Can you just clarify Whirly was it a Interior trim or where you talking about the trim wheel not being set neutral?
And to be honest I wouldn't have been bothered flying it VFR either if required for a positioning flight / test flight. I wouldn't except it for teaching though.
The vacum pressure indications really depend on where the leak is, where the suction gauge is and how good the pump is.
You can get sub normal rpms while still showing good suction.
I have had this and the only way i could tell was the DI felt soft when adjusting it.
MJ