Took a number of steps to try to minimize potential issues and improve our chance for success.
- Checked wiring
- Charged battery
- Removed a spark plug to make sure cylinder wasn’t flooded with gas
- Confirmed spark from coil by holding connecting wire from center of distributor cap near metal (spark!)
- Checked wiring
- Swapped starters
- Introduced 2oz of gas into each carb breather tube
- Checked point gap. It was about .017. Spec indicates .016″. Think I got it closer. Tough one to adjust in my opinion.
- Checked wiring
Many more tries of cranking produced similar threats of ignition that never caught on, and annoying sticking of the starter gear to the flywheel. It appears that the fuel leaks are resolved, save one on the gas canister itself. Starter once again getting hot to the touch.
Finally…ignition! I hastily ran around the engine to look for any leaks or flames. I grabbed my phone to call my father so he could partake in the celebration. With him on the line, I then ran in the house to gather another witness in the form of my significant other. During all this time the engine ran smoothly with no tinkering from me. It finally stalled out…
Only later did I realize that by making a phone call, I had hijacked what I had been using as our “video camera” and thus did not document our success. We will try again next weekend after addressing the fuel leak and seeing if we can resolve the sticking starter issue.
Celebration time!
