It could be anything from dirt in fuel tank through petcock to air/fuel mix. To answer the question: I have suffered that, but only after I installed cone K&N, harley exhaust and new jets. Everything was out of tune for a few days.
Having said that, and to narrow it down a bit: When did it start and how? Have you modified anything?

Is your idle too low?  Not good for oil flow..

I've had a problem with the bike running rough and shutting off during the heat of the summer after a long high speed ride on I-95. I would pull off the superslab and get caught at a stop light at the bottom of the exit. I think that the engine was spiking it's temperature from the run on the interstate. I richened up the air idle circuit by turning the jet out and it has run better since. It still runs rough sometimes but doesn't shut off.

PipJones wrote on 10/18/08 at 08:22:36:


Try running it on "PRI".

This sounds like the petcork or vacuum line between the petcork and carb.

How many miles on the machine?

This is a common complaint when the weather gets colder. Expect the vac line to fail after about 4k-5k miles, and the petcork seals  will fail after about  4 years.

On my bike, when WOT, the throttle cable would smash the vac hose against the head. Over time the heat and smashing caused the soda straw quality vac hose to crack. I replaced it with about 10 inches of Goodyear fuel line.

To answer the questions above:

My bike has 13500 miles on it, its a 98, has pipes off an hold screming eagle harly package (i believe, it used to have a fin on the end but i chopped that) The fellow I baught it from said he took it to a shop and had $1000 worth of work done on it, rejetting the carb, cleaning everything up, etc etc. When i got the bike the first thing i had to change was the clutch cable, it almost broke on me. I dont know a thing about carbs, but i'm not scared to try. I am about to take the bike apart to fix the famous oil leak, and if there is anything anyone thiknks i should try, i'm all ears. However i don't know the lingo of carbs so you guys might have to bear with me.


thanks for your help!

Pip Jones

So since you bought it was running fine for a while, than started acting up.

For start, I would first drain the tank 100% and remove it, fill some gas in it, splash and flush, then take the petcock out and check for dirt on the strainer. If you can, switch to PRI and blow some air through it direction opposite the fuel flow. While you're at it, replace the vacuum hose as a good measure (look posts above). Make sure it sits tight.
Also, if petcock can be taken apart, do it. Check for cracks in the membrane, to cover everything that can be done on the gas tank/petcock.
Assemble, fill up, switch to PRI, wait 20secs, switch to ON, test drive, scream for help if it doesn't work  

Again, that's just me.

I never took petcock apart on Savage. The one I did had a metal clip on the back side which held the lever axle in place. It should be fairly simple and visible. Some petcocks/faucets have a pin you have to knock out.
ABRO carb cleaner cleans everything, but it might eat rubber. Careful with diaphragm.