if I put my finger on the side vent and seal it off the bike doesn’t even stumble...is that right? Shouldn’t it die? I left it like that for 30 seconds. No change.

So I took carb back apart, double checked hoses, fittings, jets, float heights, choke cables. Still getting an inconsistent idle. It’ll lope like I want then surge up a little. Then even out, then idle lower and idle back to normal. Doesn’t matter what air screw setting is at. Only thing that affects it if air screw is less than a turn out. It’ll idle down and die. I spoke to Steve at Mikuni and he’s thinking it’s not a carb issue. He suggested looking at the VOES. So I realized I have an after market ignition module. Screaming Eagle 32630-96. I’ve read that some ignition modules don’t work well with the VOES still hooked up. I’ve tried researching about this issue. No luck. I’m going to hook a vac pump up to it and check it. Also I have an aftermarket petcock. The hose comes off the back of the carb to a tee which goes to VOES and petcock. I have the Joe Minton kit installed. 1997 EVO Mikuni 42. I put the factory pilot jet back in 25 I think. That seemed to help the surging a little bit. I can back the the air screw out and past a turn or so it makes no difference. I’ve checked for vac leaks several times. Any thoughts on the VOES?

I bench tested my VOES by sucking and blowing in it with a meter hooked up. The switch would stay in whatever position I put it in. No continuity. So I noticed the drum on the switch was glued on and it looked like dry rotted glue.

I busted apart switch to find a tiny hole in the diaphragm and I tested the actual micro switch with my finger and still nothing. So the VOES was bad in more ways than 1.

cut the pigtail off of VOES and plugged it back in, twisted wires together and bam no more surging. Fuel mileage went up about 12-15 mpg also.

Got it a new VOES put in. And I’m happy as can be.