Slide boot? I'm looking at a picture of the carb not sure what you mean

 

Sorry I used the wrong terminology, I mean the slide diaphram. I have seen picutres with it up as well as ones with it seated down inside the carb body.

 

If the slide is in the grooves and the needle is seated in the main correctly the diaphragm should be concave down into the carb I think.

 

Okay that is what I thought too and is the way I have it set as well. Oh well, time to take it apart then and try and find what is leaking and where. Thanks!

 

Take some brake clean or carb cleaner and spray it around the boot area with it running. If you have an air leak it will start to run different when it sucks it in.

I usually do this everytime I have the carb off.

 

How do your cables run. I know it's really tight where they go under the tank and fit to the carb'. Are they free at full lock left, full lock right. I know they have to be just so or they'll bind. Could be the problem.

 

Sprayed WD40 all around the carb boots, no difference in how it ran. I also checked the cables, they are fine, no binding lock to lock either.

 

You might try checking to make sure the bell crank (the part the cables are attached to) is moving freely and returning properly. Also pull the carb off and look to see if the butterfly valve is closing properly. Good luck.