by jOe » Wed Feb 06, 2019 9:18 pm
A short post script. Out of the box, apparently the Mikuni VM38 is set up for use with the K&N air filter. Once I put it on, things starting a lot more normally. I installed the air cleaner, 34 jet, left the air screw at 1 1/2, lowered the slide a bit and now it starts just like any other temperamental XL. I'm still trying to dial in the best starting procedure, but the air cleaner seems to give it enough suction to draw the correct amount of gas.
I called Sudco to get some advice which was a wasted phone call. The carb came with 31,32,33(installed),34 and 35 sized jets. I asked the person who claimed to be tech support about the sizes and he told me they weren't marked as such (although I was looking at those numbers when I was talking to him) but are identified by 2.5 increments. I don't know if he was thinking of the slides or the jets, didn't matter, no help there anyway.
What was really throwing me off was my my '65 with the exact same carb set up(velocity stack) starts on the first kick with the enrichment lever down. 5 feet away, the same set up on the '62 wouldn't start with a velocity stack.
Thanks for all the tips. I learned a lot.