After messing around with the carbs I can't keep an idle

[FoxRooney]

I came here for help a little while ago, did some homework, started tinkering, and now I can't seem to maintain an idle on my xs400.

I'm thinking my fuel mixture is way off but I can't for the life of me get it set right. When i initially opened up the carbs I noticed the floats were set way below the book 32mm. So I adjusted them (bad move as it had been running fine with the current level for the last year). After no luck keeping an idle I brought the floats back down to were they were (roughly, as i made the mistake of not measuring before I messed with them in the first place).

With the floats back at their original height the bike will idle for longer, but will still slowly fade into nothingness. Using the pilot screw to effect the mixture seems to have NO effect no matter which way I turn it, even if unscrewed drastically. Idle still falls.
Bike idles around 1500-2000rpms with the choke halfway out (depending on the pilot screw)

I tested the alternator by reading battery voltage at 2000rpms (as per Hanynes manual) and got a reading of 12.8V. Really low. I'm currently charging the battery (which is new) and going to test again when its fully charged. Could this be my issue? Any help?

 

[bentwrench]

Ah, the first lesson of mechanics. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Did you at least measure your pilot screws before changing their settings?

Also, have you pulled the plugs? What do the look like?

And year and model of your bike always helps too.

 

[domains]

Take bowls off carbs (turn carbs upside down) with there own gravity the middle line on float should be 1mm higher than carb body. almost strait.

 

[FoxRooney]

Its a 1980 xs400 SE.
I no, I measured nothing, what I am now kicking myself for because these hours of trial and error are definitely not worth it.

Plugs were very old so I changed them, brownish and crusty.