"It started acting funny and would only run with the choke pulled out a bit" "ran like a dream for about thirty minutes and started hunting and surging and barely idling" ========================================================== You suspect valves or the coil, but the problems you described are usually indication of a lean fuel air mixture. If the fuel tank is located above the engine, pull the fuel line off to see if a steady stream of fuel is delivered. Let the fuel run into a jar. Examine the fuel sample for signs of water. Check the hose for cracking. Clip off the ends of the hose to eliminate cracking. If fuel flow is weak, there may be small stones or grass in the fuel line. Replace the fuel filter. The fuel pump is vacuum operated and sometimes the vacuum hose is loose and vacuum pulses do not reach the fuel pump. I usually remove the fuel tank for cleaning and renew all that old hardened fuel hose. If the tank is remounted, the same inspection applies. If there are cracks in the fuel line, air can be drawn into the fuel system. Sometimes an old fuel cap does not vent and fuel is not delivered to the engine. This engine is equipped with a high speed mixture adjustment as well as the idle mixture adjustment. As you sit in the driver's seat, the high speed adjustment is located on the left side of the carburetor. The idle adjustment is located on the lower forward side of the carburetor. For high speed surging, open the main mixture adjustment about 1/8 or 1/4 turn to see what happens. You may need a service manual to follow the exact adjustment procedure.

Lots of ideas about what is wrong, but the answer lies in testing the system correctly. Behind the LF strut there is a gray connector with a red wire that does not appear to connect to anything. Take a test light and connect it to the battery positive terminal, and to that connector. The relay when turned off actually closes that connection and that feeds the fuel pump and is called a fuel pump priming connector. If the test light does not turn on the circuit is open or has excessive resistance. When you turn the key on without cranking the engine the relay will be turned on for about two seconds and then turn back off. The testlight should turn off, for that two seconds and then turn back on. Tell us what happened with this test, and then I'll tell you what to do next.

bob_brown: Thanks for the info! Yes, I use solar where I can, but dont get much sun on account of the shade from over 25 oak trees surrounding my house. Again, I love the trees, mountains,...etc. but the same things I love about this place make it difficult for some alternatives like solar. I use solar to pre-heat water for my hot tub and it gets it up to about 90( when sunny in the morning) and then the propane heater takes over from there. On the other hand, I have access to almost unlimited supply of waste veggie oil and biodiesel fuel at super-low cost (costs me about $1/gal). I started a biodiesel club here about 6 years ago and we make it from area restaurants. Havent figured out yet much to do with it other than fuel my car, but the plan is to get a diesel generator someday. On the bright side, I havent been to a gas station in years! :) andrelaplume2: temp here rarely gets below 40, but up at this altitude, it does go down to the 30's at night for a few months out of the year; thats why I am thinking dual-fuel. Also, sometimes I run out of propane cause I forget to have the tank re-filled and would love the option. Also, as stated earlier, I intend to have cheaper source of electricity some day so that is factored in. So I think a basic air2air heat pump with standby gas furnace for now is a good solution.

Oh, good idea! I just did a visual of the oil fill tube without taking it off. I cannot get fill tube off until I get the engine cover off after I retrofit/cut the metal frame...plan on doing this retrofit this coming weekend. In any case for now, it does not appear there is any cracks from what I could see/feel nor did it look like there were any oil leaks in the fill tube area. See attached pic. Since I do exactly know how it works....Are you saying that if there is a crack, this would cause a loss in crankcase vacuum, and this lost of vacuum could in turn cause oil to come out around the fuel pump? Thanks for the idea and I will get to do a full inspection of the fill tube this weekend.