Back on topic "hard to start 58"

I had my 58 test engine on the test stand for a long time, and abused it a lot to get the power curves I wanted. In the process, the engine lost about 10% power, but always was easy starting. A few bumps against compression with choke on until the carb starts hissing, ignition on, and first or secont flick would get her going. Cylinder upright, carb angled up towards engine crankcase.

Now the engine is in my tow plane, carb orientation to the engine not changed, but the cylinder is down, so the carb is angled downward towards the crankcase.
The engine is not nearly as uncomplicated to start. It needs three full flips with choke on and ignition on to start and die. Then it needs a typical 8 flips to clear the lungs and start. I tried the carb hissing approach, but the engine is cowled in, and I do not hear so well any more. (old age creeps up on me).

At one time, the engine got completely flooded, so now I must be very careful not to move the prop in such a way that the pump operates and pressurizes the fuel inlet chamber. Taking heed prevented flooding from happening again.

Ergo,
With the cylinder in down position (not my favorite), one must be careful, and follow the rules by the book. Trapped fuel has no place to go but into the spark plug, and play havoc there, only to be solved by flipping the plane on it,s back and start the engine. When it does, it spews out the excess , and by now very dirty, gas through the muffler, and as Murphy will have it, onto the operater.[:@]