Help SRX 250 idle issues

Hey, new member here. Haven't posted as I have been trying to digest the inner workings of the YDLS carburetor on my SRX250. I have rebuilt a few small carburetors before, but I am no expert, especially this two stage style of throttle and vacuum mated together. My issue is that I can get the choke only about 3/4 of the way closed when warm, or it dies on me. It starts fine cold, but don't touch the throttle at all, or it's dead. I can rev the bike once warm, and as long as there is enough vacuum it can stay at 6-7K rpm. So I don't believe that either of my rubber secondary vacuum diaphragms have failed. My pilot jet adjustment screw is at 2-3/4 turns out from fully seated.Seems to do better that 2-1/2 turns out. I have looked over my notes on which jets I put in during the rebuild, (#122, #80, and #34?) and they correspond to the manual. I sprayed the exterior of the carb recently with starting fluid in areas I thought may have an air leak, but found no idle change. There is a new petcock, new fuel and vacuum hoses during the rebuild. Crap, a newly repainted tank, even! I used as many new parts as I could get my hands on. This was my father in laws bike, and we took on the rebuild together when we visited him. So the disassembly and rebuild was done months apart. It was really mostly me, as my father in laws hands were going. There was a lot of labeled ziploc bags and blue tape with sharpie notes for memory prompts so as to remember where I was with the rebuild. Since I was not at home during this rebuild, I did not throw it into the ultrasonic cleaner, but used a whole bunch of carb cleaner in every orifice I could stick my little wand into. Enough to ruin a nice new black shirt. The floats were set at 27mm if I recall correctly. Or the float seams parallel with the bowl line. Long story short, where do I look now? I loathe taking these carbs off and on, and am having a hard time finding the airbox to carburetor joints that I feel are just waiting to tear on me if I am pulling these things in and out on every attempt.

 

Thank you for the prompt reply! No smog gear; that I believe is the TC(California) model. Charcoal canister, etc. I have the other 49 state T model.
To answer your question, if I get the secondary to kick in, I can keep it going at roughly above 6k rpm. Below that, it will reduce revs and die. So I suspect it can't run off the primary even at part throttle (4K rpm).Like you, I suspect the idle circuit. I will check the float level again, I missed or passed over the instructions when I downloaded the service manual initially, so thank you for the link. It will give me a place to restart from. I will keep you posted on my future frustrations.

 

Okay, I used the clear fuel line bowl level trick from the manual in order to see the float level and it is low. I have a couple of pics. Anyway, I have not reassembled at this time, but I am looking hard at the primary jet and pilot jet with regards to debris. Bent the small float tab a smidge to the point so that I hope that the needle seats in the seat without its small internal needle spring not yet compressing itself. And yet still at the magical 27mm / level with the float bowl part line, etc. I guess the proof is in the reassembly and re testing. Find out tomorrow-

 

I had less time than I expected as I had to clear some plugged gutters due to the now permanent rain here in the Pacific Northwest. So I did not pull the carbs, but cut a piece of paper 27mm high to check my carb in situ. Despite setting it to what I thought was the correct height on the bench earlier, I noted the float seam not parallel with the bowl when the needle was seated (without activating its internal spring). So, in being judicious with a thin flat blade, I bent the float tab in place and buttoned it up, after cleaning out the pilot and main jets with some 18 gauge stranded copper wire just to make sure I had no overt debris.
Andych, you were right- the plastic mesh fuel valve cracked on me when I was fiddling with it so I merely used a straight shot of fuel hose, no filter for today. I will look into your style filter.
Long story short, she runs and idles off of the choke! I didn’t even get it to true operating temperature before I started to close the choke. I could tell it was way better because I could actually rev the bike at low rpm’s semi-cold (3-4K rpm)which was a no go before. It would have just died. So tomorrow I will check the actual fuel level with the tube and fiddle with idle settings and the pilot jet adjustment screw if needed to get the 1350-1500 rpm range of idle. Unless of course the consensus here is that these bikes need more or less. I would much rather go with the consensus here than rigidly following the manual. Now all I need is 15 minutes of sun here and some semi dry roads before really seeing how the carburetor does under load.
2valve- you are probably right on the carb being level for realistic adjustment, but this truly was an experiment to see if I was in the ballpark, and fuel level was my main problem. I just got lucky it was, and it worked. I actually expected it not to, and that I would pull them and throw them in the ultrasonic cleaner. Also, full bike pics. Here is what I got-
Thanks again for the advice, it helped a lot. I will follow up with my test ride, good or bad on this thread for some closure and of course, more knowledge on these carburetors/ bikes. Nothing like reading a thread and going to the end, saying, “Well, did it work out or not?”

 

Thanks! The tank paint is new, but the rest is original. Also, when I am trying to figure out puzzles, I usually clean other stuff while I am musing. So the more bedeviled I am the cleaner the bike, because, crap, I am there, and when going over a new bike cleaning is getting to know how that bike is laid out, and updates my mental picture of the bike. Which gives me a punch list of what to do to bring the bike up to safe spec.
So next on the list is a new spark plug, check timing, fuel level check (again), and a new rear tire, which I have. If it were not Monsoon Season right now, I would be testing out on the road. Nonetheless, thanks for the replies, and I will update with new information as it happens. I am guardedly excited….

 

I rode the bike today for a second time- first test, the bike was unmolested from my last post, and I knew my fuel float level was low, but hell, I had 30 minutes of sunshine ahead of me, and just barely dry roads. My fuel level, although no pics, was halfway between my original picture posted and what the manual stated was the correct level for operation. Therefore, I did a test of what I had and if my secondary carburetors operation. Also it’s a great excuse to get out, and get real feedback.
Just like before, I did need to run on the choke, albeit less of it. But I had no secondary carb problems! What a little rev happy bike! I came up on 10k unexpectedly more than once. Not used to that!
Today I pulled the bowl, fiddled again, and kicked it over. It idles on choke lower than previous, and settled into 1450 rpm off choke much sooner than earlier iterations. Also, when warm, I could actually start it off choke, which until today has never happened. It seemed to have an intermittent stumble between 1500-2000 when semi-warm. I tried to get a video of this, but by the time I got my phone together, it kinda went away. So I took it for a ride before the rain came again!
What a great little bike. Rev happy. Fun. Light. My only concerns for the bike at this point is the clutch activation point, and the neutral light, which seems, at times, on outside of neutral itself. Not with the fueling. Of course it is raining again, and 30 minutes of riding is no comprehensive exam, but I am taking this as a win for now!
But I will still check my float bowl level again, to fully rule this off my to do list for the bike.
Thanks again for the support and advice, it has ruled out quite a bit of head scratching and false leads as to my initial predicament.
-Marco