Float height voodoo

[Grainbelt]

So I decided my carbs were goofy and took them apart to clean and check float height. The float in question is set at what looks like 10-11 mm (exotic measurement provided by holding open ended wrenches up against the carburetor). 

I'm all goofed up by everything being upside down and kind of high off gas fumes at this point, so let me run something by you: The bike was running extremely rich - barely running actually, except with the choke on or the idle set stupid-high. I think that the float measurement noted above would be allowing waaaay too much fuel into the float bowls and causing the problem, if my upside down geometry serves me well.

Can anybody confirm same? Did I find the (possible) source of my problem?

edit: I just realized that I misinterpreted the manual and there's a little jet needle sticking up that the metal tab depresses. (was measuring to where the metal tab picked up the needle valve. Float height in that case actually about 6mm. 6 mm!!! no wonder it won't run for crap!!!!

Still open for input...

[Egaeus]

Have you been reading the Clymer manual?  Tsk tsk...

http://gstwin.com/float_height_check.htm

That's the best way to test the float height.  Taking the carb off and using a ruler or whatever is a terrible way to tell the fuel level.  I don't know WTF the authors of the Clymer manual were thinking. 

[Grainbelt]

While I agree that it sucks and is a pain in the ass, I'll set them to my eyeball's best measurement and reassemble. Back to the question at hand - would the extra fuel in the float bowl (and I mean a LOT of extra fuel) be causing my issues?

[Egaeus]

Excess fuel in the float bowl will definitely cause it to run rich, but make sure it has too much fuel in the float bowl.  I tried the Clymer method before finding Kerry's on the site, and screwed up my fuel level in the left carb.

[Grainbelt]

Moving on to float valve needle voodoo. The rubber gaskets that didn't seem out of spec to me must be. the plastic piece that the float valve needle sits in readily pops in and out of the fuel inlet hole, and I think gas is just pouring in around it. Bike ran really well for about 5 seconds though. 

Time for a rebuild kit. Don't bother with recommendations, I'll use the damn search function.

[D-Day]

So I decided my carbs were goofy and took them apart to clean and check float height. The float in question is set at what looks like 10-11 mm (exotic measurement provided by holding open ended wrenches up against the carburetor). 

I'm all goofed up by everything being upside down and kind of high off gas fumes at this point, so let me run something by you: The bike was running extremely rich - barely running actually, except with the choke on or the idle set stupid-high.

If it would only run with the choke on, it was running lean, not rich, to begin with.  Food for thought.