Steve
Look at ysperformance's running instructions here : http://www.ysperformance.com/ under the link INSTRUCTIONS
Sounds like your low speed needle is rich. Remember to lean it you screw the needle out (low speed). The high speed needle works normally( screw it in to lean, out to richen).

I used the included soft mount on the rails. They allow for moving the motor to adjust right thrust.
From striaght and level flight pull to vertical. The plane should got straight up. if it moves to one side in the vertical( and be sure you're not starting with a wing low but from level flight) then that will indicate whcih way you need to adjust the thrust.

on CG , I had my battery just in front of the servos ( sounds the same as you). I also had 4 ounces of lead on the tail. i considered mounting the battery inside the fuselage behind the wing but just never did it.
Eddie