backfiring was due to two wires being crossed. the hard start is gone, now that the cam gear and crank gear are correct, yes on tic #1 they are at 12:00. has fuel has good spark, easily 1/4-1/2 arc onto metal. now im not 100% positive or anything, but with it only having such little compression would it not be hard for the compression to pull enough fuel down into the cylinders to fire it over?. i mean im sure if it was 80-90 lbs it would fire up and not make alot of power, but the compression being the whole way as low as 35-40 lbs?.