Ok I have just used a fresh smok tech 1.5 ohm carto and took a few unpowered hits. I seen some bubbles from the pre drilled hole in the carto, so it does seem to work with sucking in some juice. I will try this a bit more in the future as well. The taste still seems dull though. I think the juice is getting to the carto because the juice I am using is only 20% VG,it is not very thick juice.And also I think the carto is full because sometimes the juice will leak from the carto into screw hole were the carto screws into the provari.
I am using 80%PG 20% VG and 24mg nic. The carto is punched one time only, just the factory predrilled hole. I guess I should say its not so much a bad taste, more like a very very dull taste as kgoallthewaygo has said. I can hardly taste any flavor at all.
I have just replaced with a brand new smok tech carto and filled with 22 drops and filled the tank as per your advice and reduced the voltage to 4 volts. I am using tasty vapor strawberries and cream 80%PG 20%VG with 24mg nic with smok tech carto 1.5 ohm at 4 volts, and I have done a few unpowered hits to suck in juice into the carto through the pre drilled hole. I do think the carto is getting juice.
After doing all this I still feel the flavor is really dull, not bad tasting as i have previously said. I think more accurate would be to say the flavor is just very very dull flavor.