The Blind Leading the Blind, or, Modern Engine Repair.

So I had a problem with the 496, which is lacking the standard problem center of the 454's, the rotor. So I went to town where the parts guys gave me a couple sensors, since that is apparently what goes wrong. Then I got to match the sensors up to the engine.
hmmm. no...
Aha!
The first sensor fixed nothing, so on to number two...


0-2, I change the old standby, the murphy switch.


Still nothing! Then, by a stroke of luck, I discover that by holding the air intake open with my hand, I can get the engine to not only start, but run. So is it a problem with the fuel/air dohickey?

About this time, a certain neighbor stopped by because he was also having problems with his engine, also a 496. (A clue! his engine runs off of the same Natural Gas pipeline.) He was hoping I had called the place in Montezuma where I bought my engine in the hopes that the mechanic could take a look at his engine while he was in the neighborhood, since the mechanic from the place where he bought his 496 had worked all morning on his engine with the end result that his engine was now running, but very poorly. He said the thing that finally got his engine running was replacing the baffle on the air intake, and insists that I try out his baffle on my engine to see if it works. (No.) Finally, as I am replacing his baffle with my original one, he mentions as an aside that he had adjusted his gas regulator while doing all of these other things to his engine. Finally-- something that could explain both of our problems- a change in the gas flow coming off the line. Then it was just a matter of me holding the air intake open while dad adjusted the regulator until I could let go with no ill effect.

And it has been running beautifully ever since.