Br, I edited my post, I didn't mean what you're doing wrong...
I was starting by seeing what you're doing differntly
but Bad is right, cut the wick if you properly can
it's amazing that it's not needed
The original XXXL wick is also kind of charred in some spots, I'm not sure but it's possible that it may affect the flow of nicotine through those spots. There is no need for all that excess wick, and not all of it is properly routed.
Still less sure about the following...but if there is a relatively drier spot at or near the lower parts where they get charred, it may even result in a tug of war over the liquid, some could be pulled up, but some could be pulled down. When the carto is almost empty, but not too empty that there is still plenty that could reach the cup/carto liner ptb quicker than if it would have to travel through the long charred loops down there, is another possible time when the lining ptb at the cup could outperform the long, misrouted, charred, huge loops way down there, and also almost with an effect like in a tug of war over the liquid. (Bad's wickless carto could possibly within seconds flat or less, get the last 1/4 ml to quickly reach the cup area by merely holding the ecig withthe ash slightly upward. Almost 1/4ml could also get trapped between two charred points on a long needless wick, and even if it continues to travel through the needless wick, it would be much slower)