650ed wrote: In an earlier posting you stated "........ knowing the use of pod filters is a far cry better than the stock air box......"
I don't know where you got that idea, but it is not factual, especially for a stock engine with CV carbs. If you put pods on it you will spend a fair amount of time and treasure trying to get them to work as well as the stock airbox with the stock air filter in place. Some folks have eventually been successful, but it is not usually a simple task, and there are often lingering performance issues such as the affect of rain and/or side wind.
Regarding the problem of needing to use the choke so much - if you have not done so already I recommend you test the carb holders for air leaks. If air is being drawn in through the carb holders it might explain your need to enrich the air/fuel mixture by using the choke. The effect of carb holder leaks can vary widely as the temperature of the cylinder head and/or carb holder changes. This is because the air leaks in between the mating surfaces through tiny cracks in the rubber, and as these cool or heat up the rubber on the carb holder mating surface may seal or not seal better against the cylinder head. In any event, this is worth checking because it is very easy to do, and if you find a leak it should be corrected.
Carb holders will eventually develop tiny cracks in the mating surfaces between the holders and the cylinder head that can cause them to leak at idle. These cracks cannot be seen with the carb holders in place. I suggest you try the following. Get the engine warmed up and temporarily set the idle as low as possible without killing the engine (lower than 900 rpm if possible). The lower the better because with the idle very low the slides are nearly shut and the vacuum inside the carb holders is at its highest. Then spray carb cleaner around the carb holders, especially where they mate with the cylinder head and where the carbs attach to them. Carb cleaner works best for this test as it doesn't leave an oily mess with WD40 or evaporate so quickly that it is not drawn into the leaks as can happen with propane or starting fluid (ether). If the engine dies or reacts to the carb cleaner, you need to replace the carb holders. Carb holder leak related problems are noticeable at idle but generally don't have much impact when riding because the throttle is open. If you find you need to replace the carb holders soak the screws with Kroil for a couple days before attempting to remove them, and use JIS standard, NOT Phillips, screwdriver bits, and this will greatly improve the odds that you will not break or strip a carb holder fastener as so many have done. Let me know if you need info on JIS bits, I have a good link for making your own at no cost. Ed
OK,
I'm going to recant my pod filter statement of being better than a stock air box. Your right about the stock box being better for a stock engine. I'm more likely to keep the stock box than not.
I just did a leak test on the carb holders. Engine warm and idling. No leak detected. No change in low 700-800 rpm idle. Throttle response however is a little sluggish.
Today upon cold start this time #4 cylinder was not getting as hot as the other three. Meaning the problem has moved from #2 to #4. Even #2 was a little slow to start heating up but soon matched the other two. This isn't the first time I noticed this. I suspected it at least once or twice before. Normally it's been #2 running cold till the engine warms up on choke at high idle. Once it starts getting warm the otherwise cold cylinder starts getting hot and the engine starts running fine. (on all four cylinders)
I actually wouldn't have been surprised to have found a cracked carb holder leak. Getting these carbs in and out from between rather stiff holders and air box hoses hasn't exactly been an easy task. Leak or not they do need to be replaced. I did order new air box hoses but not the holders. I blew this weeks budget on a clutch kit, plates, cable, the air box hoses needles and seats plus a few other parts. But what the hell ... I'll order sum tomorrow.
So ... I still think its something to do with the carbs. They're likely running lean on fuel at least during start up.
I'm not trying or meaning to sound like I'm being hard headed about this. I'm listening to what yall are telling me and trying to eliminate one thing at a time. I'm just not convinced I've eliminated the carbs as being the culprit yet.
Robert