Hi Mark,
I don’t know how far Texas is from Rothwell, but “flying crankase doors” might be the what are giving rise to the U.F.O. mysteries we keep hearing about.
Any road up (as they say in Birmingham) sounds like a very weak mixture and/or a leak in the exhaust system.
Run the engine slowly as possible and squirt petrol around the joints. If the engine picks up, its drawing in air (and your petrol).
Regards,
Stan Thomas.
