That's what I had it at 2nd from the top but running 74:1 some reason turns the plug almost white its not that chocolate/ tan color. Unless I'm looking for the wrong color. But at the 2nd notch it was doing this.
if the plug color gets white or even close to white then you're to lean.
Have you made any changes to the jet size or is it stock size?
Ive never seen one of these engines run lean on a stock size jet unless there is an air leak somewhere and then usually the idle is purdy jacked up.
do a good check of the carb and make sure the float level is set right, I cant honestly tell a measurement for setting the float height since I just eyeball mine since I know by how it sits when carb is held upside down when its where it needs to be.
If float is set right, there are no air leaks and the main jet is the right size, your engine should run fine with the needle clip set on second notch from top of needle, this setting has always worked for me on all my NT and NT Speed carbs.
I you're running stock size main jet and getting an almost white plug color running Opti2 @ 74:1 which is what the small packets mix is because I have also used those packets over the years, Im prone to think you may have an air leak because the stocm just size should be huge for the mix ratio, Of course Im not saying 100% you have an air leak, but something doesn't add up when you say you're getting an almost white plug color.
check float level and maybe set it to allow a bit more fuel in, make sure the fuel is actually flowing good from tank to carb, the kit gas tanks can have junk in them that can plug up th3 tiny screen thats one the shutoff valve which will starve the carb at higher rpms and can also cause the lean run condition.
Im thinking that you have a restricted flow to the carb or float is set wrong possibly if you know for sure there isnt an air leak and it idles real good.