new sparky things

ok, checked the spark plugs...  the #3 and 4 plugs didn't look so hot, kinda black...  according to the "how F'd up are your spark plugs" chart i have that might be carbon deposits (meaning rich mixture or weak ignition) or oil (meaning worn valve guide or piston rings-ouch)...  i don't think it was oil as it was more chalky...

oddly, plugs #2 and 1 looked better, so i hope it's not the oil issue then....

anywho, put in all new plugs and tried to fire it up again without any luck, so i decided to swap out the coil to see if that would help - negative...  i dumped a cap-full of gas down the throat of the carb and it fired up pretty quick...  ran about the same as always, dying eventually when i pulled back the choke...

 
this makes me still think it's a fuel flow issue...  maybe there's something clogging up the flow somewhere in the line, but under load (choke, acceleration) it forces enough gas through, but when you try to let it idle down it doesn't flow enough to keep it running...  i know my fuel reserve tap is messed up and i have a rebuild kit for it... also ordered a fuel pump rebuild kit, will try that too....