[txpilot]

So I have tried to trouble shoot everything. The bike left me sit twice yesterday and the second time it took me 30min to get her started again. I even installed a in line fuel filter cause I thought there might be some debris in the tank. I cleaned out the carb twice and also spayed WD-40 all over the rubber gasket connecting the carb to the intake and nothing. I check the plug for spark and it is fine it is even a nice chocolate color at the spark point. The cylinder seems to be getting good compression,I am stuck, beyond stuck and need some help. I am at the point of taking the bike to a mechanic on sunday. I called around and there is a guy about 45min away that said he has some experience with Brit bikes. Does anyone have any ideas.

[txpilot]

I forgot to mention that I can't get her to idle unless I have the idle set screw so high that it is idleing at above 2ooo rpms.

[longstrokeclassic]

To be 'idleing' that high you will have bypassed the pilot jet circuit and are using fuel drawn up from the float bowl via the central needle jet/main jet column, or possibly your spark is so weak the ignition circuit is relying on a higher charging output to keep it running without failing.

When you say the spark is fine , ideally it should be a blue/white (like lightning) and be able to jump 3/8" from the end of the HT lead to earth and emit an audible 'crack' as it does so. Any hint of orange in the spark is not generally considered a good sign.

Check both the airway and fuel feed on the pilot system for a partial blockage, and when the bike is next running try to move the carb body around to see if that exposes a split otherwise not apparent from the previous WD40 test.

[txpilot]

I don't think the spark is that pronounced. How do I fix that?

[Bath Bullet]

See my 'really running rough' thread, you may see some similarities there, and some help.
I would go for the condenser, or coil in your case, it could even be this in mine too!
good luck1

[longstrokeclassic]

Firstly you need to ensure the main chassis earth located behind the battery carrier has had sufficient paint removed to give a good clean contact with the frame. Occasionally the factory production line fails to remove any paint and the earth relies on whatever paint gets scuffed off as the bolt goes through and the nuts get tightened up. After checking and cleaning the frame and the earthing washer with wire wool or wet/dry coat both with vaseline to maintain good future conductivity upon reassembly.

Then check the low tension connectors are also clean and tight where they are fix onto the coil terminals.

Also check/clean/tighten/vaseline  the bullet connection where the feed from the points joins the main wiring loom.( just follow the wire up from the distributor). Any sign of green discolouration through the plastic cover is a sign of corrosion.
Take the oportunity to check the lower part of the HT coil is not in contact with the airfilter bracket as eventually it will cause the HT coil to fail.
 
If you can replace the standard HT lead with a good quality solid copper core lead and put some vaseline into the end of the coil before fitting it. ( I managed to obtain some 8mm Black & Yellow 'racing' lead at a classic autojumble - it has around 2-3 times the amount of copper than the standard fitted stuff - just a bit awkward to fit into the coil, as it needs a bit of thinning down before attaching the self crimping connector and inserting ).

Finally ensure you're not doubling up on resistors.  You either require a resistor plug cap and a non resistor plug, or a non resistor plug cap and a spark plug with one built in, having both will also dampen your spark down.
  Modern replacement plugs tend to have inbuilt resistors but the bike originally came without them. The best modern option is a non resistor plugcap  and an iridium tipped plug which comes with an inbuilt  resistor.

[DireWolf]

Change the $3.50 spark plug. 

[Billy B.]

  Have you visually checked the points to see if they are pitted , burnt or alright?  Just throwing my $1.05 in the pool.

[txpilot]

I just went out and started her up and she starts up fine. I pulled out the plug and checked it for spark. I think it's getting enough spark it was bright blue and I could here it crack even over the quacking of my duck bill when I turned her over. She even gave me quite the jolt because I didn't realize  I was toucking the plug at first. But again I can't get her to idle unless it's two high and once she got hot she ran aful. i even tried messing with the timming and adjusting the carb again. I didn't get to take her for a ride cause I have to work. BUt any suggestions?

[Billy B.]

 Could very well be bad petrol. Have had it happen to me more than a few times lately. Most recent incident was when I got what I thought was hi-test for my KLR250. Ran rougher and rougher the further I rode it. Would not idle and very poor performance. Checked all the above mentioned things and finally discovered it was fuel when I drained gas for the mower from the tank. Mower would not even start on the poor quality fuel.  Ended up draining tank adding new fuel and Sta-Bil additive to help remove any build up in the carb and in jets. Took about ten miles to get back to the pre incident state of operation.  The guy in front of me had filled up with premium from the same pump. Couldn't help but feel sorry for him spending $50 or $60. I spent $5.00
   The tank on my 08 Bullet was full of crap and other, lets say, debris from the factory. Probably solder ,flux a little rust and some condensation. I am sure that some is getting thru the filters as it dissolves an becomes suspended contamination robbing my fuel of power.

[mikail gransee]

I agree with the fuel issue, because I have also experienced this with my bike and found that this gas with ethanol in it does not work too well in any of my older vehicles either. 
Especially if the problem just appeared and you have not changed anything on your bike

[Foggy_Auggie]

Don't know the state of your bike, but - check for any hoses on the induction system that are supposed to be connected at both ends that may have come off one end causing a large air leak.  Excepting the float bowl overflow hose.

The little rubber donut around the choke plunger has to be tight against the carb top  body when the choke is off (lever "up").  Spray silicone or Chainwax on the brass plunger - this donut is supposed to stay down on the carb no matter were the choke lever is, but sometimes it sticks to the plunger instead of staying put.

Go through the pilot jet and idle adjust proceedure step by step as in the owner's manual.

[txpilot]

do you really think it could be something as simple as bad gas. What octane do you guys use on your bikes?

[PhilJ]

Normally I use 89. There was a discussion about using 91, so I thought I would try. After about 2 or three tanks I felt like the mix of 89 was gone. Coincidentally, on that tank I got the best milage I'd ever gotten, 92.5. But the next tank was 83.4. Since I ride basically the same road ever day that I ride and rarely go 50 mph I don't have any explanation for the difference. Maybe bad gas, I did get them at different stations. But for ten cents a gallon difference I'm going back to 89. There's not that bag a difference in mileage to offset the price.
Now, at last your question  Yes it could be bad fuel but if your using 89 octane and at a good station that has high usage, I would think probably not. If your getting gas from some little out of the way, mom and pop cause it's cheap, maybe.

Phil

[t120rbullet]

I took a trip on my HD this spring and got a bad tank of gas. It would not idle at all and would die at traffic lights and just generally ran like s~!t. It took 3 more tanks of gas to get it to the point where it ran good again.
Problem is I stopped at the same station on the way back and did it again.

A long time ago I started filling the tank up every 100 miles with the thought that if I got some bad gas at least I wouldn't have a whole tank of it. Good thing too because if I had whole tank of that stuff I doubt the bike would have run at all.
I have had bikes in the past that didn't seem to be gas quality sensitive (mostly 4 cylinder) but all of the bikes I'm riding now are. I think twins and singles are a lot more dependent on quality fuel than the multis.
Bullets will run on anything but if it's gets hard to start and idle gets touchy the gas would be the first thing I'd look at before I tore into it and compounded my problems.