84 carb issues

[aftburner1]

Hi all,
Been lurking around here for a while soaking up the info, but now I'm stuck. I've got a 84 gl1200 that is refusing to run correctly. I've rebuilt, cleaned, and rebuilt them again with minimal success. If I'm understanding their operation correctly when the choke is on (the only way it will run) the vacuum is directed to the bottom of the air valve, holding it down enriching the mix. When the choke is off the needle seats allowing the vacuum to pull the valve up, correct? I just pulled them again tonight and noticed that the port going to the top of the valve was never drilled! How did to run before? It only has 6000 miles on it all from the original owner before he passed in 92, sat in a garage till 2012 when the guy I bought it from purchased it and left it outside to rot till I saved it in 2019. Been a long road to here but I just cant figure the carbs out. Should the port be drilled? If yes, how was it running that way. Last year I thought I had it. Seemed to run ok so I took it around the block. Very slow to accelerate and no power. Could this be it? Any other ideas are more than welcome.
Thanks.

[Rambozo]

Since it ran before, don't go drilling anything. There are a few variations of carbs, and many manuals (including Honda's) lump more than one together and use stock photos. Did you ultrasonic the carbs? That is about the only way to get them cleaned if the have been "left to rot" as you say. Sometimes that isn't even enough if the corrosion is bad.

[joecoolsuncle]

if it only runs on choke, you need to disassemble, clean, make sure of float level, install, sync. forget about how it is supposed to work and focus on making sure it is in same condition as when delivered to dealer from honda.

[aftburner1]

I haven't done an ultrasonic on them, but I have set the float, and synchronized them when it ran without the choke ( that one time). The less choke I give it the lower the rpm's go till it dies, no sputtering, as if I was throttling down. If I so much as touch the throttle it dies instantly, regardless of the amount of choke. Going to go through them again tonight, see if I missed anything, double check the floats.

[DenverWinger]

Double-check the idle jets, too.

[joecoolsuncle]

yep. pilot jets still clogged, vents not venting, or floats too low. assuming you removed the float valve seats and cleaned those tiny screens.