Thanks for the sync tip hamlin, I got a Motion Pro sync tool, test tank (my lawnmower tank didn't work that well) and angled bit tool. My carb bank has a dihedral type shape so there's room to get at the mixture screws I'm pretty sure.

 

I synced the carbs, which weren't that far off to begin with I don't think. Cylinder 3 is a little off but not too bad I don't think for my first crack at it. The pilot screw tool didn't work (Not enough room to get down in there) but I was able to use a flashlight and a really long screwdriver. Brought them back to 2 1/2 turns to common suggestion around here and it appears the problem got a little worse. When brought to a stable idle a quick snap of the throttle causes a high idle around 5k that won't stop until I turn the engine off. The service manual suggests to start at 2 5/8 turns and adjust from there, then to open one more turn. This would suggest that 4 turns or so would be the right adjustment. I had it at 3 turns and it ran a little better - It seems to be running lean now. Maybe try 4 turns?

When adjusting idle to a point where it struggles to stay running the problem goes away almost entirely but I have to hold the throttle to keep the bike going.

And it starts really really hard when it's cold. I have aftermarket exhaust so probably the jets and main needle were replaced. Would it be worth trying to raise the main jet needle up a notch to richen the conditions at idle.

 

That's an odd result. It looks like you might be trying to make two adjustments at once. The pilot screws are set up using the Idle Drop Procedure. Balancing the carbs is a separate operation, and that's what you'd use the motion pro tool for

To perform the Idle Drop, check your manual, but it basically goes:

Set pilot screws at 2 5/8 turns
Start the bike, run until warm
Set idle
Turn each screw out by half a turn. Watch the tach like a hawk. If engine speed increases by 50 rpms or more, turn each screw out another half turn. Repeat until it no longer increases
Set idle
Starting at cyl 1, turn the pilot screw in until the tach drops by 50 rpm. At that point, back it out one full turn
Set idle
Repeat for all the other carbs, setting idle between each

To balance the carbs, you;d hook up the motion pro, and balance each bank of carbs using the screws at the top, between three of the carbs. The one without a screw is the base carb, and the others get balanced against it

Personally, I found the idle drop to be a pretty tricky adjustment. I messed around with it a bit before giving up and going back to factory. If your idle bounces around, or if the bike starts to run too warm, it can be frustrating. Next time I'll buy a digital tach so I get a more precise reading of the engine speed, cause the factory tach is not sensitive enough to see 50 rpm increments accurately

 

Tentacleslap (that's hard to spell), is correct. You may be doing it in two separate functions but it reads like you are doing it as one.

Not to sound super nit picky, but you said that #3 is off on the balance. Actually all the other carbs are off, not #3. #3 is considered the carb to which everything else is sync'd so by the technical definition it can't be off. Again I don't want to sound overly **** retentive, just wanted to point it out. Actually I don't even care, I just had to say something that could be taken in a snarky manner since your Pats did so well yesterday. I had to get it out of my system.

 

I think I confused the issue by explaining both procedures at once. I did the carb sync separately as you have described. However, tentacleslap has explained the idle mixture procedure in a very understandable way, which I plan to try out. Yes, without a digital tach it would be tough to adjust the screws effectively, but what I remember previously the engine runs rough at about 1.5 turns and won't run at all much under that. So simple math would indicate somewhere between 2.5 and 3 turns would allow it to run ok enough and not cause a high idle issue. I am somewhere at 2.5 and 3 now - I'll get a digital tach maybe down the road.

I keep thinking about those main jet needles...

 

lol! It was looking close toward the end of the game though... Yes, you are right about #3 but I'm dyslexic so I said it backwards! They just look close enough is all I was getting at. I'll resync again but I think there is something else wrong. Where everything is at now, it should run fine but just not as good as it could. Fine tuning is for when everything is running right IMO.