Thanks!
I will give up on the timing issue. The more I thought about it-the clearer I was wrong.

The engine is upside down (as it was on the test stand). I used the primer bulb to suck some gas into the carb and my guess is that I flooded it from the get go.


Also-my gas was a month or more old and 91 octane with a 1/32 mix of 2 stroke oil. Maybe that is too rich?

I am assuming that flooding it and the poor gas and the cold weather resulted in my problems.

I did take the plug off and rev up the prop to clear the flood, but I guess that did not help.

Toward the end-i did see some gas drip from the muffler. I thought these little engines like to start wet!

If I do use some ether to jump start it in cold weather-i assume that I just squirt a small amount in the spark plug hole and make sure no one is smoking?

Thanks again!
sb