98 KX60 piston question (probably any 2 stroke honestly)

Okay, I got the carbon off with 91% alcohol and a razor so it looks alot better now. And I would've just bought a top end kit but I don't have the money at the moment. Just got quoted $1k just to replace the connecting rod in my YZ250 ($800 labor, ridiculous IMO), so I'm just trying to get this one running again to keep me entertained for the time being. I haven't been able to ride for like 9 months so I'm dyin' over here! Lol

And by looking at the buildup, am I running it too lean or too rich? Seems like I have to adjust the carb every time I ride it, so it's never perfectly set. However the top end being worn out probably had alot to do with that, so hopefully it'll run better after this.

I got the rings and gasket today, put it all back together and cruised around on it for a couple hours with no problems. I was just going to let it sit there and run to break in, but my neighbors would've had a fit and I couldn't control myself I was so happy. Lol. It was a little discolored, like yellow and black. So I'm assuming heat from being too lean? I don't know what the jet sizes are in it since I got it second hand and have never had a problem from sea level to 3k ft up a mountain(rode it up the fire roads on my local mountain in the snow last year!). I don't know where exactly the idle screw should be, but I have it at 2 full turns out right now. I just guessed it based on how much smoke it was blowing. Just figured I'd rather have it too rich and foul plugs than burn up the motor running it lean. I mix 32:1 with Arco premium too if it makes a difference, but I do use the cheap shit 2 stroke mix and 10w40 from Wal Mart because it's always worked out fine. Not the best idea I know, but hey, gotta make do when you're broke and still want to ride daily. Lol

I can't even count how many hours I put on the bike riding nearly everyday last year and every weekend the year before that. And like I said, I got it second hand and it was beat, so I have no idea when the motor was last rebuilt since it hadn't been ridden in 4-5 years before I bought it. But there's zero play in the big end bearing and there's no rub marks on the crank, so the bottom end is strong and took that long for the rings to finally wear out, so I guess it's a true test of how much this little thing can really take! Lol

Aww crap. Well, too late I guess. I just figured it would help it some being cleaner where the spark happens. But thanks tho, I was releived! Now to get that damn 250 running and my life will be complete. Lol

Yeah, exactly the problem. I was quoted $750 just for 8 hours of labor to do it, then whatever parts are needed plus oil on top, so roughly $1k. And It's not really that I'm afraid to pull the motor apart or something because I would love to honestly, I'll just have to buy all the appropriate tools, a complete crank and still don't have a press either way. So it's gonna run me pretty close to the same in the end. It would probably still be better to go that route so I can know how to do it next time or if I got another bike, and that way I'll have all the tools and whatnot. And yeah I know. I was originally thinking Wiseco until I started researching and asking and definately decided against it. Lol. It looks like the price of the Hot Rods kits have come down a bit tho, so that's another plus at least.

I took the bike out to a friend's house today and rode around in the hills and was noticing that it seemed to be dying out at high speed. Kinda hard to explain really without being there. I just got home and it's late so I'll check the plug tomorrow, but as I was coming down the hill for example, it was struggling to stay running, basically the fact that I was still moving in gear was keeping it going. But it was kinda doing it randomly tho, because it seemed like it started doing a little better once I got out onto the street, but I did adjust the idle screw a little farther in and it helped. I don't know exactly how far I went since I was doing it while riding, so probably like 1/4 turn. Possible the carb is just dirty? I'm just happy it didn't actually die on me because I was about a mile back into the hills that I don't know without a phone, and the secluded houses in the area looked kinda sketchy honestly so I wasn't looking to have any run ins with "locals". Lol

Rode it around for a couple hours today and it's doing the same thing still. Like when I'm wide open, it'll just all of a sudden start dying until I slow down again and give it a couple seconds. Sounds to me like it's not getting enough gas, but I'm no professional so all I can do is guess. I had the idle screw set at 2 full rotations out. The spark plug is brand new, but it's seems to only be black on one half, and the other half is perfectly clean if it makes a difference. Does this sound like the carb is just dirty? I know it needs a new air filter bad tho, as well as silencer packing and more than likely reeds, so would one of these be the problem before the carb?