Been thinking about float height versus fuel level and it strikes me that they might not be the same thing.
That video above is measuring fuel level, but it might not correlate to a defined 'float height' measurement from a manual, depending on float design, float arm design and carby design.
Or have I completely missed that point?
Fred, as you know, a liquid always finds it's own level. So when you put a clear tube in the bottom of the float bowl and run it up the side, the level will be the same in the bowl and in the clear tube. When you compare them side by side, your tube should have fuel up near the top of the bowl as a rule of thumb. If the fuel in the tube was only half way up the bowl, or right up over the bowl, then you know your float needs adjusting.
I did mine on the bench, using some fuel going into the normal fuel hose to fill the carb, and using a clear hose to check how much was in the bowl (as my new VM36 was severely flooding). I just adjusted the floats until i got the correct height of fuel. Then i measured my float height and it was 22mm. The factory setting is 18mm
https://jetsrus.com/carburetor/carb_mikuni_VM_series.html , which was causing the fuel to overflow the bowl and fill the cylinder. I am not sure why the bowl overfills at 18mm factory setting but it sounds like Tony has the same carb problem. I don't think a defined measurement from a book is that important. The factory probably did the same check as in the video, recorded the float height from that, and took that as the official float height and put it in their owners manuals.
Cheers,