Hi Jester, Yes I agree with what you are saying. I have been over the engine and can not see anything wrong. I too have been suspecting fuel but it is a fresh gallon this spring and it runs a couple of older higher mileage OS's like a champ. No bubbles are visible when the engine runs and now with the oddly small high speed valve setting it idles down to a very slow, very reliable idle, accelerates like one would expect and seems to be making lots of power. Of course this is just a run on a bench stand and then another run with the plane strapped down to an old table. The proof will be when I get a few flights on it. I am wondering if it is possible that the previous owner of the engine tightened down the needle valve and opened up the seat? Is this even possible?
I know I said I could not get the engine to die by closing the barrel, but I was wrong, the light was bad and with the 90 degree installation it was just hard to see, on the bench it killed the engine as soon as the barrel closed. When I reinstalled the engine I made sure the barrel closed all the way when I hit the kill engine button on my TX.
I sure hope my engine blues are solved, thank goodness for this forum and the good people who are willing to listen and give advice. I will report back on the maiden if it happens this fall, just need a break in the weather
Calvi