Have to choke 8N with my hand

Look at the choke plate and see if it has a by-pass valve in it. If it does, check to see if the spring is broken or missing.

Also check that it has not been installed backwards.

Your engine is getting too much air, so you're manually restricting the flow with your hand.

Do as the first two mentioned, check for air leaks everywhere, carb, carb to hose, carb to manifold, etc.

Dont forget to check for air leak at the choke shaft too. And the main Butterfly. KRS is right. All you are doing is substituting the unplanned air (vacuum) leak for what the choke plate would be doing.

I found my problem. The coil was putting out a very weak spark. Replaced the coil, have a sharp blue spark and the thing starts right up in a second or two. Don't even have to choke it now in the hot weather.

Glad you found the problem. It must have been hard trying to drive it with one hand over the back of the carb. Kind of like those motorcycle riders on a curve where their knee is almost touching the ground. A real Kentucky lean.

Kirk