Pe,

Just thought you'd like to know, and I must share this with someone!

I think I can claim victory over this engine. The problem was it was not pumping enough gas, but not all of the time. A leaky pressure tap and an acetate pump diaphragm in the first carburetor wouldn't consistently supply gas. Then replacing the tygon pump tube with softer neoprene made it worse.

The next two carburetors had black pump diaphragms which apparently don't like California gasoline. The check valve flappers curled up, causing the same problem.

I Installed a teflon pump diaphragm in the last carb and replace a damaged regulator lever (which caused the same symptoms), and replace the pump tube with tygon.

Now it starts and runs as sweetly as it should!

When you add in the trouble caused by ignition failure, connecting rod failure, a fouled plug caused by connecting rod failure (which caused the same symptoms), to the carb problems it was an interesting trouble shoot.

Bottom line is: Leaky nipple and soft pump pressure line plus obsolete pump material caused this trouble.

Jerry