quote:I've resigned myself to losing the engine cover when the riser and new air filter go on ...
Do you have a dropped base for the air cleaner?
With my dropped base, I have room for a 3" tall filter, 14" diameter.
As for the spacer, if retaining the engine cover is important to you (I know it is for me) I would hold off on installing the spacer until after you've run with the reworked carb. I suspect it is a lot, if not most, of your problems.
No sense trying ALL the steps if you can find solution with just some of them.
Larry