Take apart the carb to get to and remove the diaphragm.
Push down on the "arm" from the center of the diaphragm. Do u see the needle move or do u need to push down a bit before the needle moves.
If need to push down a bit, bend the arm up so that when u push down, the needle responds - just don't bend it up too much or else it will flood. make is so that the arm is flush with the perimiter where the gasket sits.

WOWEE!! 8 years from a Sears leaf blower! Aren't you the lucky one, though. Yeah, better hot-foot it down to the Sears store and buy a new one, as that old one doesn't have much, if any, more use time. You will learn from the experience--everything has obsolescense (?) built in, and Sears stuff is well known for that problem.

It sounds like you still have a carb problem. With the choke at 40%, I think that is helping maintain a vacuum in there. The added vacuum is needed because fuel isn't flowing as freely as it needs to.

Have you removed the primer bulb and cleaned the check valve?

I think a new carb is about $25. After spending countless hours tinkering and fussing with faulty carburetors, I'm slowly converting over to the "buy a new carburetor" side.

Part #: 530071775