i currently do have the stock needle in.
Should i lean the stock needle? (its 4th from the top...i was thinking about trying 2nd/3rd from the top, and putting fuel screw at 2 turns out)

 

I used to run the setup with the 5th position and 175 main, but always had a hick-up punching it around a corner or hammering down for a hillclimb or coming off a jump. for this reason I purchased the dynojet kit and really liked the needle it comes with much better. it seemed to me the dynojet needle leaned the low end, its much longer than the stocker.

But back on you issue at hand, the plug checks are screwy with a brand new plug, its like it takes a while for the plug to break in and allow the color to be aquired or something. you can use a new plug to check jetting, but you can't pay any attention to the color, you must simply look for soot. ignore the ceramic, just look at the base ring (end of the threads). the base ring should be soot free, if it looks like velvet its from richness. Over time, the ceramic should turn tan and the electrode hook should also go tan if the mixture is right, but it won't happen right away on a new plug.
at the same time, if an old plug that is black is used for chop checks, its not gonna totally clean up to tan if the mixture is right, but it will be soot free. any soot buildup on an old plug will burn off if the mixture is right, but you will never totally get the clean ceramic back. but just as you can use a new plug to look for soot, you can use an old one too.

Now I don't run the stock carb anymore, but when I changed from an open end yoshi to my disk system white bros., I had to lower my needle 1 notch, from 4th to 3rd. the vacuum that the disk systems make seem to pull more fuel. its not an air restriction, 'cause I got more power and wheelies are easier. its a vacuum thing. maybe you do need to drop the needle, but tune the main first by plug chopping and looking for that soot.

the seat cover is from Jet-Trim, $120.

 

I agree with MisterHP. What kind of fuel are you running? It makes a big difference. From the looks of the plugs, pump gas?

 

from the way your plugs look and the way u said it smokes on start up. i would say u are real close on top but rich on the bottem, on way to tell if your pilet is to rich is when u are ajusting the air screw if u turn it more than 4 times out and it dont start to hiccup....u proberly need a smaller pilet.

 

i run 93 octane pump gas

when i was trying to adjust my fuel screw, (using the two bog-method) i noticed that mine...didnt really want to bog.... if i screwed it in all the way (so it was only about 1/4 out) it would run fine ok, and would only die after running for a few seconds, or blipping the throttle (im assuming that was just because it was then giving it near 0 fuel...)

so maybe one size smaller pilot would help.... (so a 40 mikuni?) when i went to order the pilots at my local shop, they had two different mikunis...does anyone know which "style" it is? (i could just go pull it out, but i would rather wait till i got the new ones before i took my carb apart again)

Thanks guys

 

I would try MR. HP's suggestions with 87 octane..IMO[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

if i use a lesser octane, it retards the timing correct? (slower burn?)

will that just make it run better? (will it have any ill-effects? i believe the Big gun cdi i have Advances the timing... ?)

it would be nice to be able to buy 87/89 though! (at our local station the lowest we have is 89) because with the prices gas is at, every bit helps!

 

When you set the idle mixture, it won't actually bog. The idle will simply get slower, it's hard to pick it up without a tach. When I checked the Honda, from one extreme to the other was over 2 turns, close to 3 if I remember correctly. Take your time setting it, move a quarter turn at a time and let it settle out before you go further. I set mine at about 1 and a half turns out from the lean setting where the engine speed dropped noticeably. It's not an exact science, and doesn't have to be, anywhere in the middle between the two should give decent results.
I'm thinking you should try running the new plug for maybe half an hour or so at mid-throttle settings if possible, spend the least amount of time possible at an idle. Then, do the chop at above half throttle (it doesn't really have to be wide open). The longer the steady run you can get before chopping the ignition the better. Have a look at the NGK page on reading plugs.

NGK

It sounds like you're quite rich at idle, and maybe lean on the top end. I remember before I reset the idle mixture on the Honda you could smell raw gas out of the exhaust, and the plug was quite dark. I also changed the plug back to the standard heat range at the same time, so what was causing the problem remains a mystery.

Get the idle sorted out first, once you have that nailed move up through the throttle range a bit at a time going through the needle and then finally the main if you run out of adjustment on the needle.

 

you guys realize that MR.HP's suggestion will make him richer than he already is, don't you? I mean his problem is that he's too rich now, dropping the clip another notch does indeed richen things to the contrary of the direction he needs to go.

Just to throw another variable into the mix here, dirt in the float valve causes the bowl to overflow, and an overflowing bowl makes every part of the throttle range too rich. while you got the bowl off, take the float valve and seat apart and make sure its all clean.

 

alright ill have to check that out....

one thing im wondering now, is if my Main jet is plugged. when i started doing my first jetting, i noticed my main was partially plugged (which would make the top a little lean)