Well not exactly. Or at least I'm not getting a clear single message. I'm getting 'your air/fuel mix is off' yes, and 'all your troubles are do to having no airbox.
And that info doesn't really educate me or conclude anything and unless/til I get new conclusive info I just go about my ways and Im willing to end up paying for an education especially with quick fixes.
BUT... If I'm clearly missing something someone has explained pls inform. Something concrete.
Dude! That
IS the answer!
And if you keep doing things the way you're doing them, you'll pay for it with a damaged engine. Hell, between the wiring and the carbs, you could burn the thing to the ground!
OK, here goes. I'm no expert, but I'll try to explain this as best I can.
A carb's job is to correctly mix/meter fuel and air. You have CV carbs which use engine vacuum and diaphragms to lift the slides. In MOST CASES, CV carbs prefer a large volume of still air to draw from, also known as....wait for it... an AIR BOX. That's why i suggested using the K&N type dual pods. They at least share a throat/pulses and can ease in tuning.
Tuning is NOT slapping in a bigger main jet.
Your carbs are from the EPA period. Eeveryone (Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, et al) were jetting lean in order to meet new EPA standards. That's why your mixture screws had those ears on them. They didn't want the customer to "fatten up" the mixture by adding more fuel (or less air) and making the bike "dirty".
Because it was lean, they added a circuit to squirt a little extra fuel in just off idle. Some people called these type carbs "pumper carbs" and, in the right circumstances, can even have a performance benefit. That's what you accelerator pump does. It only works just off idle and it just gives it a squirt. If you keep pumping/twisting the throttle when the bike isn't running, you're just squirting raw fuel into the engine. After that first bit of throttle, the accelerator pump doesn't keep squirting.
You said those circuits were clean, but there's also an adjustment for when those squirts start.
Your mixture screws (the one with the ears you ground off) control....mixture. It's the fuel/air mix and on your carbs they control fuel. Screw the in and you cut off fuel, making the mixture lean. Screw them out and they add fuel, making the mixture rich.
They primarily have an effect at idle and just off idle. Say, 1/4 throttle or so. However, they do continue to pull air and have something of an effect over the entire rev range.
Your pilot screws are the ones that are pressed in on your carbs. That kinda sucks, because it makes them difficult to clean or change. There's not a huge assortment of different pilot jets for those carbs anyway.
They are also often referred to as "slow jets" or "low speed jets". After idle, as you start opening the throttle, these jets start having an effect. When you're riding around town at lower RPM's, you spend most of your time on the jets/mixture screws we've talked about, plus the needle.
The needle is that needle looking thing attached to the slides/rubber diaphragms. Shocking, I know.
It has a specific taper to it and it matched to an emulsion tube. The emulsion tube is not just a "straw with little holes drilled in it". It also has an inner taper, matched to the needle. These tapers and profiles have a HUGE effect on the air/fuel mixture. Serious racers keep several sets on hand and can tune the mixture throughout the rev range, depending on tracks, conditions, etc.
At part throttle, you are on the "fat" part of the needle. It is somewhat restricting air through the main jet (we'll get to that in a minute) and the emulsion tube. As the needle rises, the taper gets "skinny" and more air/fuel mixture is added. You are now at half throttle and above.
Some bikes have clips so you can raise or lower the needles for tuning. CV carbs aren't quite as easy and I don't remember if the 650 carbs are easily adjustable or not, or at all. Some people can shim them with tiny washers, but don't even go there right now.
The main jet is the "big" jet or "top end" jet. You are almost always drawing SOMETHING through the main jet/needle/emulsion tube. But because you're on the "fat" part of the needle at lower speeds/throttle openings, the main jet size doesn't really have a big effect until you are well past half throttle. Probably 3/4 throttle all the way to WFO.
That's why "I'll just go up two sizes on the main" is
not a proper way to "jet for pods". Unless you plan on riding around near redline all the time.
This is a very basic explanation. All of the circuits/jets have some overlap as you go throughout the rev range; as you open the throttle.
Honda had a bunch of very experienced, well trained engineers that developed your bike. That box under the seat holds a volume of air and an air filter (and not a can of carb cleaner and shellac) for a reason.
There's a proper way to tune the mixture screws. Do you remember where you set yours? How many turns out from seated?
Do you know how to read spark plugs (that's why I mentioned in the other thread about picking up a few sets when you ordered jets).
Did you order any main jets? What sizes? Order two sizes up from stock and two sizes down (yes, it is entirely possible that you may have to jet leaner....it wouldn't be the first time).
You are currently riding around with a very messed up air fuel mixture. That's why you have trouble starting the bike. The 650 had a marginal charging system anyway, so you kill your battery. We could talk about the brushes for the alternator or even cleaning the starter motor, but one thing at a time, for now.
To be clear:
* Using carb cleaner for each start is NOT normal and not good for the bike.
* The busted intake boot is NOT normal or good for the bike. (Also, see if you can round up the proper clamps).
* Improper air/fuel mix, which you currently have, is NOT normal or good for the bike.
* stock jetting and exhaust with pods is probably NOT a good combo.
I can't make it much clearer than this.
