Finally had a chance to take in some of Cliff's experienced recommendations and did a careful reassembly of the carb. Three discoveries along the way: 1) wrong base gasket (left side of picture), 2) float height was set at 5/8" instead of 5/16", and 3) float pivot pin protruded above the level of the float bowl casting lifting the float bowl gasket and potentially binding the main metering rods.
It's back on the engine but waiting for daylight hours so I don't wake the neighbors when I start it.
