Dave,

You're only getting 22,500 with the black prop? The rest of us are getting 24,500 easy. I'd say your engine has a serious problem. Yes, you should worry ... worry a lot ... you're handicapped ... I'd say you'll probably cut #1 trying to keep up. Such a pity.

FWIW, I'm using the regular CG tank, installed backwards, with the front end blocked up with a piece of white Styrofoam and the back end (neck & cap) nestled between the landing gear attachment bolts. The leading edge of the wing does compress it a little, but not enough to worry about.

I raised the front end to keep the average height of the fuel cell -- i.e., the center of hydraulic pressure -- as high as possible. I don't like having the fuel tank lying on the floor of the fuselage because that will tend to make the engine lean out in a high-G turn. Yes, I know, there are plenty of folks who will tell you that doesn't matter with a bladder tank, but they are simply wrong. It may not matter as much as with a clunk tank, but it still makes a difference. Imagine running your engine on a test stand, perched on the edge of a 3-story parking garage, with your bladder tank sitting on the sidewalk 30 feet below. Do you think the engine won't run lean? I say it will.

Of course, to settle this question once and for all, we may need to get David Letterman involved!