Engine idles then dies

Alright, when I first got my 650 csr, I noticed that during WOT it felt like it wasn’t at full power, and it would randomly kick in (you could see how that would be dangerous) and while idling it sounded a little rough, but it would stay alive. It also liked to backfire.
So I took off my carbs, cleaned out the jets, put it all back together, and the idling sounded much better’ That was until I put the choke back down and the bike started struggling and eventually would die. It would start up again, with the all the way up, and I would have to get going then put the choke down, and it would be really hard to get going during 1.5k-3k rpm’s, but once riding it felt smooth, WOT felt a lot better, but sure enough every time I stopped, it would just die.
Here’s some key notes
1. I do not have the airbox on at the moment, because the boots are harder than diamond so there was no way of putting it back on, and I didn’t want to buy pods and rejet the carbs, so I currently have the boots soaking in isopropyl alcohol and wintergreen oil to soften them up, then hopefully be able to somehow squeeze it all back together
2. I cleaned out my tank out as best as I could and put fresh gas in it.
3. I’m not particularly sure the settings for the air/fuel mixture screw. I also hope I’m tightening the correct screw (in the picture attached below)
4. Just recently, when it would die, it wouldn’t start back up. I’m assuming it’s a battery problem since it sounds nearly dead so I’ll charge it in the morning, but in case it’s not, I figured I’d mention it.
I know I probably shouldn’t have driven the bike without the airbox, but I’m still learning all of this and I was very anxious to see if I fixed the idling problem, which initially it sounded like I did, until it died.
Personally, I think it’s a combo of the no airbox, and my air/fuel mixture screw settings. But I’m new to this so I don’t know :side:
Any help is appreciated. If it means anything, I’m at about 4,500 ft above sea level.
Thanks!

The screw in the pic isn't a mixture screw.
It's the drain screw for the float chamber.
The mixture screw is set vertically behind the float bowl on the inlet boot side.
With you needing choke to run below 3k it's most likely that the pilot circuit needs attention but also running without the air box and corrective jetting won't be helping the issue.

Yup. Everything you mentioned point to carbs that are not really clean and leaking carb holders. The carbs really need to be taken completely apart and thoroughly cleaned.there are quite a few really tiny passageways that need to be perfectly clear. If the tank was dirty inside, the carbs may be contaminated again. A thorough cleaning and the installation of a high quality fuel filter, like a Golan Super-mini, will help keep more crud from getting into the carbs.
There are some good tutorials here at KZR and there are plenty of helpful folks to walk you through the process.
Be sure to download a copy of the factory service manual for your exact year and model. It will be invaluable. If KZR does not have the correct manual on file, you can usually find one on eBay.

P.S. Based on what I have read, the wintergreen treatment may make the boots softer for a while, but they will soon harden again. The only long term solution is new ones.

How would I fix the leaking carb holders if that's a problem? And would it be a good idea to get an inline fuel filter? Is there anything I need to change or can I just install it and I'm good to go with that?
I feel like I cleaned the carbs well. I noticed I cleaned them once, then literally the next day after riding around, I took them off to see how they were, and they were already clogged. I'm assuming that could be from dirty fuel? If so, what do you recommend I do to clean out my tank?
Sorry for all the questions, Just want to get my baby runnin' good before I have to store her.
Also, yeah I plan to get new carb boots, I just wanted to get it set up quickly and see if that helped.

I helped someone with a charging issue on the side of the freeway. I thought it was fuel as it would only run on choke.
It was a charging issue.
The coils didn't need as much power to fire a super rich mixture. Once he leaned it out the bike would die.
The battery had just enough power to fire the rich mixture before it would die.

So you think it could be the battery? I just barely went outside and checked it and the battery did just die as I attempted to start it.

You seem to have a lot of problems. Probably best to tackle them one at a time. I would say batter should be first on your list.

As for the carbs...you've gotten good advice above. Fix your air intake first. I've heard (but never tried) a 15 minute dip in xylene will soften the boots, but you should be able to buy new ones through Partzilla, or even from your local Kawasaki dealer.

I'm repeating, but make sure your tank is very clean, and definitely add a fuel filter. The carbs themselves need to be thoroughly cleaned, particularly if you've run the bike without an air intake and with a semi clean gas tank. Your manifold intake boots need to be tight...you can tell if you're getting air bypassing the carbs by spraying a little WD40 on each carb boot while the engine idles. If the rpm's drop then you have leakage.

My manifold boots seem to stick to my carbs super tight, its pretty hard to get the carbs off. I'll try testing for leaking once my battery is charged :silly:
Can I find the inline fuel filters at just any auto parts store?

It appears you have a lot of "stuff" going on with your bike. #1 item is a GOOD battery. It is a priority. Carb to head manifolds (holders) are also a priority. If they are original then I would automatically assume they are kaput. You will chase your tail trying to fix things with bad manifolds. I can't speak to your bike, but if the carbs are super tight as you said then the holders are probably super hard which is no good. They should be pliable, but firm. Remove and clean out the gas tank by whatever means you have available..Not much sense to cleaning the carbs when more crud is just going to get in them. As far as fuel filters go, I use the small plastic ones with the bronze filter element. Not at lot of room on a KZ-1000 for large filters. You can find the small plastic filters at almost any motorcycle repair/parts shop. I like them because they work, they don't clean out your wallet and you can see what's getting in them from your gas tank. They are available in straight or 90 degree configurations. If you get them some are directional for fuel flow. As an aside, you may want to check your main wire connections for corrosion emphasis the battery terminals, especially if you end up installing a new battery.

I'll look into finding replacement parts for those, or even ways to just make them more pliable.
Thanks!

Golan fuel filter. Be sure to get the correct barb size for your fuel line.

golanproducts.com/product-category/filters/super-mini-filters/