Well in desperation after a long standing issue with idle problems & slow speed loading up I added a notch. So far I have the best idle I ever had.
So 2005 Ec 250, modded head and squish set. DDK needle, # 8 slide (was a 7 that I cut on a milling m/c) 42 pilot and 175 main
Now here's the thing: prior to the notch the idle mixture screw made no difference, nor did anything else I tried including:
30 - 48 pilot inclusive
N1ef, JD blue needles
The bike would idle on cold start (yet needed choke to fire up) then as it warmed the idle would falter and stall, when warm it simply didn't idle. It was difficult to ride slow technical as it would load up and then clear out when the throttle was opened, power delivery was brutal. Just winding on to 1/4 - 3/8 throttle and holding there power would build and snap the front wheel up.
After notching the mixture screw actually works, wind it in and it stalls, wind it out far enough and the bike will begin to bog as throttle is snapped open, find a mid point and its happy.
From my tests over the last few days I know putting a friends carb on it also solved the idle - that was configured with a N1ef, 180main, 38 pilot and #6 slide with no notch. Conclusion : something about my carb is different but no amount of stripping, checking and measuring has identified it. (I even had the bore of the needle jet measured on a specialist computer measuring m/c)
So I will test more tomorrow, I am a little concerned the #8 slide mod may now cause a lean condition, but the bike idles, is smoother in delivery and faced with a bill for 250 Pounds for a new carb notching it seems worth a shot.
I will update.....