im guessing this might cause some...issues?

 

Get the new grommet on. Warm it up. Go down a block or two and this is what I get.

Holding the clutch in a little and giving a little gas allowed me to coast back home. If I gave too much throttle with the clutch out, it would die

 

HA-HA-HA!
The cast just below the vacuum port I'm guessing.... That screams - "the carb is tilted inboard at the top, and/or the manifold is pointing down."
27002-89 grommet
26995-86B o-rings (or) James 26995-97-X if you want the lip type.
Check the flanges for flatness while they're off.

I never asked but assumed you checked - Does the accelerator pump squirt gas when you twist it? (engine off or running not matter)
And does it have a vacuum operated fuel petcock?
Sounded like it was running out of gas (?)

 

Ive replaced the diaphragm and the spring on the accelerator pump and that tiny oring thats underneath. Squirted nice and strong. Ihave a brand new OEM petcock

I definitely have at least 2 full gallons in my tank. That almost dead point happens only if I had the choke all the way in. If I pull it out a little it doesnt sound like its stumbling. I went thru the jet passages and even soaked the carb in boiling water with lemon juice (only the metal parts) and blew it out with carb cleaner and air. Part of me thinks that the idle circuit could be thirsty since the choke is seemingly the only way it runs strong. Whether its thirsty from being clogged or whatever is the question

 

One of those days... you know when you go do something simple and then the middle valve cover gasket won't lay down long enough to get the screws run down and a 2 hour job turns into 3.75.... ? Been one of those days. I'm too tired (and lazy) to review all the previous posts so if any of this is repetitive....

If the timing is super-super low it "can" do some of what you got, but unless you've messed with it let's not go there. (if it's that low it usually blows the carb off anyway. Don't ask me how I know)

When you had it apart, did you take out the needle jet? The big end goes UP.




Did you remove the idle mixture screw and if so, did all the parts come out? (spring, flat washer, sealing ring)



Are any of these ports covered up by the air cleaner/gasket? (The bottom arrow is the air feed to the idle jet/screw/ports)





If you have a bad VOES or vacuum operated petcock, either can be the source of a vacuum leak, as can the hose(s) going to them. And if the petcock is bad, it won't let fuel flow sufficiently to the carburetor, especially if you have intake leaks also. (but it takes very little vacuum to open the petcock if it's working correctly)

Of course these points are of no help if there is still intake/vacuum leaks at the carb grommet or o-rings at the heads.

 

I am sure the needle jet holder is correct. It doesn't quite fit right when its upside down once the needle is on, imo. All the air passages are uncovered by the air cleaner.

Once the downpour stops here in Pittsburgh I gotta undo it all the way and put it back together correctly. I wonder if I should bump to a 48 pilot while im in there?

 

I hear you on the rain - same here.
If you have a 48 use it but don't buy one. Usually 1.5 - 2.25 rounds is plenty on them. A 45 often needs 3+ and the spring gets weak with the screw that low. I've never used a 46 but a lot of guys do. Don't be afraid to run it a little fat on the idle circuit - won't hurt a thing, especially with fall of the year on us.

Starting over at the o-rings at the heads and manifold alignment is a good call. Take your time and enjoy the experience. I think you have enough info and (bad) experience(s) to get it right this time. We've all been there...

 

These were the intake gaskets. No good.

 

Huge space between ac plate and carb. This is with just regular gasket and ac plate bolts ran down to just kissing and carb pushed in as far as I could press. Shop made essentially 2 fabbed gaskets to go inbtween. Still getting that puffing on a hard throttle blip. I took 3 hours to kid glove making that intake was dead nuts when lined up with carb and ac plate.

 

Broke everything down to reposition manifold. New gaskets and grommet. Cleaned carb. Thru a 48 pilot in after I blew out carb. Even got Arlen Ness tech support to send me a spacer for the odd gap between carb and air cleaner plate. Button it up, fire up and I get this.

Im have an issue with my battery cables that may or may not be the cause of all this. If I hit the start button, bike blacks out. No electrical anything. I wiggle negative battery cable and lights come back on. Hit start again, lights immediately go off again. Wiggle, repeat. Bad cable maybe. So I try the same thing with the brand new positive cable and the same thing happens. If i just touch the negative terminal of the battery with one of the voltmeter probes, lights flash on and same thing happens.
The bike dies at the end on its own.