no idle without the choke

[saponi1]

this weekend i've been workin on my 03 400ex. yesterday it was spitting and popping and backfiring. i took the carb apart, and cleaned it. the jets in it are a 38p & 146m. the needle is on the second clip. today i reinstalled the carb, and it fired right up and idled good. no spitting or popping, but that was with the choke on full. when i turn it to half it idles up for 30 seconds or so then slowly dies out. so, back to full choke and it idles fine, but when i turn the choke off, it shuts down in a few seconds. i have to start it on full choke, take off riding then turn the choke off.anytime i get off the gas it will die if i dont constantly blip the throttle(i.e. wont idle). the other thing is, when i park it and turn it off, gas will run out of the float bowl line. i 'm gonna take the carb to work and soak it in the parts cleaner this week, so at least it'll be clean. i've got some main jets that say: dj138, dj142, dj155, dj160, dj162 on their little baggies in the moose kit. dont know what to do. :confused:

[sportracer07]

If fuel is running out of the overflow, then you either have a piece of dirt between the needle and seat, or your float level is wrong, did you check or change the float level when you cleaned the carb? Did it run out of the overflow before also?

[saponi1]

i had'nt checked the float level. i have to get a repair manual. the guy i got it from said the last time he rode it, he found gas in the airbox. i'll check that out also. any other suggestions?

[sportracer07]

Thats why it had fuel in the airbox, the float level isnt correct, take the carb back apart and make sure the floats dnt have fuel inside them, i would leave the jets alone until you fix the float level that probly is 90 percent of your problem. Thats also why it wont idle, the excess fuel is choking it out.