20 Most Recent 2000 Harley Davidson XL 1200 S Sportster Sport - Page 3 Questions & Answers

The xl has no timing chain. I'm guessing you're asking about the primary chain on the left side of the engine. I believe it should be adjusted to 3/8 to 1/2 inch at the tightest spot. To find the tight spot, rotate the rear wheel in gear with the spark plugs out.

Remove the seat. Unplug the connector for the taillight and rear turn signals. Stabiliize the bike and remove the upper shock bolts. The job is also easier if you remove the rear tire. Remove the bolts from the fender struts on both sides. Be sure to hold the fender or clamp it place when removing the bolts so the fender doesn't slip out of place and get scratched. Unplug the turn signals from the taillight housing. Pull the wires and connectors through the holes in the struts. Lift the fender out.

You'll probably have to clean the 2 carbs, but try a small amount of seafoam first.

Remove the carb soak in carb cleaner, **** out small bleed holes with a wire from a wire brush etc. One of the passageways is still clogged, or the float is sticking.

replace TSSM this module uses speed sensor to trigger cancel.

hiya

i think the brake switch is faulty and heres how to replace it
Rear Brake Light Switch Replacement

• 1

  Check that the ignition is in the "OFF" position. For additional safety, disconnect the negative terminal from the battery.
  

• 2

  Disconnect the switch from the wiring harness by gently pulling off the spade connectors.
  

• 3

  Unscrew the switch from the rear brake master cylinder, using an appropriately sized wrench or pliers.
  

• 4

  Clean the switch mounting threads on the master cylinder to prevent contamination of the brake fluid.
  

• 5

  Apply a drop of LOC-TITE to the new switch's threads and install it onto the master cylinder, tightening it down to 84-120 inch-pounds with a torque wrench (if available). Connect the spade connectors to the new switch.
  

• 6

  Turn the ignition switch to the "ON" position and depress the rear brake pedal. If the brake pedal feels soft or the brake light does not illuminate, then you may need to bleed the brake lines to remove air bubbles.
  

hope this helps

John

Loosen the clamp bolts on the upper and lower triple trees that hold the tubes and allow the fork tubes to slide up through the triple trees. They will come through about an inch before contacting the handlebars usually. Watch out for the brake hose and make sure it doesn't crimp. This is how it was done on the earlier models.

Good Luck
Steve

Look on the right side of your bike down under the battery. You should see a hose with a "spring clamp" on it. Squeeze the clamp and pull the hose off of the lug on the frame to drain your oil tank. Helps if the oil is warm.

If the engine is missing at idle speed and spitting back out of the carb, it's usually because it's running a bit lean. If the carb is stock and unmodified, there's not a lot you can do at the carb. You may have a vacuum leak at the carb to manifold seal or at one of the intake to head connections. Try changing the spark plugs and if this doesn't help, I'd suggest changing the intake gaskets.

Good Luck
Steve

The fuse box is probably behind the triangular plate on the left side of the bike or under the seat.

Good Luck
Steve

Well, pull the fuel line loose from the carb, put it in a catch can, and spin the engine. The '96 and later Harley's have a vacuum operated petcock if it is still stock. It gets vacuum from the intake maniold or backside of the carb through a small vacuum line. The hose plugs onto the backside of the petcock. If you're not getting any vacuum or the diaphgram in the petcock is damaged, you won't get any fuel to the carb.

Also, try loosening your fuel cap. Don't take it completely off just good and loose. If the fuel tank vent in the cap is plugged, a vacuum will build up in the fuel tank quickly and stop the flow of fuel.

Are you sure you have your ignition system timed and wired correctly?

Steve

Ok, this is a rare one but it just might be your problem. I've only seen it a few time. The problem is in your fuel petcock. The petcock is opened by vacuum from your engine. If the engine backfires for any reason, instead a vacuum being applied to the diaphragm in the petcock, a pressure is applied instead. When this happens, it dislodges the diaphragm from it's location and then the vacuum line becomes a air leak into the manifold.

