225dx idle woes

[PowerTrike]

Been tinkering with this bugger for the past few hours trying to get it ready to ride for hunting season with no luck. Had the machine running/idling great a couple years ago. Eventually (i think) something plugged up the carb and it was very hard to start for awhile, after it was warmed up it ran fairly well (not perfect). I've recently done some other work to it and just cleaned the carb again. It fires right up now but will not idle for more than 30 seconds no matter where the idle mixture screw is. Off Idle it has always ran great as it does now. I cleaned the pilot jet and passage 3x and have been messing with the pilot screw... Machine has an exhaust leak before the muffler and is very well used/abused. Does not smoke.

It runs something like thump, thump, thump, thump, sputter (almost like a small backfire?), thump, thump, thump, sputter, thump, thump, thump, dies. Starts up first pull and the process repeats.

What is spec or a good starting point for the pilot screw? (currently 2 turns out from bottom)

Any help would be greatly appreciated guys. I've had the damn carb off probably 10x tonight and I'm kind of at a loss for what is causing said sputter/miss. It almost acts like its loading up?...

:confused:

[Kerick]

Did you clean your air filter? Fresh gas and oil is a good idea to and new plug if you didnt already do that. On mine if I remember right the ppilot was always 2 turns out

[PowerTrike]

Air filter is new. Gas is fairly fresh. Plug is a year old. Thanks for the pilot setting. Hmmm

[MonroeMike]

Pilot screw 1 1/2 +/- 1/2 turns.

Needle clip - 3rd from top.

[Kerick]

When you cleaned the carb could you see daylight throuh all of them

[PowerTrike]

Thanks Mike.

Yes jets are clean. I think I'm going to try a fresh plug.