[clarelaw]

Thanks for all the replies.

As soon as I have the time, I intend to do all of the following before I try to run her again:

1. Pull the oil feed line to the tensioners to make sure oil is flowing to the tensioner. Does anyone think this will cause any problems with air in the line?

2. Pull the valve covers top and bottom and recheck my the valve adjustment and make sure I don't have a rocker arm walking out on me.

3. Recheck the timing to make sure I am exactly timed at TDC - a few degress off could be causing the rough running and back firing

4. Readjust my shifter linkage - I fear when I tried to roll her a bit before, I may have not properly adjusted the linkage and I may have been in 3rd not 1st.

5. If on restart, it still runs rough, then I will test each plug wire with the timing light.

The car has been in storage for over a year while I was doing the rebuild. (9 broken head studs) Part of the rough running may be that the CIS has been sitting for a while. When I reinstalled the CIS I discovered that the prior owner (or some shop in LA) had removed the warm up regulator. I bought the car in LA and she had always been a warm weather car before, so I really didn't miss the warm up regulator. However, the weather here in the Seattle area is a bit colder and wetter. I would appreciate any comments any Seattle locals have as to whether you can get away without a warmup regulator here in Seattle? If I try to run without a warmup regulator (that thing on the left side of the engine right above cyl. 2 and 3 that has two wires to it) do I have to live rough warm ups? Will running without it harm the engine in any way? and, most importantly, will it improve my performance?