Oh, MY! lol. What a quote!
You'll be fine, Vent, have at it again when you're calm and all will be OK!
We've all hit those roadblocks at one point, or many points, along the way, and the simplest things are always what seem like big things. Sounds like you already figured out what you did wrong, but as far as a mechanic? You're ahead of me in that department!
Yeah I can diagnose and identify a problem, kinda like "name that malady in three symtpoms or less" as far as where it is. Fixing it, especially fuel, is a challenge to me. I fix Holley carbs by buying a couple 12 packs and invite some people over, lol. Back in the day I LOVED AFB carbs, all screws, springs, and very easy to tune, mostly. Holleys? Did a few, and a couple ran OK, but not like if a real Holley guy had done it!
Timing is a no brainer to me. I've never trusted balancers, or timing tabs, from ANY manufacture, and always relied on a dial indicator, my timing wheel, more for cam timing, and always, (Even still now that it's out of retirement) used it to initially set up ignition timing. (On that note, ALWAYS piant your balancer black and use a silver Sharpie to mark true TDC and your 8, 10 and 13 degree marks! If the balancer ring floats, won't help much, but you'll know then. If not, well, you KNOW it's dead on from the degree wheel!).
But, sounds like it's in hand!
Ray
