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My 52 FL floods very easy, making it difficult to start often. It was very apparent at the recent PA road run, where a couple of guys told me they always start their panheads at full throttle because of flooding at startup. I have tried that with minimal success. I have built, owned and ridden this bike for over 40 years and in the past have started it, basically, very similar to my big twin flathead. When cold, two or three prime kicks with throttle closed and full choke, then choke off, retard spark, 1/4 throttle and kick. When warm, just 1/4 throttle and kick. It has always been harder to start then my flathead and much easier to flood. However, I live at about 5000 feet, so thought maybe starting issues at the road run were somewhat related to altitude difference.
Before I left for the road run I completed a tune-up; adjusted solid lifters, set points, cleaned plugs and checked timing. When I returned I pulled the float bowl and set float level, and noted that it was a little low before I checked it. I went for a test ride yesterday. I flooded it when cold with 3 prime kicks and had to kick the crap out of it with full throttle to get it started. On the ride when warmed up, I shut it down 3 times; first time kicked it full throttle and it flooded so had to kick it a bunch with full throttle to clean it out and start it, second time tried 1/4 throttle and flooded again resulting in a bunch of kicking with full throttle to clean it out, last time tried full throttle and it fired right up. When I got home, shut it down and let it sit for 5 minutes and attempted full throttle start; once again flooded it immediately. When I checked the plugs, the front one was maybe a little light and the rear about right.
I should note that when running the bike performs very well.
Any thoughts about the tendency to flood at start up on this bike?
Before I left for the road run I completed a tune-up; adjusted solid lifters, set points, cleaned plugs and checked timing. When I returned I pulled the float bowl and set float level, and noted that it was a little low before I checked it. I went for a test ride yesterday. I flooded it when cold with 3 prime kicks and had to kick the crap out of it with full throttle to get it started. On the ride when warmed up, I shut it down 3 times; first time kicked it full throttle and it flooded so had to kick it a bunch with full throttle to clean it out and start it, second time tried 1/4 throttle and flooded again resulting in a bunch of kicking with full throttle to clean it out, last time tried full throttle and it fired right up. When I got home, shut it down and let it sit for 5 minutes and attempted full throttle start; once again flooded it immediately. When I checked the plugs, the front one was maybe a little light and the rear about right.
I should note that when running the bike performs very well.
Any thoughts about the tendency to flood at start up on this bike?
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