Baby Beast burning, but opening the top fixes it. What gives?

EDIT: I think I fixed it? What I said about the rubber filler top made me realize I haven't removed and cleaned it in a while. Small juice puddle under it. Tried vaping without the topper on and it was fine. Even better vapor. Cleared out the juice and replaced the topper and it's working way better now. I still don't get how that could have any bearing on this. Time will tell. Thoughts still appreciated!

EDIT2: Yeah still burning, but not as badly.

Original post:

This is my first high wattage setup, and I wasn't really prepared to burn through juice and coils so fast, but recently my coils don't last a day or two before burning constantly. The wisdom online seems to be it's the juice I use, which I can accept, but it's been getting worse with every new coil. I'm reduced to 35-40W on coils that demand far more, and they still burn within a day.

My latest coil I tried priming a little more with some quick bursts, then letting it sit a while. When I popped back in my old coil while I waited it was suddenly vaping very nicely, then suddenly burned badly again two puffs later.

After some messing around, I found that opening the top then closing it gives me a few very clean puffs, then massive burning. I even tried leaving it sit a while to cool off and soak and it would burn until I opened and closed it again, then clean for a few puffs.

Maybe this is a known thing, or maybe I sound nuts, but after reducing everything else I can think of, it's definitely opening and closing the top that is clearing it up.

Best I can figure, there's a pressure problem in the tank and the cotton is maybe too tight and isn't absorbing properly until I open the tank. I can hear a very faint popping noise when I open it, but that could just be juice on the rubber top filler.

Any ideas? I'm thinking about poking around the cotton a bit to test pressure and absorption. Only one new coil left while I wait for my next shipment.

V8-T8 on a Battlestar.