Cold Start CV40. 1979 AMF Harley-Davidson XLH1000 Ironhead Sportster

This is the procedure with a Keihin CV40 carburetor; other setups may differ.
Step One: Fuel on
Step Two: Ignition key to on, choke full out
Step Three: Find the stiff bit on the kickstart
Step Four: Express yourself
They're all different, but on mine you don't pre-kick it with the ignition off, or twist the throttle to introduce extra fuel, as this drowns the plugs. Petrol/gasoline alone isn't especially flammable, so combustion or even a spark will be that much more difficult to achieve. It's the gas/air mix which explodes, otherwise a carburetor would be completely unnecessary.
A warm start is the same, but without choke.

[@arthurleino]

Had a 1980 Sportster. Sold it to a friend after getting my 1983 FXWG that I still ride. It was a great bike.

[@ImminghamIronhead]

Is that FXWG one of the last Shovelheads?

[@arthurleino]

@@ImminghamIronhead I think 1984 would be.

[@johnsearl6431]

have a '79 in bits.....noticed the kicker, the custom front brake and the 650 yammy front and then the wobbly carb...lol oh , and it appears to be missing the rear tank bolt.....now subbed...from NZ....also subbed to Saddle Tramp

[@ImminghamIronhead]

Well spotted on all counts! It's a Suzuki GS1000 front, AP Lockheed brake, and I added the kicker as I was fed up with the electric start draining the battery :-) That tank is from a '78, so doesn't fit, so I made a bracket for the front and, yeah, the back is held on by gravity. Wobbly carb is genuinely a camera artifact though - it's held in place by a hidden bracket attached to the top frame tube, but it looks mad on the video. The carbs need support or they tear the inlet rubbers.

[@benderbender1233]

IRONHEADS RULE!!! 🤘😎🤘

[@subvet694]

Had a 79 XLH, sold it when I joined the Navy...Sure would like to know whatever happened to her

[@ImminghamIronhead]

It's odd thinking some of the bikes I used to ride must still be out there. I have a sixty year old BSA as well; that bike must have seen some stuff.

[@SaddleTrampTV]

You might want to have some sort of support bracket on that carb. I had one come off on me before.

[@ImminghamIronhead]

There's a hidden one! It links the top of the manifold to the center head steady bracket on one plane, and this is hose clipped to the top frame tube. Previously the inlet rubbers used to tear every other week as they were the only things holding it all on.

[@ImminghamIronhead]

I get it now - someone else mentioned the carb, but it's the camera, the carb doesn't bounce around like that IRL; I noticed the artifact at the time, but forgot about it. I used to do ghost hunting/debunking, and I can't tell you how much supernatural footage is just the camera/lighting/angle etc. The camera almost continually lies.

[@specialse]

great starter and cool bike but that carb needs a support bracket .

[@ImminghamIronhead]

It has one; the whole bike shakes and what you're seeing is a cheap camera throwing up artifacts. A steel bracket connects the manifold to the frame top rail and top mid engine bracket. I know what you mean - it looks frantic on the video but nothing like that in real life 🙂

[@thebluecollarfather3717]

You mentioned in a video when you were assembling the kickstart kit that you had to replace your generator, you don’t have a video of that by chance do you? I need to replace mine, having charging issues, can’t find anything good online on how to do it, I know it no insanely complicated just wanna make sure I do it right.

[@ImminghamIronhead]

The generator I've never replaced, but I've had to remove it once or twice when stripping the engine. Undo both electrical terminals and then it's just held in by those two large hex bolts visible on the top right of the cam/oil pump cover; it just lifts out when those are withdrawn (support it with your other hand because it really is just those two bolts). If the battery's OK the first thing to look at is the regulator (finned metal box attached to the front downtubes near the bottom) as these are generally solid state and die every four years or so. If it's still the generator at fault then it can be worth opening it up and replacing the carbon brushes and cleaning the insides with solvent; way cheaper than a new generator. I've definitely had to replace the starter motor, which is probably what I meant to say in the kickstart video.

[@thebluecollarfather3717]

@@ImminghamIronhead okay, appreciate it man! You did say starter I must have just miss heard generator instead of regulator, I’ll give that a go first.

[@shannonpaplow7754]

That is NOT what a Harley is suppose to sound like. Disgusting man,,,,,, put some slash cut strait pipes on that and give is a tune up... GEEEEES

[@balmoralpjk]

Wear any Levi’s jeans with your leather biker jacket?? Ever ride to a 7 eleven in the bike go in and buy something in the Leather biker jacket?

[@gummitarzan8545]

seek profesional help. Get well soon.