Hi FH, in reading your posts the is one thing I did not hear you check for and that is is muffler nipple clear. You said it was a new engine and perhaps the muffler also had some machineing flotsom in it which could plug the muffler nipple so definately run a pin through it completely.

I have no problems at all running my 1.8 without a pump and much the same setup you described. I am gonna check tonight in a bit the needle position where it has been running.

John