Carb Tuning Help Needed '04 VTX 1300s

Hello all,
I'm needing help in the worst way. I've hit a wall trying to tune my carb on my '04 VTX 1300s. I'll start by listing what I've done so far. I'll include pics of exhaust, and choke delete.

1) Stock exhaust mod: gutted two chambers, removed one baffle, shortened mufflers by 4 inches.
**NOTE: Bike was running fine, but rich for about a week. Then REALLY rich and fuel mileage suddenly decreased dramatically. So, I researched and did the following.

2) PAIR delete, installed Goheen dimpled plates.
3) Stock airbox decap, still running HiFlo air filter.
4) choke delete, spring was still taught so added screw upside down to create more tension so valve would remain closed.
5) Installed Glen's permanent A/F screw.
6) Installed Keihin 58 main jet.
7) Installed Keihin 208, 202, and 198 pilot jets, all made bike run WAY too rich. Reinstalled factory Keihin 195, still running rich, but much better.
8) Replaced vacuum line from petcock, checked fuel line from petcock, flow is great!
9) Replaced float valve with OEM Honda part.
10) Checked and cleaned spark plugs after each test run, checked for spark, all are great. Tried gapping at .035 and .032...runs better at .032.
11) Also changed coolant, and triple checked oil level. Still have 2000+ miles till due for change.
**NOTE: The bike was not ridable until the next steps were done.
12) Replaced throttle piston diaphragm, had huge cracks.
13)Did Scar mod, clipped the tit, tried 2 washers on stock jet needle, ran too rich and seemed to run fat the whole ride. Tore down AGAIN and noticed the air line from airbox to the head had come off at the airbox. Went ahead and removed 1 washer from her needle, and it ran best on maiden voyage. Great acceleration, no backfire, little rich but not bad. A/F was a little more than 1.5 turns, idle was a little low. Let sit 2 hours rode 1 mile, died. Adjusted A/F to lean out, turned idle up by tiny bit. Ran ok. Died 3 more times during the day, each time after cool down, and everytime was immediately after shifting into 4th or 5th gear, and each time I trimmed it a little more.
Got home, let sit overnight. Removed the one washer from jet needle, checked plugs. They looked really good, cleaned anyway double checked gap at .032, reassembled...and now it bogs down and is unrideable.
Currently set at 1.25 turns out on A/F screw, idle is probably 1000± rpms.

The only two things I can think of:
1)Put the stock Keihin 55 main jet back in. I can't afford the K&N filter or the Factory Pro jet kit right now, but I'm not sure that'll even work at this juncture...
2)AND I didn't mark the piston when I changed the diaphragm. I realized it upon reassembly, so refered to the manual diagram and put it in as it showed. Read reassembly instructions and NOTHING is said about piston position, only diaphragm position.

I've tripled checked everything. Cleaned the carb everytime I pulled it or did anything for that matter. I don't understand how it ran fine with the one washer on the jet needle, then sits for 2 hours and runs rich all over again.

Help please! This is my only transportation right now. I'm stuck 18miles away from town in the country, so can't make it in to do ANYTHING.

Thanks,
Moose

DBash said:

Putting the shims back under the needle will make it richer from 1/4- 3/4 throttle.
The needle you received with the clips eliminate the need for shims, as you use the clip to raise and lower the needle in the main to change midrange jetting.
If you are rich, and have eliminated all other possibilities, such as ignition, or fuel level, then to lean it out in the mid-range you need to lower the needle in the main.

Click to expand...

I actually didn't purchase the Factory Pro kit, so I don't have their custom jet needle with the adjustable height clips. I read a lot of threads here and on the Cafe that said as long as I got Keihin jets I could shim the STOCK jet needle with washers after doing the Scar mod. I understand now though that to do that would make it run more rich through the mid range. That's the opposite direction I need to go.

This is what I don't understand though. I've already removed all the washer shims from the stock needle, which should have lowered it. However, by doing the Scar mod, I clipped the tit in the jet needle holder by half as instructed.

So, if I go back to stock with both slow jet (#55), and main jet (#195), with the jet needle holder tit already trimmed, but no washer shims on the stock jet needle, will it lean out ANY? I can live with it running slightly rich as long as the plugs aren't fouling, just until I can purchase the Factory Pro adjustable jet needle, and the K&N air filter. Or, is there a different issue I need to address, by your guess?