Sportster needle VS stock with 3- #4 washers ?

[sandrooney]

Does any body know which would be leaner or richer the sportster needle # 27094-88 or stock needle with 3 #4 washers with a 175 main ? 95 RK. Looks like 3 #4 washers is 3/32 of an inch.
Thanks for your help,
SR

[Sonny S.]

here is my reply in the TC section :

It depends on the stock needle taper, and length. Could be leaner/richer in different areas.
Shimming your stock needle will put it in to the next richer stage earlier than it is now, and could give better MPG.
Put 2 shims under and see what ya get. BTW, what are ya trying to get ?
After testing several needles using a WEGO III AFR meter my thoughts on the N65C needle have changed.
IMHO, it ain't all that     

[sandrooney]

Thanks Sonny, I replied in TC. SR

[JohnS_Rosamond]

I would be willing to bet that the Sportster needle will still be richer throughout the range, than a shimmed leaner needle.  The XL needle will be richer the whole way through, the shimmed needle will probably start out leaner and only richen up at the very end (when the needle starts a more dramatic taper at the bottom).  So, the thing is that in the mid range (with the shimmed needle) you might be running too lean and only be able to push enough fuel when you're at wide-open throttle.  The XL needle should give you more predictable performance if you have a performance cam and pipes on the bike.

[Phu Cat]

The only way to know for sure is to use an exhaust gas analyzer.  Would using 3 #@4 washers, where most people only use one, change the amount the needle pulls out of the needle jet due to the additional weight?

PC

[sandrooney]

Thanks Guy's