Float Height Adjustment

[Danny Boy]

Greetings and a Merry Christmas to all. Just wondered if I could pick the forum's brains with this carb query. Riding a 1979 DOHC CB750 Ltd and it seems to be getting a little hot. Suspecting fuel starvation, cos it seems to be better if I ride with with a bit of choke. OK, it's probably the float heights. But, here's the problem... am a bit confused as to how to measure them. Haynes manual seems to indicate carbs turned fully upside down. However, most website advice I've found says just tilt the carb until the float tang is resting on the valve tip. Any suggestions?
Also, does it matter which way you point that little spring-thingy which clips to the top of the valve. Does the spring-thingy opening point towards or away from the floats?
Cheers, as always.

[cbRider]

Hi Danny Boy,
you would want to hold the carburetors at an angle so the floats just touch otherwise the little spring will compress and you will get a false reading. As far as the clip goes, my carbs don't have one and the float height on mine is not adjustable. I have the Keihin VB42B, which is probably all different. Running hot could also be the ignition timing being a bit late. See what color the plugs are. They should be a light brown.
If you are using an air box the jets should be 68-75 for the primary and around a 100 for the secondary main jets. If you are not using an air box all bets are off.

Good luck and merry Christmas.

Karl