Hi all. I'm new to posting on forums, but i've been lurking and reading for a while.
I've been riding an 86 fourtrax 250 for the past few seasons and have done nothing but oil changes to it - thing starts and runs great. On an unrelated note, we also have an 84 200 fourtrax with a pull start that also runs amazing. Honda is great. This season my husband and I acquired a few new machines. This is a long explanation but i want you all to have all the info - because i'm confused.
1st, i live in colorado so at home we're at 5300 feet and riding we're going to be a bit higher. So, my thoughts are: tune the machines at home, and when we're riding they'll be running slightly rich. Should save us from all those lean problems - rich engines just foul plugs at the very worst, right?

New to me 2003 250ex. The bike was not running well, it would die at various throttle positions and not start back up. We bought it off craigslist so I figure it's got a dirty clogged carb. Opened up the carb, promptly lost the main jet - so i have no idea what size it was running. The machine is entirely stock, so i assume it was a #95. Went and bought a new #92 main (for elevation) and a #40 pilot. I read somewhere that a coldblooded machine does well with a larger pilot. Put it all back together, pilot screw adjusted to factory spec of out 1 3/4 turns. Bike won't idle, keeps dying, and now won't start. Turns out that, among other possible issues, with the gas on "on" there is no gas. I can only get gas on reserve (full tank).
So now the bike is starting but still won't idle. I turned the idle way up and started turning the pilot screw. I've got it purring nicely now, but the pilot screw is turned out ALOT now. I didn't count how far, but it was alot. Does this indicate I need an even bigger pilot jet? Any thoughts on the gas "on" issue? Also, "off" doesn't completely shut off the system.
I've got a newly cleaned and oiled foam filter and no mods done to any systems.
thanks for any help, sorry the the excessive length!