[MaSnaka]

Matt do you have a cable or linkage connecting the pedal to the carb?? When you say you lift the pedal and the RPM goes down sounds like there is a bind somewhere between the two. Then you say you can tell by start up whether it will run good or have the RPM hang up. Vac advance on the dist? Vac leak possible or bad diaphram?? The air cleaner should not be resting on the dist. I have the oval Cobra air cleaner and it clears my dist by about a 1/4" from the side but is nowhere near sitting on top. I have the FE motor which might make a difference. Does the air cleaner contact the choke horn?? Could cause air flow restriction on acceleration. Trying to think outside the box.

John