It's alive!!!!!

[woodscavenger]

Success! It runs!!!

I was backfiring like crazy. The rotor lined up with the 4 oclock position and I couldnt get anything to work. I fiddled, read about indexing my oil pump and diz....blah blah...and finally started moving the entire set of wires at the diz end until I found the right setup. It seems to be the 7 oclock position which I don't understand since that is not where TDC appeared to be but I don't really care.

It coughed and sputtered. I used a little starting fluid and was standing next to the engine trying to pull on the started lever while trying to engage the choke and throttle lever. Finally after hearing enough reassuring sounds I recruited my amazing wife who came out to be the starter girl!

After about a minute I stopped ( since I was starting it with no WP or radiator hooked up) and hooked them up. I restarted the engine and ran it for about 15 minutes. It sounded great! A few backfires when slowing down but it iddled great. Operating temp about 195, oil pressure about 45 purring like a kitten. Sounded consistent. Tailpipe exhuast had no apparent irregularities or obvious misses in the spark.

Can you tell I am excited.

So for the next question. How difficult would it be or, should I even dare put an new gaske kit through this engine?

My next stage of rebuild is to beg for a disk brake kit for Christmas, tear off the bed and cab, wire brush the frame and paint it with rustoleum, fix some of the rust on the cab lower corner then start putting it back together. Depending on time and budget I am hoping to be driving a year from now.