muzician21 wrote:
Now it takes probably 20 pulls or more and
monkeying with the throttle. Once it fires it runs like a clock, runs
up and down the speed range fine. It's also easier to re-start once
it's been running - though still not one pull. Doesn't seem to use an
inordinate amount of oil, no discernible smoke out the exhaust. It
gets what I'd call moderate use.

The issue is that the engine needs a rich mixture to start when cold.
There are several different ways that the engine (carb) could be
designed to do that. In your case it probably has a choke. If it was the
original 30 year old engine the choke would probably be part of the
throttle control. The procedure for starting the engine would be to set
the throttle to the start position and then when the engine started you
would move the throttle control lever to the run position. On this
design the throttle cable was mechanically linked to the choke plate.
Sometime in the 80's they changed that to an automatic choke where a
spring closed the choke plate and then a diaphragm used engine vacuum to
pull the choke open once it started. On newer engines there is also the
system that eliminates the choke completely and replaced it with a
primer bulb where you pump a little gas (others have described the
process).

So the first thing you need to do is identify which method it uses to
deliver extra gas on cold starts and then figure out why it is not
working as designed.

-jim