You are right about the carbs. Have one of Ron's 125s that first started not running well and I cleaned the carb and kitted it. It seamed like you could set the low and it would be right on the money or just a little rich, you rev it a couple times and it would start running lean and quit. I thought well I must have not gotten it completely clean or had some stuff in the fuel line and sucked it back into the carb. I cleaned the carb again, put a brand new fuel line and filter on and washed out the tank. Got it back together and it acted the same way so I done a pressure and vacuum test and it had both seals leaking a little, but not much. So I changed the crank seals and tested it and all good. I also while in there put new points and condenser in. Started it up and same thing. I put my old fixed jet Tillison carb on it and it runs like a clock. Smooth as silk, no lean condition. I took a SDC carb I had taken off a parts saw and kitted it, this time I even removed the welch plugs and this carb was spotless under there. No Ron's old carb had the main one way valve and spring missing, mine was in good condition. I had to change out the throttle and choke shaft on the new carb to get it to hook up right. Put it all back together and same thing. Ron provided me with another SDC carb and hoping this will solve the problem. But for now it has me scratching my head.
I have had a couple carbs that if you turned them on there right side would go lean. I finally just richened them up a little and now OK. But thhe carb on Ron's saw you just keep chasing the lean till you can not richen it up any more and it quits. Very strange.
Brian