"He took it straight to a vertical climb and the motor quit. "

Nah, your buddy just doesn't know how to properly tuned and check out your engine.

If it died in a vertical climb the engine went too lean.

Have you performed a nose up test with 1/2 a tank of fuel at low, mid and high throttle?

Or did he? I bet not.

Turn the HS needle out another 1/4 turn to start with and try a nose up test...