Thanks to Stormi, Red and PeteSV for the help they sent my way today as I took part in Round 1 of the jetting of my bike. Unfortunately a for sale sign will be attached to it as soon as its back in running order (funds are tight and my boat is taking priority
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I installed the pilot jets and main jets, put the spacers in the diaphragm and cut back the spring as per Dale's instructions. Now its off to the gas station for fresh gas and I'm going to fire her up and see if I did at least one thing right. No extra parts laying around so I'll assume that's one point in my favor. I'm hoping a carb sync won't be necessary. I did not remove the carbs completely. Dale has instructions now on how to keep the throttle cables on and just slide the whole bank of carbs out. Nothing came apart. I simply drained and removed the float bowls and the top caps one at a time. I swapped jets and screwed everything back in with the lovely stainless allen bolts provided. No more stripping those stupid JIS screws.
Here is what I discovered upon doing all this.
First off, on two of the four carbs, the spring in the top cap was bound up and kinked. The slide did not move smoothly at all, in fact it hardly moved. I know the dopey at Suzuki who "cleaned" the carbs two years ago did not re-install these correctly. The pilot screws were unplugged at least. I did find a small, small, spot of filthy, black, fuzzy looking stuff in one float bowl. Cleaned it out, inspected all the jets, everything looks ok. The others did not have that problem at all.
I pulled the outside plugs and actually considering it overheated once bad and hasn't run nicely at all in two years, they have a good burn to them. They're clean, a little tan looking and in good shape. Maybe the carbs were never sync'd correctly? I'll get to the ignition advance soon enough too.
While we're on the topic of the ignition advance, can I use permatex avaition gasket sealer for that gasket? I use it on marine powerheads for cylinder head gaskets. It should be the same as the silicone he prescribed.
Talk to you all again in about fifteen or twenty.
Thanks again to all who may roll in here and offer advice.