 Throttle
Whereas A Part Throttle Problem That Requires An Increase In Pilot Jet Size Will Give A Little Extra Fuel
Over The Whole Range

If You Have Had The Carb Off Then Check The Float Level ....You Will Need To Refer To Your Factory
Manual.... But A Very Close Guide Is The Join Line In The Floats On The Square Float Models Should Be
Parallel To The Base Of The Carb When The Carb Is Held About 15* From Vertical.

---------------------------------------------------------------
Idle - 1/8 ... Pilot Circuit

Signs Of Too Lean

If The Bikes Surges Back And Forward At A Steady Throttle At Around 3000+ Rpm
Excessive Popping Or Backfiring At Closed Throttle Deceleration..
The Bike Runs Better When Hot But Still Not Right
If You Blip The Throttle From Idle And As It Drops Back Down To Idle It Tends To Hang Up A Few Revs
Too High And Then Come Down To A Lower Rpm...

Wind Out Pilot Screw By Half A Turn At A Time And See If It Improves.... If You Get Past 3 1/2 Turns
Then Go Up To Next Size Pilot Jet

Other Things That Will Give A Lean Condition Are Intake Leaks..... If In Doubt Then Replace Intake Seals
And Lube Them With A Silicon/Rubber Grease As They Are Assembled...

Sign Of Too Rich

Sooty Plugs..... Too Large A Pilot Circuit Will Soot Your Plugs Up Way More Than A Rich Main Circuit
The Bike Runs Better When Cold But Still Not Right...
If The Bike Doesn't Require Choke To Start And Idle From Cold Then You Are Too Rich
If The Throttle Is Blipped From Idle And The Revs Drop Below Normal Idle And Then Come Back Up To
Normal Idle....This Will Be Worse When The Motor Is Hot.

To Correct... Wind Pilot Screw In 1/2 Turn At A Time ... If It Gets Less To Only 1 Turn Out Then Reduce
The Pilot Jet By One Size

----------------------------------------------------------------

1/4 - 3/4

This Is A Hard One To Pick........

Try Running In 2nd Or 3rd Gear And Crack The Throttle...

If It Pulls Clean ... Leave It....It Takes A Lot Of Experience To Pick The Difference Between A Rich Or
Lean Condition Here...

I've Found That Needle Heights From Standard To About 0.030" Raised Is The Range For Most...This Is
Done With A Small Shim Under The Head Of The Needle...Make Sure That The OD Of The Shim Is No
Larger Than The Needle Head Or The Needle Will Not Sit Properly And Will Float..

A Lean Condition Will Tend To Surge Or Feel Flat.... A Rich Will Tend To Feel A Bit Soggy...

Try And Take Notes On The Weather ... If It Is Better When The Motor Is Cold Or When You're At Sea
Level Or The Ambient Temp Is Lower Then You Are Probably Rich

If It Is Better When The Motor Is Hot Or You're At A Higher Altitude Or The Ambient Is Higher ...Then
You're Probably Lean

--------------------------------------------------------------

Wide Open Throttle .. WOT

A Main Jet Guide To Rich Or Lean ...

A Few Points ... Your Lower Speed Circuits Tend To Work More Off Vacuum Than Airflow..... Whereas
The Main Jet Or WOT Tends To Work Off Airflow.

WOT Throttle Runs Are Best Done At The Drag Strip And You Want The Jet That Gives The Best Mph
Thru The Traps...... I Prefer To Start Rich And Come Back Down While The Mph Keeps Increasing Until
The Mph Drops ... Then Go Back Up A Size...But Ya Can Start Lean And Go Up One Size At A Time Until
The Mph Drops And Then Come Back One Size..

If It Runs Better At Night .... Ya Probably Rich ... If It Runs Better In The Afternoon, Ya Probably Lean..

If You Don't Have Access To A Drag Strip Then A Dyno Is Good For WOT Runs But Not Very Good For
Part Throttle Runs Unless You Have A Good Operator..

Without Access To A Drag Strip Or Dyno, Here's A Few Tips..

As Stated If It Runs Better When It's Cold Ya Probably Rich.....

If It Runs Better When It's Hot Then Ya Probably Lean....

Another Way Is To Take It Past 5000 In A High Gear At WOT

Then Close It To About 7/8 Throttle
If The Engine Accelerates A Touch Then You Are Lean....
If The Engine Hesitates, Then Ya Probably Rich...
It Should Just Slow Slightly...

If The Engine Pops At The Change Rpm At Full Throttle Thru The Gears It Is Usually Lean.

Another Guide For Rich/Lean ...

