Topic: xl250 running but appearing rich?

[cb550fnewb]

So I put it back together.  I decided to move the needle position one up (leaner since I live at 5600 ft and will be using up to 10,000 ft.

After resetting the idle screw, I let it idle for 10 to 15 minutes then took a quick ride.  It is cold and windy as a storm front is about to come through.  I took it about 3 miles and tried to keep the RPMs above 4k.  Ran fine and plug is brown so after the snow comes and go I will take it for a longer ride to confirm.

[scottly]

Think I may have found a/the issue.  The choke spring is very weak and barely returns to no choke, so it may be on just a little.  I popped it off and bent it about 1/4" and it now returns properly. Crossing my fingers will she how it goes tomorrow.

If that is it I feel stupid.

If you were applying the choke when you thought you were removing it, then yeah, you could feel stupid. It happened to my buddy more than once on an XR200. Seems the choke was opposite from the XR500 he normally rode.

[cb550fnewb]

Think I may have found a/the issue.  The choke spring is very weak and barely returns to no choke, so it may be on just a little.  I popped it off and bent it about 1/4" and it now returns properly. Crossing my fingers will she how it goes tomorrow.

If that is it I feel stupid.

If you were applying the choke when you thought you were removing it, then yeah, you could feel stupid. It happened to my buddy more than once on an XR200. Seems the choke was opposite from the XR500 he normally rode.

I won't know for a week or two the snow is falling here.  Hoping it was that and leaning the main needle one position cured her.