running rich

i have later style vm28's that run rich
(black plugs) would it be better to drop the floats or lower the needle? keep in mind that the float level is not too high because it does not overflow. in the past i just lowered the floats...thought i would tap some of the experience on the forum...get a better way of doing it. thanks guys.

I'm not a carb guru, but wouldn't lowering the floats just starve you for fuel?

I have a similar problem, black plugs, so will watch this for answers.

Wouldn't turning out the air screws a little give more air and lean out the mixture? Or lowering the needles like you suggested, letting less gas being mixed in.

i guess lowering the floats would be bad...i think.
truth is..i just do not know everything about carbs..
not that much really. i guess i could lower the needle one notch..or turn out the screw .5 turn. see how it goes.

ok....i set the floats correctly to 24mm...seems to idle fine and run fine when at a steady rpm...but under accelleration with the throttle almost to wide open it "sputters" or misses or something to that effect...what could cause this? i ran it with no filters...could that cause this? the main jet is a 120..the idle air screws are 1.5 turns out.

Depending on what type of filter/s your carbs are jetted for, running without filter/s would throw the mixture way off.

The suggested air screw adjustment is only going to assist you in leaning the mixture at idle. You need to lower the needles at least one notch. Do NOT lower the floats.

BARNEYHYPHEN wrote:

The suggested air screw adjustment is only going to assist you in leaning the mixture at idle. You need to lower the needles at least one notch. Do NOT lower the floats.

thanks...i'll try it..i am on hold for some new points at the moment, so this is a good time to break the carbs down and do this..i'll let you know!

Running without the filters is going to make your bike run way too lean. My KZ700 wouldn't go more than 25 mph without filters, it had lost that much power.

masospaghetti wrote:

Running without the filters is going to make your bike run way too lean. My KZ700 wouldn't go more than 25 mph without filters, it had lost that much power.

thats the way i bought it.
it had velocity stacks on it. i assume that
they jetted the carbs this way also. i
intend on getting pod filters soon.