every plug reading really different!

[GabrielGoes]

the plugs range from pitch black/wet to all white and everything inbetween lol... i have a few questions for you nice experienced folks! does turning the "pilot fuel screw" left(out) enrichen the mixture or lean it out? and what exactly does the "pilot jet" affect?

i just put on pods and went from 105main/17pilot --- to 125 main/20 pilot as suggested by someone here before... the bike almost runs really good/perfect accept at the end of my ride i noticed when im at a red light trying to accelerate smooth/slowly out of gear it really bogs and struggles for a moment and other than that it's becomes perfect again! read the plugs after a 2 hour ride and i got some really mixed up results... thankss for reading

[Big T]

Pictures are mandatory for plug readings

[Steve]

I am sure that at different times during your "2 hour ride", you applied different throttle settings. What you need to do is to hold ONE throttle setting for a set amount of time (it's considerably less than two hours ), hit the "kill" switch, THEN close the throttle and coast to a stop. That is the time to read the colors on the plugs. (This process is called "plug chops" and is outlined in one of the many pages on BassCliff's site.)

Now, back to your original question:
Turning the pilot FUEL screw out (left, counter-clockwise) will richen the mixture.

In general, turning any screw that adjusts flow in a counter-clockwise direction will admit more of what the screw is controlling. In this case, you are controlling fuel, so it will richen the mixture. If you turn the pilot AIR screw counter-clockwise, you will LEAN the mixture because you will be admitting more air.

Now, ... are you sure you are talking about the right screw?
The pilot FUEL screw is the one on the bottom of the carb, the pilot AIR screw is the one on the side of the carb.

With pods and a pipe on your bike, you might not have had to go to a larger pilot jet, but you should have the pilot fuel screw out about one full turn and the pilot air screw out about double that.

To answer your other question:
The pilot circuit is what feeds your engine at idle and very low throttle openings.

If your carbs are not SPOTLESSLY clean, trying to read your jetting won't mean a thing.

.

[GabrielGoes]

awesome and thanks for replying that was extremely helpful because you cleared up everything for me in a second.. yes i am sure it was the "pilot FUEL screw", i made sure because i looked at the diagram on "vm" carbs on the gs garage section which shows everything... i am going to try to switch back to 17 pilot jets to see if that helps.. thank you very much for your info!

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Sounds like you're loading up at idle which is regulated by the pilot circuit.
20 is too big for your mods. 17.5 will be enough but first try the stock 15 and adjust the pilot fuel screws underneath. Try 1 1/2 turns out from LIGHTLY seated first and test. Test at 1/5 throttle or less to see what the pilot circuit is doing. Pay attention to warm up time, "spitting" out from the pods, excessive decel' popping, slow to return rpm's... You can richen the pilot circuit by richening the screws up to approx' 3 turns out. Beyond that point they are beyond their range of effect and a larger jet would be needed.
Plug testing for the pilot circuit is a little more difficult than testing the jet needle or main circuits. Harder to get an honest read and the reads may seem to change with each check even if no changes were made. Patience. Best way to test is at just above minimal throttle opening. Cruise around town in 4th/5th gear at around 35/40 mph and then chop off to get a read. The screws are sensitive to adjustment and you may have to tinker a bit when winter comes around again, but not much. Make sure all reads are taken after the bike is fully warmed up.
Be sure the side air screws are adjusted using the highest rpm method too. Very important.
If no joy with the 15 pilot jets, then install the 17.5 and initially set the pilot fuel screws to something close to factory...about 3/4 turn out. Test. No way you should need larger pilots than 17.5.

[GabrielGoes]

awesome! you dont know how much you guys are helping me with that info!! thank you..

p.s.

does anyone know tip on how to avoid gas spills/mess's when taking off the carbs and changing main/pilot jets? i usually just turn them upside down into a garbage can lid or something...

[49er]

awesome! you dont know how much you guys are helping me with that info!! thank you..

p.s.

does anyone know tip on how to avoid gas spills/mess's when taking off the carbs and changing main/pilot jets? i usually just turn them upside down into a garbage can lid or something...

After the carbs are off the bike, I loosen off the drain screws one at a time and let the fuel drain into an old cup, before re-tightening them.