Linkage is good. Im anal about proper set up. It's a leak, pretty sure. It started doing it after a few tanks of fuel and the outer air filter element was getting pretty dirty. I was thinking, maybe it was starting to choke the engine for air and that might have finished of the seal on the bearing(air took the path of least resistance). I thought the seal was suspect last summer when I ran it cause it was pretty wet around it, but I was running a bit on the rich side yet so I shelfed it and thought nothing more of it. Anyway, new bearing on the way and will inspect all orings and replace as needed.