Drain the fuel from you tank by loosening the large nut on the petcock. Catch the fuel with a large funnel and direct it into an empty gasoline can. Once all the fuel has been drained, remove the petcock from the tank and disconnect the vacuum hose from the backside of it. There are four small screws on the backside of the petcock. Remove the screws and carefully remove the square plate. There is a needle, a spring, and a diaphragm behind the plate. Take the petcock apart carefully so you can see how it it put together so you can get in back together correctly. Now hold the diaphragm up to the light and gently stretch it while looking for holes. If you find a hole, you must replace the diaphragm. You can get one at any H-D dealer. If you find no holes or you get a new diaphragm, reassemble your petcock and reinstall it in the tank. Hopefully, this will fix your problem.

Good Luck
Steve

0.038" to 0.043"

You have a short in your electrical system somewhere that is causing your circuit breaker to trip. Harley uses automatic reset circuit breakers rather than fuses. If you get a short in your system somewhere, the current though the circuit breaker will cause it to trip. After a minute or so, the circuit breaker's bi-metal strip inside will cool and the circuit breaker will reset. If the short circuit still exist, the breaker will again trip.

To help find the source of the problem, you must determine which circuit breaker is tripping. In this case it sounds like the "lights" circuit breaker. Since your turn signals are on that circuit and they are not working, I'd start there to look for the reason.

When you turned off the key and it made the clicking noise again, this was probably the circuit breaker resetting itself after you removed the voltage and current flow through it by turning the switch off.

Good Luck
Steve

Yes there is a fuse blow or a circuit breaker block on the bike. It's either under the seat or behind the triangular plate on the left side of the bike. Usually, the ignition circuit in on a different circuit from the lights.

Take a test light or a Volt Ohm meter and check for voltage on the coil. To test the coil, unplug a spark plug wire and insert another spark plug in it. Make sure the plug is grounded to the engine. Turn the ignition switch on and then back off. The spark plug should spark once when you turn the switch off. If not, you either don't have power to the coil, or the coil is bad.

To further test the coil, disconnect all wires from the coil and connect a DVOM (digital volt ohm meter) across the coil. Connect one lead from the meter to one of the small primary terminals and the other meter lead to the other primary terminal. Put the meter's function switch in OHMS, R x 1 scale. You should read 2 to 3 ohms, no more or less.

Good Luck
Steve

Remove and clean battery cables and posts. Make sure battery is holding a good charge. Load test the battery if you have access to a load tester. Most of these types of problems are caused by a bad ground, possibly at battery or headlight or speedo housings, or at the fork trees.

Jack the bike up off the ground. Remove the front wheel and front fender. Loosen the pinch bolt in the lower triple tree and take the nut off the top of the upper tube at the upper tree. The fork assembly should slide down and out of the triple trees. Invert the fork tube to pour out the oil and remove the spring. Look on the very end of the lower slider where there is an 8mm bolt. Take the bolt out and the lower slider comes off the upper tube. Reassembly is the reverse of disassembly. Add the correct amount of oil for a "dry" rebuild.

Good Luck
Steve

20W50

To check your charging system, you'll need a DVOM (digital volt ohm meter). The first thing to do it to take your battery out of the bike and take it to an automotive parts house. Ask them to load test the battery for you. This will ensure that the problem is not the battery.

Now, put the fully charged battery back into the bike. Connect the red meter lead to the positive post and the black meter lead to the negative post of the battery. Put the meter's function switch in "DC VOLTS, 20 VOLT range. Start the bike and bring the engine to a high idle. The meter should read between 14.5 and 15.0 volts.

If it doesn't read this voltage, find the wires coming from the alternator on the lower left front of the engine. Follow the wires back to the round plug and unplug it. Look into the engine side of the plug and you'll see two metal contacts. Make sure these are clean. Put your meter function switch in AC VOLTS, 50 Volt range and start the bike. Bring the engine to a high idle. Put either of the meter probes on one metal contact and the other probe on the other contact. The meter should read 25 volts or higher.

If the battery test reads low but the alternator test reads correct, the regulator is probably defective. If the alternator reads zero voltage or low, the alternator stator is bad.

Good Luck
Steve

According to the schematic I'm looking at, your 1997 model Sporty came with front marker lights but not rear marker lights. To make sure, take the lens off of your turn signal light in the rear. Take the bulb out. Now, does the bulb have one or two filaments? If it only has one, then you don't have marker lights.

Let me know what you find.

Ride Safe
Steve