Bench sync/mixture question

Greetings all,

I've got a conundrum regarding plugs, mixture, and bench-synching.

The last time I had the bike running, things sounded pretty good. Idle was a little rough, probably because of an imperfect bench sync. But throttle response was decent, a slight hesitation. But I didn't get to go around the block because I noticed a fuel leak in the carbs...to be remedied.

Anyway, after I removed carbs to fix fuel leak, I checked the plugs and they were sooty and black. Definitely a rich mixture. My mixture screws are at 2.5 turns.

So here are the questions: when bench-synching, should any of the first bypass hole be exposed for an idle setting? Or should only the pilot hole be what bike runs on? See, I had to turn the idle adjust to keep the bike running at idle.

Also, how the rich mixture if screws are only 2.5 turns out and carbs are newly cleaned?

So close, so close!

 

Mechanic Haiku

You have too much fuel
Fuel leaks have many symptoms
Fix leak. Try again.

 

captluv, read RickCoMatic's write up on bench syncing, you should use just a thin sliver of card or a thin paperclip under the butterflys.
It sound like your floats are not shutting the fuel off, check fuel level in the bowls using the clear tube method.

 

+1 I vote float levels too.

 

Thanks, guys,

I will check the float levels again, but the valves and needles are all new, I replaced them with rebuild kits from Len. I think the leaks were from loose fuel t-fitting, and worn fuel line o-rings (to be replaced tomorrow).

Will update as necessary...