still runs bad??? im stumped??? help??

[dugbean]

ok, here we go again, so i dug the bike out, replaced leaking petcock valve with new hd valve, cleaned tank added new fuel, changed oil and such, and started bike, pops in carb, sounds like backfiring in carb, and wont idle real well. if i pull choke out, seems to idle fine but not real responsive when rolling throttle on, other than popping and sputtering. checked intake and carb gaskets with spray, no change in idle, so i dont think the seals are bad, as i replaced them about 2 months ago. i even changed carb with a spare i had, seems to run a slight bit better, but hard to tell. im stumped and cant figure it out so im a little pissed and need some help, is it a voes valve problem? i unplug it and nothing changes, any ideas??   sorry it would help to know what it is, 96 super glide, mostly stock, v&h short shots and se air cleaner set up are the only mods on the bike.

[tinkerman]

Hey Bean,

Sometimes ya just want to burn em don't ya?

Lot's of guys here with more evo experience than me to give you some idea's but I if she has been shut down for a bit, perhaps you have a jet or two gummed up in your carb. I know you tried another carb so that might rule that out...might not. As well I have had plugs go south on me during storage...working fine when put away...working like "Potty mouth" when re started in the spring. I would change plugs, check carb jets and if all looks well would start checking my ignition components.

Luck with it,

tink

[Reddog74usa]

Belive it or not a battery with a bad cell can cause this type of problem. I would check the acid level and do a batt test. Also try a set of known good plug wires and check all electrical connections.

[dugbean]

funny u should say that about the battery, it was dead as a board and i checked the acid lvl, it was full so i charged (trickle) for a day, still had to boost it to start, im thinkin i will get a new battery and restart from scratch and see what happens. thanks for the help u guys, ill repost later when the battery comes in and i recheck.

[Old Crow]

+1 on the battery. 
My newly rebuilt Shovel died in the road last weekend, lots of popping and backfiring going on.  Ended up that the battery must not have liked sitting on the shelf for a year, even though it charged up and ran the bike for a week.  At the tail end of a 150 mile ride it just gave up 3 miles from home.