My Carb story so far-was idling high-early days Colortuning

Hi Chaps,
Just thought i'd put up some information about my carb experiences so far on my XJ650.
I've had the bike about 5 weeks. The engine has been completely rebuilt by the previous owner and has done 300 miles since the rebuild.
I drove it back the 40 miles or so fine. After a few days of riding (just to work and back) i noticed that it seemed to idle high once it got warm.
I never had starting problems that i noticed until one colder morning when the battery failed after about 3 or 4 attempts to turn it over.
Looked in the forums and have read various items on Batteries, high idling, carb cleaning, adjustments etc etc, phew!!
So, i recharged the battery overnight and the bike started sweet but once warm, high idle again.
I tried adjusting through the idle screw (didn't seem to make too much difference)
I then read about Colortuning and that lead me down the carb cleaning route as well.
I got myself a colortune and got down to business :wink:
This is where the fun starts.......
Only AFTER making adjustments to the #3 enrichment screw and 'losing the plot' completely did i realise that i had adjusted it way out of whack.
But, trying to get back to anything like normal idling seemed impossible.
I made adjustments as per some of the threads i'd seen in here and the spark from the colortune looked fine.
YouTube Colortune
BUT it was still idling so high that i had to turn the engine off.
I was scratching my head until i remembered a few days earlier adjusting the throttle cable (stoopid boy) so i re-adjusted back down and guess what? Yep, it worked, the 'correct' enrichment adjustments according to the specs and most importantly 'you guys' worked.
Now, i know the is by no means the end of it as i haven't ridden it much since and i really need to do that before reporting back.

Also, Plugs #3 and #4 looked like this Too Rich?

And Plugs #1 and #2 looked ok or maybe Too Lean?

 

3 and 4 way too rich, 1 and 4 too lean I didn't see any color on the center insulator. you are looking for a nice brown.

I use my colortune as a starting point. Go rich until I see yellow flame, then slowly lean until the yellow goes away. Then i lean it just a degree or less.

This usually leaves me a bit rich, then I monitor the plugs after 30 to 60 miles and adjust again or do plug chops. When I make adjustment I use Rickcomatic's advice. I only adjust a degree at a time.

hope that helps.

 

Bill, thanks for the advice.
Even the relatively small amount of adjustments i've made so far, the bike feels like it is running smoother.
It started second time this morning with a little choke (we had frost)
I'll check the plugs again when i get back from work and adjust accordingly (Using Rickomatic's advice was how i got out of trouble with the high revving) The tiniest of adjustments are what helped.
I'm gonna go rich, yellow, then out a couple of degrees.