Running rough at lower revs, seems rich from the plugs, float level queries

[Nebuchernezzer]

So once again this morning the bike is running crap, i'm thinking that perahaps one of the fuel bowl needle/seats is leaking because it almost compression locked on start today, then started up rough, once running it's fine over 4000 or so RPM but rough below and at idle it's rough as well.  I don't think it entirely drops a cylinder but it's hard to tell.
Yesterday i had the bike at idle for a significant period of time (to balance it) and it was ok (occasionally rough but couldn't tell if that was just it being out of balance or not), during my test ride yesterday it idled happily and pulled smoothly at all RPM, although i'm not convinced that's the smoothest it could be still.
It appears number 4 is the one that's leaking, simply because when i changed the plugs yesterday it was fouled, number 1 was a bit dirty, 2 and 3 nice and clean and 4 filthy.  I assumed at the time that was simply bad balance flooding one cylinder but now i'm not so sure.
Anyways how hard is it to either get the carbs out or to change parts on the carbs with them still in the bike?

[Nebuchernezzer]

Checked the float levels on cylinders 1, 2 and 4 today (3 is a batch to get to but the others appear so far off that I'll have to remove the carries and set the floats anyways).
Pics below,  along with the corresponding Spark plugs. Plugs are only about 35km old.  I'm thinking I'll take the caarbs out,  replace the float valve and seat just cos they are out of the bike anyways and set the floats on the bench (cos who wants to put them in and out of the bike repeatedly?) should be possible to set the floats sitting on the bench as far as I can see, use a coke bottle as the fuel source and whatnot.
What do you guys reckon. They look miles off and the ones with a really high level seem more fouled than the ones with a lower level (the plugs that is).
Logical?
Number 1


Number 2


Number 4

[darrsi]

Running rough under 4000rpm and idle still sounds like the carbs are not synced to me.

[Nebuchernezzer]

Done the syncing,  several times in fact but I'm suspecting there is an underlying problem that means my syncing is for nothing until I fix it.

[darrsi]

Yep, someone pointed out on here recently that syncing will only work well if several other parts of the bike are functioning properly and in spec, otherwise you're just adding extra problems.

[Nebuchernezzer]

Exactly,so trying to sus the rest of the bike out and hopefully give it all a good freshen up along the way.
So anyone had much experience with setting float levels on this bike?
It seems straight forward although from a quick look around it seems that people struggle with the accuracy of the clear tube method?


EDIT: Oh yeah i've stopped filling up at the local servo and started filling up at a nice big shiny servo a little further away....the bike runs noticably better although it's not 100%...interesting...

[darrsi]

I'm still not keen on putting 95 octane fuel in my bike, just doesn't feel right to me.
97 runs sweet, 99 for a treat in summer.
I would use 99 all the time though if it wasn't so expensive and was easier to find.

[Nebuchernezzer]

Yeah i'm running 98 (the highest you can get here in Oz since they got rid of leaded), but seems the local servo's fuel is a bit dodgy or perhaps it's got more ethanol in it, not sure how the Fazer goes on ethanol.
Either way I'll stick to the Caltex Vortex 98 or similar other big mainstream brands, it seems to like that.

[Nebuchernezzer]

Update on the fuel,  since I put a new tank of 98ron in the bike today it's heaps better, it's not totally alleviated the symptoms but the rough running has been reduced by a marked amount. Now that it's happy with the fuel I guess I should go through and set everything again! How tedious but also good that it's improved it so much!