Hard to start, found problem. Now Why?
Vacuum at idle 15 in-hg and timing 18*initial.
That is a nice set-up you have, The PCV circuit is probably Ok.
My first suspect is the 18* initial timing. When you do this, to keep the idle speed in check, you close the throttle with the speed screw. Well that shuts off the low-speed system which is the transfer slots. So then the next thing you do is open up the mixture screws to get the thing to idle.
So now when you shut it off, the metering rods jump up. With a properly set up transfer slot exposure, the engine is now set up to start. There is not enough vacuum during cranking to pull the rods down, so the transfers will puke fuel right away and the engine springs to life. And immediately the Metering rods get sucked down, and away it goes.
But if your throttle blades are too far closed, instead of the transfers delivering fuel, air goes into the slots above the throttles, and exits below, but with either very little or no fuel in it, so you will have to give it several pumpshots to deliver starting fuel. Or; as in your case, it starts on starter fluid.
That's my take.
So, the fix is simple; just open the throttle blades a lil more
and if the idle speed is too high, then simply retard the timing.And reset the mixture screws.And make sure the Vacuum advance can is on the sparkport and NOT affecting the idle timing. The usual recommendation is to disconnect it until after the power-timing has been finalized.
If that don't get you back in action;
make sure the accelerator pump works, and then
check the float level, and make sure the liquid level is normal or ever so slightly higher than normal...... but NOT lower than normal.
Don't get hung up on idle-timing, let it be what the engine wants. Right now, IMO, it is telling you it wants more gas, which at start-up,without choke, is the transfers and idle ports. Like I said; if the warm idle-speed gets too high, just retard the timing.
After you get her starting nicely...... then later, you fix the power-timing.
If you inadvertently set the idle timing with the Vcan on manifold vacuum, then during cranking, the timing will be fully retarded, perhaps all of those 18* couldda been in the Vcan, and now all you got is zero advance or TDC timing. Don't do that. Now you got two problems.
