So it started with my 97 900 starting rough and only idleing with the choke on besides that the choke would slowly vibrate its way back in to its regular spot and the engine would cut off. So after researching, I dove into the how to section and learned to take the carbs out. It was a little annoying but finally got them off cleaned, new spark plugs, yes i cleaned the jets a couple filters and a drop of blood for good luck(fox those carb clamps with their limited space!). Now im ready to put it back together but figured i would ask, can I test start the bike with out hooking up the fuel lines and setting the gas tank? Or am I being lazy? Since Im asking I also had a question about a hose that comes out of the carbs with a **** on it i think its the ..?fuel mixture? what should it be turned to? Or can I start it with it turned all the way( which way if so?) and slowly adjust it? could this cause the engine to cut off?
The at the bottom right corner

 

The cable with the **** is your idle adjuster. It should route to a wire-loop on the frame.
It's on the left, by the petcock on the F3, which is what I have. When, you set the main
jets, you GENTLY seat them and then turn them back out a specific # of turns. Hopefully,
one of the 900, fellows can pipe up with the exact value. Or check your manual, if you
have one. That will get you in the ball-park.

You actually want to remote-mount the tank, because it will get in the way of the sync, if
it's mounted. Get a extra-long piece of fuel line and set the tank back on the frame where
the seat goes. That'll give you room to work, I'll warn you it's still a bitch getting to the
sync screws between the carbs, anyway. ;-) You'll need a 10" to 12" #2 phillips to do the
reaching with.

After the sync, you adjust the idle, when that's done, then go ahead and mount the tank.

I've left out the sync and idle-adjust details, do a search in the how-to's and general
tech for an over-view, by better folks than me.

Good luck, Ern

 

I think by "jets", he means the jets, and not the funny ones at the bottom. for those you need the d wrench, and he may not have it. for the ones you can get to with a flat bladed screwdriver, snug them but not like a gorilla. don't back them out. the simplest thing to get to the idle jets, (the funny d ones at the bottom) it's best to take a dremel wth a cutoff wheel and slot them for a small flat screwdriver. Of course, this also makes notches in the barrel that it rests in. This as far as I'm concerned will get those bastards back close enough for the bike to run when you replace them after you take them out and clean them as long as you line up the slots with the barrel slots.
It's a hell of a job to get all the $hit out of the carbs once they've sat for a while, and the o rings at the two inlets usually dry-rot if they go dry. there are four o rings total. Try your damnedest not to bugger up the o rings- you have to buy a kit for each carb ( 4 ) and they're like $30 USD or so a kit. pretty screwed if you only need a couple parts….. just remember- I've done it, and it took 4 cleanings to eradicate the varnish and build up inside them….. This was after a couple years sitting...