I'm trying to adjust the carb on my bike using the method described by Lee Bussy on the page http://www.sportster.org/tech/carb/r...ng-bussy.shtml but it doesn't seem to work for me and I was hoping maybe someone with a bit more experience can help me.

My bike is a 1997 Sportster 883 that I bought used last year with 28k miles on it and it is now rolling over 30k. It has the stock CV carb. I have put in a yost powertube kit with the blue needle on the middle setting with a 46 low speed jet and a 175 main jet. The vacuum port in the throttle slide has been drilled out slightly larger than 1/8" I have a new throttle slide on the way but it hasn't arrived yet. I also have 1 7/8 drag pipes installed (came with the bike) and a K&N SE Air cleaner kit.

The trouble that I am having with the instructions is that Bussy says to start with the idle mix screw 2.5 turns out and to adjust the idle screw out completely so the butterfly closes. He then says to adjust the idle mixture screw from there. My problem is that my bike will not idle with the idle screw backed all the way out. I have to give it a little throttle to get it to start and it will not idle on its own. I had the bike completely warmed up and even backed the idle mixture screw out about 6 turns and it still wouldn't idle.

My question is would the vacuum port being drilled out too big be a cause of it to not idle?
Is the low speed jet too big or too small?
Does the accelerator pump do anything at idle?

Help?

 

Six full turns is way too much....I use two full turns out as my starting point. I would also raise the idle high enough to keep the bike running. Then start slowly ( half turn tops at a time) with the mixture screw. When you notice the rpms dropping I go about a quarter to a half turn back in.

 

+1 with mandog, he told you the right way to do it. 3 turns is the magic number for mine.
I would also think your main jet is too small... I run a 200 main and a 45 intermediate jet, hooker headers and a forcewinder breather, I think you need a 185 at least, a 190 is what i would put in it...