Get Your motor Running

This is a never ending battle with the ghost of communist bloc nations. The starting and drive clutches seem to be engaged when they shouldn't be. and this leads to other problems..such as the near amputation of one finger when I strayed too close to the flywheel. I actually took the drive clutch out and it still turns the back wheel. That's a bad sign since that means the starting clutch/flywheel is slightly engaged with the transmission at all times...which means it won't stay running if you stop. Could this be the idle speed too high or something else? But if I lower the idle speed then it dies all together.