If You Remove The Air Cleaner And The Bike Improves Then It Is Probably Rich

If You Tape Up Half Your Air Cleaner Element And It Improves Then You're Probably Lean

Turn The Fuel Tap Off And Keep Riding...

If It Improves As The Fuel Level Drops, Then It's Rich

If It Gets Worse As The Fuel Level Drops Then It's Lean

If It Runs Better In That Range When The Air/Motor Is Cold It's Rich

If It Runs Better In That Range When The Air/Motor Is Hot It's Lean

Read This First ----- Jetting 101

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Jetting A Sporty

A Carby Works By Mixing Air And Fuel Into A Vaporous Mixture.

We Want The Ideal Mixture So The Bike Runs Well.

Unfortunately It's Not Quite Simple...As A Carburettor Mixes Air By A Set Volume To Set Amount Of Fuel.
The Amount Of Oxygen Density In That Set Amount Of Air Varies And This Is What Gives Variations In
Mixture Due To Differing Conditions.

The Required Air / Fuel Mixture Changes Depending On The Conditions

Max Power For Acceleration Is Around 12.5 Parts Air To One Part Fuel

Chemically Correct Or Stoichiometric Is 14.7 : 1

A Rich Mixture Misfire Usually Needs About 6-7 :1

A Lean Mixture Misfire Usually Needs Over 20 : 1

We Want To Try And Get The Most Fuel In There That We Can But The Limiting Factor Is The Amount Of
Oxygen That We Can Fit In There And Give The Correct Ratio...
A Number Of Things Have An Effect On The Amount Of Oxygen We Can Get In There..

Just Like You Run Out Of Breath At Altitude Because Of Lack Of Oxygen So Does Your Bike..

The Air Pressure Or Barometric Pressure Is Higher At Sea Level Than At High Altitude.
The More Pressure We Have Means The More Oxygen In The Same Amount Of Air

If The Bike Is Jetted For The Correct Mixture At Sea Level And Then You Go Up The Mountains.
Then The Higher The Altitude The Less Oxygen And The Richer The Bike Will Run.
The Opposite Is Also True.

A Few Other Things Also Have An Effect.

Hotter Air ................................................. = Less Oxygen :- Richer

Colder Air ................................................. = More Oxygen :- Leaner
Higher Barometric Pressure Or Low Altitude....... = More Oxygen :- Leaner
Lower Barometric Pressure Or Higher Altitude ... = Less Oxygen :- Richer
Higher Humidity.......................................... = Less Oxygen :- Richer

One Of Basic Things That People Don't Seem To Understand Is That There Is Different Fuel Circuits N
The Carb For A Reason...
Different Circuits Are Used At Different Throttle / Vacuum Positions Not Rev Ranges..... The Revs The
Motor Is Doing Has Stuff All To Do With Which Circuit Is Being Used.

At Idle And To 1/8 Throttle Is Mostly Used At Cruise In Town And Just Leaving The Lights ......
This Area Is Governed Mainly By The Pilot Jet And Pilot Screw..... Although The Parallel Portion of the
Needle Can Supply a Bit of Fuel Too

Highway Cruise Is Around The 1/8 - 1/4 Throttle Depending On the Speed You're Doing.....
This Area Is Governed By The Pilot Circuit And The Needle..... The Start Of The Taper On The Needle
Starts To Come Into Play Significantly Here

Pushing Thru The Twisties Tends To Use The 1/4 - 1/2 Throttle
This Area Is Mainly Covered By The Needle But Both The Pilot Circuit And The Main Jet Have A Small
Input

1/2 - Wide Open Throttle ... Hard Acceleration

This Area Is Covered By The Taper Of The Needle And Then The Main Jet Becomes The Main Fuel
Supply From About 3/4 Throttle To WOT

