Where to start ...

[magicmonkey]

I've got a ZXR250a from all the way back in 1989, it's one old piece of machinery! Anyway, when I bought it, it wasn't running and had been sat around in a garage for 2 years. So, I got the carbs off and gave them a good clean, inside and out, replaced the plugs and leads, set the timing back to factory and generally tidied up a few things. Now I'm stuck with a different problem, it'll start but it takes quite a lot to get it going which I believe to be carb related as all the cylinders are firing and in the right order. Also, the revs bog down if I open the throttle when it's warming up but it works fine when it's warm. I'm thinking it might be due to a lean mixture but I've turned the pilot screws out 4 turns already and I can still see unburned fuel on the plugs if I pop them out after running the engine, which I thought would point more towards a rich mixture than a lean one. It also won't start without the choke on full, regardless of how warm the engine is...

So, I'm kind of hoping someone might be able to point me in the direction of where to start looking? I'm just about to check the float heights and set them back to stock (if they're out, obviously) but I'm not too sure that's the right place to start ...

[CaNsA]

Turn the idle up a bit mate, then it should start

[magicmonkey]

Turn the idle up a bit mate, then it should start

oh I wish!! I've experimented with the idle screw, throttle and choke to see how it likes starting and it seems to want no throttle, minimal opening on the idle screw and all the choke it can get. Playing around with idle settings didn't seem to have much of an impact on this one