Okay, here's just a little background - re-wired my car w/ a painless kit last weekend. I now have correct voltage to everything. I immediately noticed that my timing changed when I wired up the kit, so I set it back to 12 degrees.

Then, I had a set of Dougs headers thrown on there, now I notice that my vacuum is a little low as well. Figured it was because of the new exhaust, and I'd figure it out later, as the car is running good.

Here's the problem - it runs GREAT. It starts with a bump of the key when it's cold. When it's hot, it backfires through the carb and is completely hard to start. I have to lay on the gas, turn the key, and then let the key and the gas go at the same time, and it will fire up. I don't get it. I figured it might be a problem with the fuel boiling over, but I haven't really noticed that. I took the aircleaner off and checked for it, but I couldn't really see anything, so I assume it's not happening.

Anything else I should check? Could my timing still be too far advanced?

when you rewired ?? did you keep the wire from the starter R terminal to the coil + ?? letting go of key & car starting is a sign of NO power to coil in start circut..

Well, yeah, it's wired up right, I know that much, because when it's cold, it fires up when the key is engaged in the start position. It's only when it's warm that it fires up after the starter disengages.

Also, I did adjust the float levels on the carb - they were a little off. I'll see if that helps. I did notice that the engine actually spins backwards for a revolution or two when it backfires when starting. It's not really a backfire, but more like a cough. And, I took the aircleaner off when I was starting it, and I noticed some fuel spray out the top of the carb when I tried to start it and it coughed.

Ugh - if it's not one thing, it's another!

sounds like your backfire is caused by what your explaining is the coil firing after the feild colape's ...recheck to besure you've got power at coil when the key is in the start pos if car starts right up you will get one fire as the key clears the on pos ... when cold that maybe all it needs .... hot is a another story ...its where I'd look first ....it will take less time to check it need ... type it graemlins/clonk.gif

Sounds like your timing is still off to me."Vacume" if you got the gauge set air mixture to highest then like back one turn.

You'll get eventualy :eek:

DOH! I put the timing light back on it this morning - it was past the damn timing mark! :0 Adjusted the timing back to 14 btdc, and no problemos so far. Now I'm wondering what the hell made the timing jump 15 or so degrees.

Someone was playing with the dial on the dial-back timing light? MAYBE!!! But it works right now.