need a couple "possible problems"

[81xsproject]

Ok, now that TC helped me over my own my interpretive issues, it is not the wire. #1 is still black. I dont think the float is stuck open because I accidentally left the petcock open the other night and the next morning, the pods where all dry and the gassy smelling oil (both a problem before I changed the float valves and adjusted floats). What now?

[xj11john]

Check to ensure your needle and seat are sealing properly, also if press in type seat make sure the o-ring is good and not allowing fuel past it.

[81xsproject]

Well, here I am again. I am still trying to figure out what is up with the black #1 plug. I disassembled the carbs, prayed a ton of carb cleaner through them, readjusted the floats and checked for leaky float, checked the o-ring on float valve seat, and reassembled. Couldn't find anything apparently wrong. I put it back together and put a fresh plug in #1. I did an overall richening of the float height because all the others were on the lean looking plug side and my general impression is that the float height should be consistant due to improper techniqe on initial setting.
This was apparently too much, as #3 looks a little sooty now.
What REALLY is worrying me is that it looks different than #1. #1 is almost a glossy black. Could #1 be black from oil? If so what does that mean? I don't have and can't currentely afford a compression tester.

[GNEPIG]

.. does it smoke and what color is the smoke and at what rpms does it smoke? [does it smoke only at idle or at 3000 rpms stuff like that]

[randy]

Glossy black indicates oil burning. Could be from valve seal or rings. Do a compression test (engine warm). If that cylinder is low on compression, then it's a ring problem. If the compression is good, then it's the valve seal.

[Geezer]

Aftermarket carb jets could cause this problem. Also later model Mikuni pilot jets will fit but have a different rating and are larger per number than the older ones.

BTW, I leart this the hard way.

Geezer

[81xsproject]

Geeze, I replaced all the mains. So, I don't know why only one would be screwy.

[Geezer]

Try swapping the pilot jets between #1 and #4 carbs and see if the problem moves.

At the RPM's you're seeing the problem, the mains haven't kicked in yet.

Geezer