A Few Points.. The Pilot Circuit Supplies Fuel Throughout The Whole Range

Jetting and Fuel Injection Adjustment, Pipes

By Scott Holton, J&P Tech
Regardless of whether your bike uses a carburetor or fuel injection, the correct fuel air mixture is
important. Any changes to the intake tract or exhaust system can impact the Air/Fuel mixture.
Whenever you make a change in the airflow through the engine, changes can occur in the fuel / air
mixture on your bike. Bad conditions that we need to correct are running either too lean or too rich.
Running lean can burn pistons, score cylinders...running rich fouls plugs and runs bad.
Changing the air cleaner or the pipes changes the mixture. Changing baffles also changes mixture. With
a carbureted bike, the fix is to just change the jets. With a fuel injected bike it's easier, the fix is to install a
Power Commander (see Carb section of the J&P® catalog for jets and Power Commanders).
Carburetor jetting is very complex. Factors such as humidity, altitude, and air temperature, all affect the
ratio. With a carbureted bike, if you have a Dyno and an exhaust gas analyzer, the adjustments are very
easy and straightforward. To change to the correct jet, you must understand where the jets are effective.
We will discuss the CV carb that came on Big Twins from 1990 through 2004 and XL's 1988 to 2004. On
a CV type carb, the pilot jet and idle mixture screw control throttle position is up to 1/4 open. The
midrange is controlled by the thin needle position in the slide, and 3/4 throttle and up is controlled by the
main jet. The correct Air/Fuel ratio is about 14.7 to 1, or 14.7 parts air to one part fuel. Without an exhaust
gas analyzer, you will need to make an adjustment and read the spark plugs (check plug color) to
determine the effect. The desired color is a very light tan to chocolate brown.
Here is a basic procedure to determine what jet to change. First, change the components such as pipes
or air cleaner and get yourself 3 or 4 sets of new plugs, gapped and ready to install. We need to have
access to the idle mixture screw, so we need to drill out the plug covering it. Once this is done, screw it in
until it bottoms lightly, then back out 11/4 turns. Put a piece of masking tape around your throttle. Pick an
easily seen reference point on your switch housing and mark on the tape where the zero (0) throttle
position is. Open the throttle wide open, and mark on the tape the full throttle point. Half way between
these marks mark again, and divide the 2-1/2's in 1/2 again. When you are though, you will have a mark
at 0, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and Wide Open Throttle on the throttle sleeve.
Next, start the bike and warm it up so that it idles without the use of the enrichner. Once that's done, while
wearing a set of mechanics gloves, remove the spark plugs and install a new set. Take the bike out and
ride it for about 10 to 15 miles at 1/4 throttle if possible.
Things get a little complex now, so pay attention. We need to do what's called a "plug chop". This is
where you pull the clutch, kill the ignition, and pull to the side of the road (carefully of course) WITHOUT
ALLOWING THE BIKE TO IDLE. Still using your mechanic gloves, remove a plug and look at the color. If
they are black and sooty, you are running rich on the pilot jet and need to reduce the amount of fuel by
installing a smaller jet. If they are clean white, you are lean and need to give the engine more fuel by
using a larger pilot or turn the mixture screw out a 1/4 turn. If they are brown no change is required. To
aid in tuning, when you go in with the mixture screw, you get a leaner mixture. Out you richen the mixture.
As a general rule of thumb the idle mixture should be 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 turns out when you have selected the
right pilot jet. Repeat your test with fresh plugs for 1/2 throttle. Here in order to make a change, we can
add fuel only with a stock needle by shimming with tiny washers under the needle. Every shim you add
richens the midrange. The Dynojet tuner kits are equipped with a needle that has grooves in the end to
adjust the position with a clip. Remember the higher on the needle the clip is the leaner the midrange
becomes.
Install the appropriate jet you have decided upon (or make needle change), and a new set of plugs and
redo the test. Repeat this until you have the correct light chocolate appearance.
The main jet is your cruising jet and needs to be tested above 3/4 throttle. It requires nice stretch of open
road, or better yet a drag strip. Repeat the same type of test as before at 3/4 throttle and full throttle,
doing your plug chop. Make changes accordingly. An additional test that is handy is to get up to, fourth
gear at about 4000 RPM. Open the throttle all the way then immediately let off the throttle about 1/8. If the
engine slows just a bit, the jet is close, if it seems to pick up speed or RPM; the main jet is too lean. If it
hesitates or stumbles, the main is too rich. Change jets and test again.
After you have the jets close, I just ride about 50 to 75 miles observing the performance of the bike at
different speeds. Poor acceleration, pinging, knocking, surging and popping or spitting through the
carburetor suggests you're still lean. Black smoke, sooty exhaust, smell of unburned fuel and a rough idle
suggest too rich. When I get back from the ride, I pull the plugs once more and see what I've got. If they
are tan, light chocolate and the bike runs good, I'm done.
With the Power Commander, things are slightly different. With a PC you will need to access the Power
Commander website, www.powercommander.com, and select the map that is closest to your
combination. This must be downloaded into your Power Commander. If the bike does not run well
determining your needs are very similar to the tests outlined above. Mark your throttle, do your plug chop,
read the plugs. Unfortunately it is a little more complex to make a change. Accessing the map in the
Power Commander, you can change cells in the map to richen and lean. This is a simplified version of
tuning the Power Commander but it should give you an idea of what's required.