Keith, Earl, your carb help is greatly needed!!

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Done and done.

The pilot screws are 2.5 turns out, the needles are in their factory position. I've tried shimming the needles, and that does not help either. I've done mechanical then vacuum sync with a Morgan Carbtune, and the sync is dead on. Diaphragms are intact, soft, and seal well. This just doesn't make sense... But, at least I have a workaround for the time being, so I can ride without worrying about holing a piston.

Anyone have any more ideas? Could the acutal problem be with the ignition itself, or with valve timing?

Considering what you say has been checked, I would check/adjust the float heights. Also, does your stock airbox still have it's lid? Are the floatbowl vent tubes routed so they're clear and not kinked?

[KEITH KRAUSE]

OK. Get the manifolds and also the new o-rings for them. Apply some hi-temp bearing grease to the o-rings and torque to 6 ft/lb. Turn your mixture screws out 1 1/2 turns. Then manually sinc the carbs and follow that with a vacuum tool sinc. We'll go from there. The missing floatbowl vent tubes would not cause a problem. In fact, the VM carb equipped bikes MUST have the tubes removed when pods are installed. I know you have CV carbs, but I still think the bowls vent better without them. Just be careful when washing the bike. If your pods don't fit the carb inlets, you have to get the correct size pods.
I know it's frustrating, but everything has to be right or you'll never get it running right. You're describing lean and also richness symptoms. You could have more than one problem. Just get the intake properly repaired and we can find out the problem sooner or later.