I have been scouring the pages of this forum for about a month since I acquired a 1949 TD 20 in rough shape cosmetically.  I was at the local dump and always check out the metal bin.  I saw a prop sticking out of the pile and dug a bit to find the rest of the motor apparently intact.  Due to it having other stuff on top of it the gas tank is a bit dented and scratched and the recoil rope was wrapped around the motor fully extended.  The paint and decals are in rough shape.  I brought it home and put some fuel in it, and tried to fire it up, no go. When I turned the fuel shut-off on it filled the bowl and started running out the overflow on the carb cap.  The primer leaked when I pressed it down as well.  spark was blue and strong, compression at 75 PSI +/- 1lb.  The filter screen/check valve in the idle circuit of the carb was clean and check valve worked.  I did a bit of research to find info about the needle, seat and float.  I pulled the carb, took it apart and found it to be really clean considering it was in the dumpster.  I was able to get the primer assembly out with very little struggle.  I just contacted Lloyd to see if he still has primer seals available and will order them.  I found that the recoil spring had broken and I haven’t decided if I will just order it or wait to see if I can get it running first (all signs point to a healthy motor).  I suspect a grandkid was cleaning out grandpa’s garage, found the motor, put fuel to it and pulled until the recoil spring broke, or it broke the last time grandpa went to use it and he put it on ice for years.  It did not have fuel in the tank and didn’t stink like rancid gas.

Anyway that is the history of the motor thus far.  My question is this,  on the low speed needle housing is that open into the crank?  When I took the needle out to clean it I got looking and saw that there was a passage directly to the crankshaft.  I get how it works and am intrigued that the idle circuit is separate from the carb, but is there supposed to be a baffle or something over the hole.  In all reality the carb is open to the air with just the baffle on it and boat motors don’t run in dust but just having a hard time wrapping my head around it.  I have read descriptions about the needle but no mention whether it is directly open to the crank.