If the fuel tubing is sucking air, you can try using a wire (Plastic bag tie without the paper wrapper) to tighten it. More fuel tubing of the right size can be gotten at the hobby shop.

Turn the engine upside down and look in the carb. That's where you can see if the carb is open or closed.

It should only be about 1/4 open for starting.

You can remove the glow plug and put your battery on it to see if you have glow. It should glow like the cigarette lighter in a car (Not spark)