[Spits] First Start

[Larry Vaughan]

I started my Spit for the first time since the motor was rebuilt four or 
five years ago. Initially I tried by myself. I would crank it. It would 
start and die. I would turn down the idle screw and try again. It would 
start and die and so on.

I got my wife out to the shop and told her to crank it while I jiggled 
the throttle. It started like full throttle, no muffler. I was shouting 
turn it off while looking for the screw driver and my wife was shouting 
what, what, what.

I called my neighbor and we got it started in the normal fashion. 
Adjusted it to 2000 RPM with the distributor in the optimum, by ear, 
position, let it run a few minutes then shut it down.

Two days later I drained the radiator, no draincock, had to remove the 
radiator. The distilled water I put in came out brown, but not bad. I 
adjusted the valves to .010, put the radiator back on and added 
antifreeze. Started it up and readjusted the idle and distributor.

Now, should I run it 20 minutes then torque the head bolts? I will have 
to remove the rocker arm. Can I do that and bolt it back on without 
adjusting it again?

http://ljvaughan.homestead.com/firststart.html

Larry