Yes you can do it with the carb on. Start up the engine and get it completely warmed up. Go ride it for a few minutes to make sure it is completely warm. Then adjust the screw to the point it raises the idle the most then readjust your idle with the idle knob. That is the proper way to adjust the pilot screw. It meters fuel only not air so it is just a fuel screw. So out mean richer in mean leaner. Just because the plug is black does not mean it is adjusted wrong. You can't just ride around for awhile and check the plug and say the pilot screw is rich or the main jet is rich. You need to install a new plug go right out and do a plug chop where you run it hard WOT in 4 or 5th gear for a few second then hit the kill switch before you let off the throttle. Pull the plug and see what it looks like. That will tell you what the main jet is doing. Do the same thing with another new plug just at half throttle to see what the needle is like and the pilot screw is just adjusted as I described above.
'04 TRX450R now here!!! Have Sand Stars front and rear. AC nerfs on the way along with HRC kit and Factory Effex graphics kit!
'02 TRX400EX for sale. Emaculate!!!E-mail me if you are interested.
'86 ATC250R Paul Turner HR pipe, Fat Boy silencer, Boyseen reeds, 39mm Mikuni Flat slide, K&N air filter, ported, CR250 Head Gasket.