Re: carb kits vrs just cleaning
All depends on the condition of the internal components. On a carb that has been sitting for a few years and has dried up inside I always replace internals or a carb that's been submersed and has sat, kit for sure. Sometimes multiple cleanings are required to get a carbs to work correctly. In the case of idle, there is very little that can go wrong as far as kit components, did you remove the welch plug on the top of the carbs and at the side to get at the idle circuit? And it also depends on the cleaner, some cleaners are much better than others. It should idle well. My 9.9 had a submersed carb, needed a kit for certain, didn't want to risk running lean. My 55 I took it off, soaked it and reassembled, it idles like a dream. I'd say take them off and clean them again until it idles well. Check plug too, a badly gapped plug can also cause poor idle conditions. You also have an idle adjustment on your carbs, have you played with it to try to get it to idle better?