rubber pilot jet plug dried out?

[Guest]

I've cleaned my carbs, and my bike rides nice on the road, except at very low throttle(1/4 or less) it pops and burbles a bit on the left side.

I've been having a issues where the bike is fouling the #1 cyclinder plug when it idles for a while(testing and tuning). I ruled out airbox sealing/boots, manifold boots, wires/coils/voltage, float levels.
All the plugs look a little rich at idle, but #1 is very sooty, basicly it drops the cyl. I replace the plugs and its back to running great for a bit.

how dried out do the rubber pilot plugs need to be to let fuel around them? I'm guessing that all of them are letting a little by, but 1 propbably isn't sealing. they pushed in there, but I think they're just old

Should I just get new ones?

81 gs850g
pilot screws are @ 2 turns
factory jetting
Mac 4-2
K&N drop in lightly oiled

[BassCliff]

Hi,

They're cheap enough so, why not? Also check your float height and petcock.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[Zero260]

forgot to mention, I have an aftermarket no vacuum petcock.

[chef1366]

The float bowl pushes the plugs into place so for them to leak they would have to be very dry.
I have an extra four if they are but I have never seen them leak unless they were destroyed.

[Zero260]

any other thoughts as to why I'm rich on 1 cylinder?

[chef1366]

Make sure when you seat the idle mixture screws where they barely poke through the venturi. Maybe you didn't seat them properly when you went out two turns.
Do not over tighten them or you will get the end of the mixture screw jammed in the body.

[Zero260]

how do you seat them? I didn't see that step in the rebuild, unless you are refering to screwing them all the way in then backing out?

[chef1366]

how do you seat them? I didn't see that step in the rebuild, unless you are refering to screwing them all the way in then backing out?

Sometimes the threads are rough and it hangs up the rotation. I'm giving you a base when they are seated as the end of the screw barely pokes out in the Venturi.

[Andrew Vanis]

I have never seen them leak

when they do leak, what are the symptoms?