The starter fired right up, good cranking power. Then we (my daughters & I) caught our first leak. A bad AN fitting feeding to the carb line. It was sprouting like a water fountain. Tightened it up, still leaking. Looked around and made a new line from the pump to the carb double feed line. Start her up? Still got a small leak from the new fittings. Tightened them up and got a couple water leaks from the temp sensors. Also had a small oil leak from the fittings. No problem just needed tightened.

End Result? I have the evil back-fire thru the carb syndrome. That's what I feared most. I really think one of my mechanical weak spots is anything related to the distributor and timing. So help me out here guys.

I guess it's a timing issue, but I was very sure I had everything dead on. When I started it, it ran for about 10-15sec and then BOOM! Scared the crap outa my kids. I repeated the start about 3 more times with the same result. One of those times I had it running for about 30 seconds before the boom, but I slowly took the idle speed up. I couldn't believe the tach, I was slowly giving it gas but the tach was moving very slowly, then Boom. I wanted to get the RPM's up because I knew a new engine shouldn't run at idle at the first start up.

Prior to this I instructed my daughter that if she saw a roaring flame thru the carb to hit it with some water. Well it was no roaring flame but she doused the carb with the hose anyway.

I'll tell you though, it was a great relief, after 2 and 1/2 years, to hear that monster speak. It sounded loud and angry. Like I woke it up from a long rest.

I guess it's good news that I got cranking going, I have spark and combustion. The worst could have happened, but didn't, that being when I turn the key I get just a click.

So steer me in the right direction here .....what do I checkout first?

Len