A couple questions. You say your idle needle is 2.5 turns out but not where the others are set so can you tell me where they are? WHat is the transition from idle to hover like? What is the smoke like?

Also, what is causing you to go through glow plugs? Are they becoming carbon fouled?

Getting my heli dialed in was a little more difficult than an airplane but you just need to make changes in one RPM range before moving on or you'll be chasing your tail....