I own a 2000 harley sportster 1200 and its dying in secon gear and up. it acts like its not getting fuel and dies. its starts back up and does the same thing could it be the ignition module? it idles fine.

There's a couple of things we can try.

Drain both carburetors. There should be a screw on the lower side of each carb float bowl. Remove the screw then replace it after the fuel drains. Any water in the gas? Remove the water trap bowl at the bottom of the petcock, (gas valve). Any water or trash in the bowl? Drain a cup of gas from the tank. Any water or trash in the cup? Dump it, clean it and re-mount it, ( not all bikes have a water trap bowl ). Turn the gas back on and wait a minute for the carbs to fill with gas. Install new stock spark plugs and try to start the engine. If the bike doesn't start and run properly then shut off the gas and remove the carburetors from the engine.

FOR EACH CARB > Remove the float bowl and clean the entire carb with a spray carb cleaner from the auto parts store. Wear protective goggles to avoid getting spray in your eyes. Spray well into all the little airways and fittings in the carb. Remove the two screws on the outside throat of the carb and spray into the screw holes as well.
< < READ CLOSELY > >
Be sure to put these two screws back in the same hole they came out of. IMPORTANT > do not tighten these two screws down. Only screw these in until they LIGHTLY seat. Now turn each screw one and one half turns outward. Put the rest of the carb back together, clean the air filter and install the carb. Let the float bowl fill then start the engine. This process should get you back on the road.



I will send the process to balance the carbs in a separate posting.

There's a couple of things we can try.
Drain both carburetors. There should be a screw on the lower side of each carb float bowl. Remove the screw then replace it after the fuel drains. Any water in the gas? Remove the water trap bowl at the bottom of the petcock, (gas valve). Any water or trash in the bowl? Drain a cup of gas from the tank. Any water or trash in the cup? Dump it, clean it and re-mount it, ( not all bikes have a water trap bowl ). Turn the gas back on and wait a minute for the carbs to fill with gas. Install new stock spark plugs and try to start the engine. If the bike doesn't start and run properly then shut off the gas and remove the carburetors from the engine.

FOR EACH CARB > Remove the float bowl and clean the entire carb with a spray carb cleaner from the auto parts store. Wear protective goggles to avoid getting spray in your eyes. Spray well into all the little airways and fittings in the carb. Remove the two screws on the outside throat of the carb and spray into the screw holes as well.
< < READ CLOSELY > >
Be sure to put these two screws back in the same hole they came out of. IMPORTANT > do not tighten these two screws down. Only screw these in until they LIGHTLY seat. Now turn each screw one and one half turns outward. Put the rest of the carb back together, clean the air filter and install the carb. Let the float bowl fill then start the engine. This process should get you back on the road.

I will send the process to balance the carbs in a separate posting.

Here is how to finish the carb work.

SYNCHRONIZE THE CARBS

Remove the air filter and rubber fittings to allow you to see into the throat of both carbs. You may need a mirror to see inside. You need to be able to see the slides go up and down when you twist the throttle. Now turn the fitting where the cable goes into each carb such that there is just a bit of slack in the cable, 1/16" is plenty. Lock ONE of the cable adjusters down tight. All further adjustments will be made on the other carb.



With the motor turned off twist the throttle very slowly while looking at the slides. Both slides need to begin lifting at the exact same moment. If the slides don't raise at the exact same time then slowly twist the throttle until the locked adjuster slide just barely starts to move. Hold the throttle still and turn the adjuster on the other carb so that the slide on that carb just barely starts to move also. Now recheck the slide movement timing. Do this process until the slides on both carbs begin to raise at the EXACT same moment. Lock down the loose adjuster and re-check the slides.



BALANCE THE CARBS

Turn the throttle screw on the LEFT carb one half turn inward. Now start the engine and get it warmed up. With the engine running, remove the RIGHT spark plug wire. Adjust the idle speed on the left carb to the point where the engine just can't quite stay running and dies. Now put the loose spark plug wire back into place.



Now turn the throttle screw on the RIGHT carb one half turn inward. Restart and rev the engine. Next, remove the LEFT spark plug wire. Adjust the idle speed on the right carb to the point where the engine just can't quite stay running and dies. Now put the loose spark plug wire back into place.



Turn the idle screw on each carb EXACTLY ONE QUARTER turn outward and restart the engine. The engine will be probably be idling very fast. Adjust both the idle screws equally from this point to get to the desired idle speed. Congratulations, you have just synchronized and balanced your carb Here is how to finish the carb work.
SYNCHRONIZE THE CARBS
Remove the air filter and rubber fittings to allow you to see into the throat of both carbs. You may need a mirror to see inside. You need to be able to see the slides go up and down when you twist the throttle. Now turn the fitting where the cable goes into each carb such that there is just a bit of slack in the cable, 1/16" is plenty. Lock ONE of the cable adjusters down tight. All further adjustments will be made on the other carb.

With the motor turned off twist the throttle very slowly while looking at the slides. Both slides need to begin lifting at the exact same moment. If the slides don't raise at the exact same time then slowly twist the throttle until the locked adjuster slide just barely starts to move. Hold the throttle still and turn the adjuster on the other carb so that the slide on that carb just barely starts to move also. Now recheck the slide movement timing. Do this process until the slides on both carbs begin to raise at the EXACT same moment. Lock down the loose adjuster and re-check the slides.

BALANCE THE CARBS
Turn the throttle screw on the LEFT carb one half turn inward. Now start the engine and get it warmed up. With the engine running, remove the RIGHT spark plug wire. Adjust the idle speed on the left carb to the point where the engine just can't quite stay running and dies. Now put the loose spark plug wire back into place.

Now turn the throttle screw on the RIGHT carb one half turn inward. Restart and rev the engine. Next, remove the LEFT spark plug wire. Adjust the idle speed on the right carb to the point where the engine just can't quite stay running and dies. Now put the loose spark plug wire back into place.

Turn the idle screw on each carb EXACTLY ONE QUARTER turn outward and restart the engine. The engine will be probably be idling very fast. Adjust both the idle screws equally from this point to get to the desired idle speed. Congratulations, you have just synchronized and balanced your carb